Can you spawn in visual effects in an area?

Neverwinter Nights 2 Toolset, Scripting, NWNX
1

Can you spawn in a visual effect through a script, like fire, for instance? I think I ought to be possible 'cause when you cast a spell you see fire…but maybe that is not at all the same thing as spawning in a fire at a waypoint? When checking ginc_object it seems that that only covers placeables and creatures…

1 Like
2

Yes, the spells scripts often fire off a visual effect. You could always use the location of the waypoint to place the effect. Not every effect works for a location though; some require an object.

3

You can spawn placed effects using the CreateObject() function, passing OBJECT_TYPE_PLACED_EFFECT as first parameter.

The following generic script spawns placeables or placeables effects :

// spawn objects, pass OBJECT_TYPE_xx as first parameter
// eg OBJECT_TYPE_PLACED_EFFECT = 1024, OBJECT_TYPE_PLACEABLE = 64, ...

void main(int nType, string sTemplate, string sWP)
{
	int n = 0;
	object oWP = GetObjectByTag(sWP);
	while (GetIsObjectValid(oWP))
	{
		CreateObject(nType, sTemplate, GetLocation(oWP));
		n++;
		oWP = GetObjectByTag(sWP, n);
	}
}

for instance from a conversation calling vk_spawn_objects(1024, “fx_b_furnace_active”, “spawn_fire”)
spawns a fire effect on every waypoint tagged “spawn_fire”.

1 Like
4

Ah, neat! Thanks guys! I’ll try that script you suggested here @Claudius33.

5

I’ve tried this now, and though it works, I can’t seem to remove the fire effect for some reason.
I first use Claudius33’s script above. I spawn the fire effect to the waypoint “spawn_fire”. Then when trying to remove the effect I run this script from a conversation (my guess is that the script is wrong somehow):

void main()
{
	object oTarget = GetObjectByTag("spawn_fire");

	effect eSearch = GetFirstEffect(oTarget);
	while (GetIsEffectValid(eSearch))
	{
		if(GetEffectSpellId(eSearch) == 1024) //your custom spell id
		{
			RemoveEffect(oTarget, eSearch);
		}
		eSearch = GetNextEffect(oTarget);
	}
}

Could it be that I must use the sTemplate for removing the effect, like fx_b_furnace_active? Ok, I’ll try that.

Edit: Nope, didn’t work either.

6

I solved it.

It was far easier than I thought. Apparently you could just use destroy object.

void main()
{
	object oTarget = GetObjectByTag("fx_b_furnace_active");

	DestroyObject(oTarget);

}

I’m not sure why this was so easy, when I’ve used the other kind of script before. Maybe it’s because in the other instance the effect was attached to a creature…

7

If you want a more generic one with a timer, this one was given to me by Tchos back in the day.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//   
//    ga_vfx
//    by Tchos
//   
//    Applies a VFX .sef at a location (for waypoints).
//   
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


void main(string sFX, string sObjectTag, int iDurType=0, float fDuration=0.0f)
{
object oFXloc = GetObjectByTag(sObjectTag);
if ((oFXloc == OBJECT_INVALID) || (sObjectTag == "")) { oFXloc = OBJECT_SELF; }
location lFXloc = GetLocation(oFXloc);
effect eFX = EffectNWN2SpecialEffectFile(sFX);

ApplyEffectAtLocation(iDurType, eFX, lFXloc, fDuration);

}

/*
DURATION_TYPE_INSTANT    = 0;
DURATION_TYPE_TEMPORARY  = 1;
DURATION_TYPE_PERMANENT  = 2;
*/