{{Infobox cutscenes}}

Это действие в катсцене [[cutscene action]] заставляет актера повернуть свою голову в направлении цели. Если вы хотите, что бы актер смотрел на произвольную точку в пространстве, вам необходимо разместить в этой точке невидимого актера, который будет служить этой самой целью. Все объекты являются действительными целями, включая существ, объекты локации и даже камеры. Если цель – другое существо, актер будет пытаться смотреть в сторону головы цели. Если цель – другой объект (предмет, камера), актер будет смотреть на его базовую позицию.

For the duration of the headtracking action the actor will keep its head "locked on" to the target, turning it if either of them moves. Once the head tracking action ends the actor will continue pointing its head in the direction it was pointing at the time. If you want the actor to return its head to its neutral position, add another head tracking action with a target of "(none)".

The default speed is 1. Larger values turn the head faster. To turn the head at twice the normal speed, set the speed to 2. To turn the head at half speed, set the speed to 0.5. To immediately snap the head towards its target, set the speed to any large number, like 100.

Head angle is constrained, so this action won't be able to twist an actor's head around to unnatural angles. The headtracking system must take into account the characters “natural” head position from his pose/animations. This is not an easy thing to do - for example, the system needs to tell the difference between an animation that is permanently moving the head or just a brief head bob. Some manual fixing will be required from time to time.

=== How it works ===
The headtracking system takes snapshots of where the characters head orientation is at certain points during a line:
*At the start of the line, but only if the change is more than 20 degrees
*During a pose transition, but only if the change is more than 20 degrees
*At the end of a pose transition, always
*At the start of a headtracking action, IF the “Realign Source Head” is true (it is false by default)

At these times the system looks where the characters head is pointed (relative to their body) and remembers it, and uses that orientation from that point onward.

For this reason it is very important where the character's head is during those points in time, especially the first frame and at the end of the pose transition.

The look targets and speeds of all those in the conversation/cutscene are explicitly controlled by the conversation/cutscene. While a headtracking action is playing the source is constantly tracking the target exactly (there are no movement thresholds, or ease in periods). The exception is the angle of the source’s head, due to his pose/animation

=== How to fix glitches ===

You should be able to fix many headtracking glitches by:
*Adding blend in times for head-affecting animations that play on the first frame
*Making head-affecting animations start after the first frame
*Avoiding pose transitions at the same time as head-affecting animations

For other glitches you will need to create a custom cutscene. When you have a custom cutscene you will see that headtracking actions have two properties:
* Realign Source Head At Start - This will force head realignment as the headtracking action begins. This is useful if you are starting a headtracking action after a major change animation
* Realign Source Head Continuously - This is useful during an animation which changes the head constantly and you want headtracking to always compensate. You don’t want this on all the time since it will make headtracking “fight” with small head bobs, but if you are doing something major it can be useful.

At the end of a pose transition, or when using “Realign Source Head At Start” the update is forced. This means that even if the head has just moved a tiny bit the system will notice the difference. The other updates only pay attention if there is a significant change. This prevents a sudden, noticeable change between lines or at the beginning of a continuous update.

During a continuous update the head won’t update until there has been a noticeable change. However, from that point on it will update every frame for the rest of the action, regardless of how big the change is.

== Cutscene editor performance ==

If you have a long scene and you jump to the end, the only way to accurately reflect the characters head is to replay all the headtracking to that point. This can cause significant performance issues in the cutscene editor. You can tell the toolset to take a shortcut by disabling "Accurate Headtracking", either by using the toolbar button [[File:IconAccurateHeadtracking.png]] or by a setting in the [[cutscene editor options]]. The cutscene editor will then use a variety of assumptions to approximate proper head orientation, usually getting something very close to the "proper" headlook behavior.

