16 réponses à ce sujet

[Lance Botelle]

Hi All,

While I know we can use "ghost" creatures in a module, I was hoping to have "visual effect" created ghosts, which cannot be directly interacted with in any way ... i.e. Do not even have name tags!

Does anybody know if such visual effects have already been created (I could not find any yet). If not, does anybody fancy trying to add some ghostly VFXs as SEFS to use?

Thanks in advance.
Lance.

[Eguintir Eligard]

You can easily do it yourself.

 

• Build an empty black area, place the creature or npc you want to be the ghost, take a snap shot
• Make sure the background is true black (0,0,0) in gimp, fill it with black if not
• Use the picture as a billboard VFX and set the transparency to a level you find ghostly, Im ball parking it at about 40%

[mybudgee]

Indeed

[Lance Botelle]

You can easily do it yourself.

• Build an empty black area, place the creature or npc you want to be the ghost, take a snap shot
• Make sure the background is true black (0,0,0) in gimp, fill it with black if not
• Use the picture as a billboard VFX and set the transparency to a level you find ghostly, Im ball parking it at about 40%

Hi EE,

Wow! Is it as easy as that?

If that is the case, then that opens up a great deal for me. I will give that a go later.

Many thanks,
Lance.

[rjshae]

It would be static though, wouldn't it?

[Lance Botelle]

It would be static though, wouldn't it?

Hi rjshae,

Oh, that would be disappointing.

EE ... Would it be static? I am after "floaty" types in case it was not obvious.

Lance.

[Eguintir Eligard]

so you play with the gravity and speed variables so that the image floats up and down

[Tchos]

Lance, I had very much the same sort of thing in mind for something of mine, and I think I may have gone as far as to request an animated GIF of a classic "lady in white" type of ghost with dress and hair floating around her, so that I could apply it as a fully animated texture in the game.  But it's possible I decided not to ask.  I can't remember.  In any case, I never got what I was looking for, so I never set about that task.

[Lance Botelle]

Lance, I had very much the same sort of thing in mind for something of mine, and I think I may have gone as far as to request an animated GIF of a classic "lady in white" type of ghost with dress and hair floating around her, so that I could apply it as a fully animated texture in the game.  But it's possible I decided not to ask.  I can't remember.  In any case, I never got what I was looking for, so I never set about that task.

Hi Tchos,

Well, I have already made a search for the "ghost" images and found a few I can experiment with. Check out this:-

http://www.bing.com/...ges&FORM=IGRE#a

Hi E.E.

OK, I will try some experimenting with that still then.

However, if anybody beats me to this, then please let me know.

Thanks,
Lance.

[Tchos]

Well, I have already made a search for the "ghost" images and found a few I can experiment with. Check out this:-
http://www.bing.com/...ges&FORM=IGRE#a

 

Yes, I had already made a similar search on Google for images like that.  However, I did not find any suitable animated GIFs of moving, floating ghosts that would be suitable to use as a loop in the game.

[Morbane]

Lance,

 

Look at the aberir toril world sef - it appears full-front as per PC movement - mayhaps thats what ur looking for?

 

i incorporated the sef in a now dead project to project images on HB of different worlds based on the original Toril Globe

[Lance Botelle]

Lance,
 
Look at the aberir toril world sef - it appears full-front as per PC movement - mayhaps thats what ur looking for?
 
i incorporated the sef in a now dead project to project images on HB of different worlds based on the original Toril Globe

Hi Morbane,

Thanks for the heads up on this .... I will check that out when I get a moment .... caught up doing a beggar script at the moment.

Cheers,
Lance.

[rjshae]

 

You can easily do it yourself.

 

• Build an empty black area, place the creature or npc you want to be the ghost, take a snap shot
• Make sure the background is true black (0,0,0) in gimp, fill it with black if not
• Use the picture as a billboard VFX and set the transparency to a level you find ghostly, Im ball parking it at about 40%

 

It'd be nice if one could capture a short series of shots--long enough to capture a simple animation--then loop it. I suppose one could take several shots of the idle animation showing small arm and head motions, then string them together. A limned glow would be good to have as well.

 

fx_shadowfiend_2 gives a decent ghostly effect.

[Dann-J]

I wonder if a billboard can be used as a spell projectile? It'd require a dummy entry in spells.2DA that has no scripts attached. If so, then you could create an animated texture, make a billboard out of it, and have it move across a room by firing the dummy spell from an ipoint at a random location.

 

Another option might be to create a full creature via a model effect by cobbling together various body parts in the SEF, much like my VFX statues. It would be properly three-dimensional, and you could loop an animation while it moves (perhaps the 'major casting' loop that makes the player float in the air). You could even make it walk if you were able to synch the projectile speed with the walk rate.

 

Now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure the model effect approach would work. I have a rock-tossing effect that causes a stone-skinned model (one of the ice chunk placeables that has a bottom) to tumble through the air. So spell projectiles will definitely take model VFX, even if turns out they don't like billboards.

[Lance Botelle]

Hi All,

I am watching and waiting ... and reading with interest.

Lance.

[Dann-J]

The model VFX as a spell projectile works - if you like your ghosts zipping about like Speedy Gonzalas. I can't figure out how to slow the projectile down though. I certainly had fun experimenting with the different projectile path options (especially 'ballistic' and 'bounce').

 

Static ghosts that use model VFX and looping animations look quite good. The major casting loop animation makes them float in the air in a position that looks like they're in torment. The looping cowering animation is also quite good. You could also have pairs of them conversing silently with each other.

 

It wouldn't take much scripting to have them fade in, animate for a while, then fade back out again. You could even have a ghost beckon the player on by having them fade away when the player gets near, and re-appear further away. All without being able to interact with them at all. Take that Z-key!

[Lance Botelle]

The model VFX as a spell projectile works - if you like your ghosts zipping about like Speedy Gonzalas. I can't figure out how to slow the projectile down though. I certainly had fun experimenting with the different projectile path options (especially 'ballistic' and 'bounce').
 
Static ghosts that use model VFX and looping animations look quite good. The major casting loop animation makes them float in the air in a position that looks like they're in torment. The looping cowering animation is also quite good. You could also have pairs of them conversing silently with each other.
 
It wouldn't take much scripting to have them fade in, animate for a while, then fade back out again. You could even have a ghost beckon the player on by having them fade away when the player gets near, and re-appear further away. All without being able to interact with them at all. Take that Z-key!

Hi Dannj,

This is sounding really good!

I look forward to seeing the results and playing around with what you have done ... I find that is the best way I learn about things. I recall learning a bit more about changing statue colours from messing around with your statues last time.

Lance.