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**NOTE: Since the writing of this tutorial a tool has been released that you can use to make FX's... it is downloadable in the "Downloads" section of this site. It was made by Gil-Galad and is called: FX Particle System Editor.

This tutorial will still be usefull to you if you want to understand the basics of FX coding.

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In FXparticleSystem.ini you will find this for each fx:

              

Code

FXParticleSystem Anduril System Priority = AREA_EFFECT ParticleName = EXSplatHaze.tga Lifetime = 20 20 SortLevel = 1 Size = 0 15 BurstCount = 2 3 InitialDelay = 15 15 IsParticleUpTowardsEmitter = Yes End Color = DefaultColor Color2 = R:0 G:106 B:185 5 Color3 = R:0 G:0 B:0 20 End Update = DefaultUpdate SizeRate = -0.25 -0.25 SizeRateDamping = 1 1 AngleZ = -7 7 AngularDamping = 1 1 End Physics = DefaultPhysics VelocityDamping = 1 1 End EmissionVelocity = OrthoEmissionVelocity End EmissionVolume = LineEmissionVolume EndPoint = X:0 Y:0 Z:15 End Draw = DefaultDraw End End

To change the color you will need to edit this part:

              

Code

Color = DefaultColor Color2 = R:0 G:106 B:185 5 Color3 = R:0 G:0 B:0 20 End

The game reads this as a simple RGB color. Just change the RGB to whatever your new color is... if your not sure what the RGB is for your specific color, then open up Paint or any other image editing program. It should have a custom color selector, which will let you change the color and it should tell you what the RGB is for that color. (the default windows paint does this, which is what I use)

So if I want to take that existing Blue Anduril effect and make it Orange, I would change it to look like this:

              

Code

Color = DefaultColor Color2 = R:255 G:75 B:0 5 ;;;R:0 G:106 B:185 5 Color3 = R:0 G:0 B:0 20 End

Notice that I kept the original colors, but I commented it out by putting ";;;" infront of it, thus telling the game not to read the following text.



Copying and Creating a new FX:

Now lets say that I wanted to keep the blue Anduril for Aragorn but make an Orange Anduril for the WitchKing.

To do this I will have to copy every refrence to Anduril and create a new FX called WKAnduril. I will have to create new refrences in the *Blank Unit's ini* (in this case the WitchKing), possibly AtributeModifier.ini and ParticleSystem.ini, definately FXList.ini and FXparticlesystem.ini.

Now that I have my new copy of Anduril, I need to change the color and any other powers.

Once thats done I have to tell the game WHEN to play this FX...

-so if I'm trying to get it to play when I activate a special power (by clicking on a button) then I would go to *yourunit.ini* and add this line to the Special power that I want it to go along with: "TriggerFX =FX_WKAnduril". Then the special power should look something like this:

              

Code

;;; WORD OF POWER (BLUE RING BLAST) SPELL ;;; ;;;WitchKing THIS IS MY HOUR;;; Behavior = UnpauseSpecialPowerUpgrade ModuleTag_WordEnabler SpecialPowerTemplate = SpecialAbilityWitchKingWordOfPower TriggeredBy = Upgrade_WitchKingWordOfPower End Behavior = SpecialPowerModule ModuleTag_WordStarter SpecialPowerTemplate = SpecialAbilityWitchKingWordOfPower UpdateModuleStartsAttack = Yes TriggerFX =FX_WKAnduril StartsPaused = Yes End Behavior = WeaponFireSpecialAbilityUpdate ModuleTag_WordWeaponFireUpdate SpecialPowerTemplate = SpecialAbilityWitchKingWordOfPower WhichSpecialWeapon = 1 SkipContinue = Yes UnpackTime = 1705 PackTime = 1 FreezeAfterTriggerDuration = 2500 ; Hold AI for this long after we fire. AwardXPForTriggering = 0 StartAbilityRange = 80.0 SpecialWeapon = WitchKingWordOfPower End

-Now, lets say that I want the FX to play just like a Leadership glow...constant once activated. If thats the case I would need to go to AtributeModifier.ini and find my Leadership Modifier and add this:

              

Code

FX = FX_WKAnduril

Then it should look something like this:

              

Code

ModifierList SpellBookWKAnduril Category = LEADERSHIP ;Modifier = DAMAGE_MULT 300% ; Weapon damage doubled ;Modifier = ARMOR 50% ; Weapon damage doubled ;Modifier = SPEED 125% Duration = 3000 ; Duration is forever when set to 0 FX = FX_WKAnduril End

Now while we are in AtributeModifier.ini we can do some really cool things: we can change the leadership our hero gives, we can change how long it lasts (must be the same as the special power in *yourunit.ini*), and we can change what FX it gives. You can look at the different modifiers to see the possibilities...