{{inspector start}}
{{inspector section|General}}
{{inspector row|End Time| The time that the action ends }}
{{inspector row|Infinite| If true this action extends on forever. It never ends. }}
{{inspector row|Start Time| The time that the action begins }}

{{inspector section|Headtracking}}
{{inspector row|Realign Source Head At Start| Whether we should force a source head realignment as this action begins. This can be useful before and after an animation that significantly changes the angle of the source creature's head.}}
{{inspector row|Realign Source Head Continuously| If true the source head position will be updated continuously during this action (assuming that the change is significant) }}
{{inspector row|Speed Multiplier| How fast the head should turn to face the target. }}
{{inspector row|Target| The actor to look at.}}
{{inspector end}}

[[Category:Cutscenes]]

Headtracking/ru

2012-01-19T15:39:13Z

Warslav: Created page with "{{Infobox cutscenes}} This cutscene action causes the actor to turn its head toward a target. If you want the actor to look at an arbitrary point in space you'll need to add..."

Classes/ru

2011-10-11T19:43:40Z

Warslav: /* Переводчики */

{{Infobox script/ru}}

''В процессе доработки''

Dragon Age: Origins является классической ролевой игрой, которая позволяет пользователю играть героем одного из трех классов, каждый из которых обладает уникальными способностями.
== Описание ==
Данная страница описывает техническую составляющую различий между классами и создана с целью помочь пользователям, желающим создать модификации, используя возможности скриптовых правил(ruleset).

Игровые классы описаны в документе под названием '''[[CLA_base.xls]]'''.
Таблица, помещенная ниже является выдержкой из этого документа. В ней вы можете видеть различия между классами.

{| border="1" width="100%" style="font-size:xx-small"
|-
|'''ID'''||'''Label'''||'''BaseHealth'''||'''BaseManaStamina'''||'''DepletableProgression'''||'''StrAdjust'''||'''ConAdjust'''||'''WillAdjust'''||'''MagAdjust'''||'''CunAdjust'''||'''DexAdjust'''||'''BaseAttack'''||'''BaseDefense'''||'''DefensePerLevel'''||'''HealthPerLevel'''||'''LevelsPerAbility'''||'''LevelsPerSkill'''||'''DamagePerLevel'''
|-
|0||INVALID||****||****||****||****||****||****||****||****||****||****||****||****||****||****||****||****|
|-
|1||Warrior||100||100||5||4||3||0||0||0||3||60||45||1||6||1||3||0.4
|-
|2||Wizard||85||115||6||0||0||4||5||1||0||50||40||1||4||1||3||0.1
|-
|3||Rogue||90||90||4||0||0||2||0||4||4||55||50||1||5||1||2||0.2
|-|
|}
Более подробное описание данных из таблицы вы можете найти здесь '''[[CLA_base.xls]]'''.
== Скриптовый этап создания персонажа ==
В начале создания, все персонажы игры являются такими себе 'болванками', у которых все параметры [[Creature Properties]] установлены по умолчанию.

Скрипты, создающие персонажа вместе с UI-файлами, основываюясь на выборах, сделанных игроком, создают данные в документе [[CLA_base.xls]]. Эти же файлы ответственны за изменение параметров игрока после получения нового уровня.

Для работы со спутниками героя используются те же файлы и скрипты. Для враждебных созданий используется более ускоренный и оптимизированный алгоритм, определяющий их параметры исходя из ранга, AI(искуственного интеллекта), поведения и уровня.
=== Скрипты ===
Вот перечень скриптов, который принимают участие в создании персонажа и изменении его параметров в результате получения нового уровня:

* sys_chargen - Точка входа для всех персонажей, создание которых основано на событиях ([[event (dascript type)|Event]]), запущенных из модуль-скрипта(module_core.nss).
* sys_chargen_h - Библиотека, которая содержит большинство логических правил, используемых при изменении параметров существа ([[Creature Properties]]). Основанная на игровых правилах(game rules).
* sys_chargen_engine - Инклуд-скрипт, содержащий несколько константных переменных и часть кода, связанную с игровым движком.
* sys_autolevelup_h - Файл, определяющий логику поднятия уровня спутников героя после их принятия. В дальнейшем используется стандартный алгоритм подьема уровня.
* sys_autoscale_h - Файл, определяющий логику автоподнятия уровня.
* sys_rewards_h - Файл, содержащий количество опыта, получаемого в качестве награды за определенное действие, точки сохранения игры и проверку персонажа на повышение уровня.

[[Category: Character_generation]]
== Переводчики ==
Silderon / [mailto:lordmilten95@gmail.com Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]
{{Languages|Scripting overview}}
[[Category:Scripts]]
[[Category:Translations_ru]]

Combat Rules/ru

2011-10-11T19:42:53Z

Warslav: /* Переводчики */

{{Infobox script}}

'''Страница в процессе доработки'''

На этой странице описаны техническая составляющая и логика ведения боя в игровых скриптах.
В основном она касается боя с использованием исключительно оружия. О заклинаниях и способностях читайте [[Ability|Abilities]].

Примечание: Термин 'свойтсва', используемый на этой страницы относиться к свойствам существ здесь -> [[Creature Properties]].

== Детальное описание ==

Бой в игре Dragon age: Начало обрабатывается в основном скриптами. Движок имеет малое понятие об основных показателях, вляющих на бой, таких как 'Сила' 'Модификатор урона' или 'Пробиваемость доспеха'.

=== Последствия удара ===

Последствия удара определены в функции [[combat_h.nss#Combat_GetAttackResult|Combat_GetAttackResult]] в библиотеке скриптов [[combat_h.nss]], которые срабатывают, когда скрипт [[creature_core.nss]] обрабатывает такое событие как удар. Функция возвращает одну или несколько [[COMBAT_RESULT|COMBAT_RESULT_*]] константных переменных и сообщает игровому движку, какую анимацию нужно проиграть.

В целом, боевая система Dragon age является 'тяжело ударной' так как доспех цели никак не влияет на шанс попадания.

Упрощенный скрипт для обработки последствий удара виглядит так:

<dascript>

if Target Is Placeable Object
return COMBAT_RESULT_HIT

if Target Displacement/Dodge < RandomF(100.0)
return COMBAT_RESULT_MISS

if Attacker Is Using BASE_ITEM_TYPE_STAFF
return COMBAT_RESULT_HIT

bHit = RandomF(100.0) < AttackRating - DefenseRating
bCrit = CheckCricital()
bBackstab = CheckBackstab()

if bHit
if HasEffect(attacker, EFFECT_TYPE_MISDIRECTION_HEX)
if bCrit
return COMBAT_RESULT_HIT
else
return COMBAT_RESULT_MISS

if bBackstab
return COMBAT_RESULT_BACKSTAB
else
if bCrit
return COMBAT_RESULT_CRITICAL_HIT
else
return COMBAT_RESULT_HIT

else
return COMBAT_RESULT_MISS

</dascript>

==== Мощность удара ====

Мощность удара включает в себя:

* Базовый наносимый урон (54.0f)
* + [[#Flanking Bonus Determination|Flanking Bonus]] (позиция атакующего относительно цели, умения жертвы, например, укрытие щитом. Здесь бонус получают разбойники).
* + Штрафы, основанные на расстоянии к цели (для дальнего боя)
* + Значение наносимого нападающим урона(вместе со всеми бафами и тому подобным)
* + Любые предметы(руны), которые являются частью оружия и влияют на нанесение урона
* + Любые внешние бонусы или штрафы, которые попадают в функцию (из скриптов умений, например)
* + Уровень сложности игры

==== Уровень защиты ====

Уровень защиты включает в себя:

* Значение защиты обороняющегося (и уклонения, если речь идет о защите от оружия дальнего боя). Включает в себя бонусы от предметов, эффектов и различные магические бонусы.
* Уровень сложности игры