-Now, lets say that we want this power to activate BEFORE another special power...this is simple but took me a while to figure out. In *yourunit.ini* under the special power Behavior there is this:

              

Code

UpdateModuleStartsAttack = Yes TriggerFX =FX_WKAnduril

You need to change this to "No":

              

Code

UpdateModuleStartsAttack = No TriggerFX =FX_WKAnduril

That will tell the game to play the WKAnduril then start the other special power.


-Now what are you going to do if your FX shows up in the wrong spot on your unit? Simple, you move the FX.

There are two ways to do this, you can change the bone it attaches to:

(under FXList.ini)

              

Code

FXList FX_WKAnduril ParticleSystem Name = WKAnduril AttachToObject = Yes AttachToBone = B_SWORDBONE End End

Or if that doesn't work you can change the position of the FX with this code:

(FXParticleSystem.ini)

              

Code

EmissionVolume = LineEmissionVolume StartPoint = X:6 Y:3 Z:17 EndPoint = X:6 Y:3 Z:28 End

This changes the Start and End points for the FX...and as you can tell it uses X,Y,Z axis positions. You'll just have to play around with the settings untill it looks right.

-Now What if you either don't want your power to last forever, or you do want it to last forever? Well in either case you'll have to edit the Lifetimes...

(FXParticleSystem.ini)

              

Code

System Priority = AREA_EFFECT ParticleName = EXSplatHaze.tga Lifetime = 20 20 SystemLifetime = 60 SortLevel = 1 Size = 0 15 BurstCount = 2 3 InitialDelay = 15 15 IsParticleUpTowardsEmitter = Yes End

To change how fast or slow the glow pulses you will have to edit "Lifetime = ??". To edit how long the FX lasts before it dissapears you need to edit the "SystemLifetime = ??"...

NOTE: If you want your FX to play before your special power...it will, but it will also play again when the special power activates. So you'll have to mess around with it untill it works the way you want.


-Now, if you are creating a new weapon then you will need to change the weapon.ini to reflect your new weapon. There are several FX related catagories:

              

Code

PreAttackFX = FX_WKPreAttackBlast FireFX = FX_WKBlast

The full Weapon file looks like this:

              

Code

;----------------------------- Weapon WitchKingWordOfPower ; Big Blue Ring Blast IdleAfterFiringDelay = 0 AttackRange = GANDALF_WORD_OF_POWER_RANGE MinimumAttackRange = 0.8 WeaponSpeed = 401 ; dist/sec MinWeaponSpeed = 241 MaxWeaponSpeed = 601 ; dist/sec Upper limit on scaling, when attacking past nominal "max" range ScaleWeaponSpeed = Yes ; Used for lob weapons, scales speed proportional to range RadiusDamageAffects = ENEMIES NOT_SIMILAR DelayBetweenShots = 5000 ; time between shots, msec PreAttackDelay = 2600 PreAttackType = PER_ATTACK ; Do the delay each time we attack a new target PreAttackFX = FX_WKPreAttackBlast FireFX = FX_WKBlast FiringDuration = 1400 DamageNugget ; A basic Nugget that just does damage Damage = WITCHKING_WORD_OF_POWER_DAMAGE DamageScalar = 200000% NONE +IsengardLurtz +IsengardSaruman +MordorKhamul +RohanTheoden +RohanEomer +RohanEowyn +RohanGimli +RohanLegolas +GondorAragornMP +GondorGandalf +GondorBoromir +GondorFaramir Radius = 250.0 DamageType = MAGIC DamageFXType = MAGIC DeathType = EXPLODED DamageSpeed = 700.0 ; must match the ShockWaveSpeed below DamageScalar = 200000% NONE +IsengardLurtz +IsengardSaruman +MordorKhamul +RohanTheoden +RohanEomer +RohanEowyn +RohanGimli +RohanLegolas +GondorAragornMP +GondorGandalf +GondorBoromir +GondorFaramir +RohanPippin End ; MetaImpactNugget ; A Nugget that throws things back with force ; HeroResist = .75 ; ShockWaveAmount = 70.0 ; ShockWaveRadius = 500.0 ; ShockWaveTaperOff = 1.0 ; ShockWaveZMult = 1.000 ; ShockWaveSpeed = 700.0 ; End End

This file gives you some really cool options for damage...as you can see from mine, you can tell the game to give minimal damage to units (Damage = WITCHKING_WORD_OF_POWER_DAMAGE is equal to "1" damage [game reads that Witchking_word_of_power_damage from GameData.ini]). This allows you to give every unit one damage, then under "DamageScalar" you can tell the game to multiply "1" by "blank percent" so that it really gives 20000 damage to select units. It's pretty cool.


I hope this gave you a better understanding of the FX systems that BFME uses...

At the very least you can now change the color of an FX...