==== Бонусы от атак с фланга ====

* Значение бонуса атак с фланга содержится во float-переменной и влияет на мощность атаки и шанс нанесения критического урона.
* Бонус зависит от того, насколько близко атакующий находится к наиболее выгодному для атаки положению(за спиной цели).
* Различные способности боя со щитом уменьшают вероятность атакующего получить бонус от атаки с фланга.
* Чем дальше атакующий от позиции "со спины", тем меньше бонус.
* Бонус колеблеться от +0 до +15 (+20 с "Движением в бою") и влияет на мощность атаки и частично на (1+(Бонус атаки со фланга/5)) на шанс нанесения критического урона.
* Большинство персонажей могут подойти к врагу максимум на 60 градусов относительно спины, "Движение с бою" позволяет подойти на 90 градусов (положение "со спины"=180 градусам).
* Максимальный бонус от атаки с фланга получают только разбойники, все остальные получают половину.
* Понять логику лучше вы сможете, изучив скрипт [[combat_h.nss#Combat_GetFlankingBonus|Combat_GetFlankingBonus]] и [[combat_h.nss]].

==== Удар в спину ====

* Удар в спину может быть нанесен только в ближнем бою.
* Для выполнения удара в спину нужно, чтобы бонус атаки с фланга был больше 0(некоторые таланты обходят это ограничение).
* Наносить удар в спину могут только создания класса Разбойник [[Classes|Character Class]]. Это классовая привилегия.
* Наносить удар в спину могут только человекоподобные существа (это касается и порождений тьмы).
* Общую логику вы сможете понять изучив функции [[combat_h.nss#Combat_CheckBackstab|Combat_CheckBackstab]] и [[combat_h.nss]].
* Логику нанесения урона вы сможете понять, изучив [[combat_damage_h.nss#Combat_Damage_GetBackstabDamage|Combat_Damage_GetBackstabDamage]].

==== Нанесение критического урона ====

* Нанести критический урон могут только бойцы дальнего и ближнего боя(не маги). Значение критического урона зависит от типа атаки.
* + бонус к критическому урону от используемого оружия.
* + 1.20x (1.1x для неразбойников) the attacker's [[#Flanking Bonus Determination|Flanking Bonus]] in the current situation.
* + 3.5 если атакующий сражается с двумя соратниками против одного и того же воина и использует талант "Храбрость".
* Критический урон наносится, когда шанс нанесения меньшый чем РандомнаяПеременая()*100.0f.
* Некоторые эффекты и заклинания (например Death Hex) делают каждый нанесенный удар критическим.
* Логику вы сможете понять, изучив функции [[combat_h.nss#Combat_GetAttackResult|Combat_GetAttackResult]] в скриптовой библиотеке [[combat_h.nss]]

=== Урон ===

Значение урона рассчитывается в скрипте [[combat_damage_h.nss]].

==== Бонус к шансу нанесения критического урона ====

* Критические удары увеличивают урон от обычного удара, добавляя к нему определенное фиксированное значение.
* Величина добавляемого значение регулируется предметами и эффектами. Аттрибуты персонажа на нее не влияют.
* Историческое примечание: раньше критический урон мог принимать значения 'вплоть до...', но позже стали использовать константую переменную, что позволяло предвидеть значение наносимого урона.
* Логику рассчета критического урона вы сможете понять, изучив [[combat_damage_h.nss#GetCriticalDamageModifier]].

==== Бонус к удару в спину ====

* Урон от удара в спине часто равен критическому урону, но на него также влияют некоторые таланты разбойника.
* Логику вы сможете понять, изучив [[combat_damage_h.nss#Combat_Damage_GetBackstabDamage|Combat_Damage_GetBackstabDamage]] и [[combat_damage_h.nss]].

[[Category: Scripts]]
== Переводчики ==
Silderon / [mailto:lordmilten95@gmail.com Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]
{{Languages|Combat Rules}}
[[Category:Translations_ru]]

Backgrounds tutorial/ru

2011-10-11T19:41:34Z

Warslav: /* Переводчики */

== Вступление ==

В этом туториале мы расскажем вам, как можно редактировать предыстории, которые мы можем видим во время создания героя. Это пригодиться вам в создании вашей собственной кампании. Добавлять новые предыстории к оригиналу нельзя, можно лишь отредактировать или полностью заменить существующие. В данном туториале мы будем создавать отдельный модуль, который будет полностью заменять все предыстории. Изменение предысторий полезно в случае:

1 – если сюжет вашей кампании разворачивается не в мире Dragon age;

2 – если вы хотите уменьшить количество существующих предысторий.

Также мы расскажем вам об основных принципах редактирования игровых ресурсов, которые влияют на доступность расы и классов. Что самое важное: мы не будем редактировать подлинные материалы, а будем работать с копиями. Это позволит нашим изменениям быть совместимыми с будущими патчами, которые в ином случае перезапишут нашу работу.

Для прохождения данного туториала читателям рекомендуется быть ознакомленными с основами скриптинга и программирования. В ином случае удачное прохождение маловероятно. Чем больше вы будете слепо копировать код, используемый в туториале, тем выше вероятность того, что возникнут ошибки, которые вы будете не в силах исправить.

== Демо модуль для предысторий ==
Для данного туториала подойдет любой модуль. Если вы хотите создать отдельный тестовый модуль специально для прохождения туториала, просто создайте модуль с одной локацией и начальной территорией. Убедитесь, что единственным выбранным пунктом в иерархии модуля является '''Core game resources'''(Базовые игровые ресурсы). Это будет означать, что модуль отдельный и что он не вносит никаких изменений в оригинальную кампанию или в другие модули. Давайте назовем наш модуль Backgrounds demo и будем добавлять к названиям наших файлов префикс '''bdm_''', чтобы быть уверенными, что файла с таким названием больше нет.
Мы заменим существующие предыстории тремя собственными. Вы можете использовать их как угодно. Можете написать отдельный сюжет для каждой предыстории, как это сделано в оригинале (важно, чтобы длинна сюжетов были одинакова). Или же ваша предыстория может влиять только на диалоги, '''plot'''-опции и основную часть вашей игры.
Для нашей демки мы создадим модуль, сюжет которого начинается в маленькой человеческой деревушке (это поможет нам придумать предыстории, на практике мы создавать деревню не будем). В деревне есть маг, который играет в сюжете важную роль. Мы позволим игроку начать игру в качестве ученика этого мага (если игрок - маг), его слуги (если игрок человек или эльф и при этом не маг) или путешественника, который пришел навестить мага (если игрок не человек и не маг). Таким образом, у нас получилось три предыстории:

* Слуга
* Ученик
* Путешественник

== Создание string-переменных для предыстории ==
Перед тем, как мы приступим к редактированию файлов '''2DA''', нужно создать несколько переменных типа '''string'''. Откройте '''string'''-редактор в тулсете и создайте таблицу с названием '''“Background Demo”'''. В ней создайте следующие переменные:

[[Image:Back_tut_talk_table.png]]

'''ID'''-номера ваших строчек могут быть другими. Это не страшно, просто в дальнейшем вам придется заменять указанные мною '''ID''' на свои.

'''ВАЖНО!''' ''В игре присутствует баг, который не позволяет '''ID'''-номеру принимать значения выше '''109 912 680'''. Чтобы исправить его, вы можете [http://social.bioware.com/project/4695/ скачать фикс] от сообщества. Или же вы можете зайти в свойства модуля и изменить начальное значение '''ID''' так, чтобы оно было меньше критического. После этого, '''string'''-редактор будет генерировать '''ID'''-номера, значения которых не приведут к багу. После создания переменных для предысторий, перезагрузите начальное значение '''ID'''-номера (это позволит вам избежать нужды в скачивании фикса от Bioware и уменьшит возможность несовместимости с другими модулями).''

Вы, должно быть, заметили, что мы задали разные названия и описания предыстории путешественника в зависимости от расы героя. Об этом мы расскажем вам дальше.

{{TutorialRef|String editor}}

== Редактирование 2DA-файлов ==
Следующим шагом будет редактирование рабочих листов документа под названием '''backgrounds.xls'''. Скопируйте этот документ: мы будем редактировать копию, а не оригинал. Рекомендую вам прочесть статью с описанием работы с '''2DA'''-файлами.
Первый лист называется '''“background”'''. Отредактируйте его так, чтобы у вас получилось как на скриншоте:

[[Image:back_tut_backgrounds.png]]

'''2DA'''-файлы соединяются и создают '''M2DA'''-файлы, которые заменяют оригиналы с аналогичными названиями. В этом случае нам надо будет заполнить неиспользуемые слоты, чтобы в модуле не было предысторий из оригинала. Поэтому два последних слота мы назвали '''unused1''' и '''unused2'''.
Названия и описания предысторий в зависимости от выбранной расы будут взяты с таблицы string-переменных, так что здесь мы можем оставить соответствующие поля пустыми(если в таблице '''string'''-переменных указаны названия и описания предысторий, столбцы '''NameStrRef''' и '''DesStrRef''' не используются. Похоже, что '''ToolTipStrRef''' также нигде не используется. Если хотите, можете его чем-то заполнить).

Существует три колонки с расами, каждая из которых определяет, какая предыстория какой расе доступна. Также есть три колонки класса, которые определяют, какая предыстория какому классу доступна. На скриншоте видно, что предыстория слуги доступна эльфу и человеку, воину и разбойнику, предыстория ученика доступна магу-эльфу и магу-человеку, предыстория путешественника – эльфу и гному, воину и разбойнику.

Последние три колонки определяют стартовый навык для каждой предыстории и расы. Заметьте, по умолчанию эти колонки не связаны со скриптом генерации персонажа (они содержатся в сложном блоке кода) и не используются, но мы исправим это на стадии скриптинга. Вы должны быть внимательными, так как каждая колонка связана с '''ID'''-номером расы:

'''1 – гном, 2 – эльф, 3 – человек. '''

Номера могут быть размещены в другом порядке по отношению к столбцам расы данной таблицы. Номером в колонке является значение '''ID'''-номера навыка, указанное в таблице '''ABI_base.xls'''. В этой демке мы просто зададим одинаковые навыки всем расам определенных предысторий. Слуги получат бонус к тактике боя, ученики – бонус к убеждению, а путешественники - к выживанию.

Далее мы отредактируем таблицу под названием '''background_names'''.

[[Image:back_tut_bg_names.png]]

Убедитесь, что '''ID'''-номера этой таблицы совпадают с '''ID'''-номерами ваших '''string'''-переменных. Обратите внимание, что для учеников и слуг вне зависимости от расы мы используем одинаковые переменные, а для путешественников разные строчки. Это чтобы вы увидели, как одной и той же предыстории можно присваивать разные имена и описания. Все они хранятся в одном и том же '''ID'''-номере предыстории, но во время генерации персонажа игрок может увидеть разные названия, описания и иконки для одной и той же предыстории. В оригинальной кампании этот метод применялся в случае героем знатного происхождения, которое менялось на человеческое или гномье в зависимости от выбранной расы.

'''ПРИМЕЧАНИЕ''' ''– во время разделения единой предыстории на части вы должны быть внимательными. Названия и описания должны быть разными! Если описания будут одинаковыми, движок сочтет предыстории идентичными, даже если их названия будут разными.''

Теперь отредактируйте '''background_desc''' как показано на скрине.

[[Image:back_tut_bg_desc.png]]

Снова обратите внимания на различные описания для предыстории путешественника.
Теперь отредактируем '''background_icons'''. В этой демке мы будем использовать иконки из оригинала, но при желании вы можете использовать собственные.
'''“background_icons"'''

[[Image:back_tut_bg_icons.png]]

Таблица под названием '''background_defaults''' должна содержать все возможные комбинации расы, предыстории и класса. Значение '''ID'''-номера колонки считается следующим образом:
'''(1000 * IDрасы) + (100 * IDкласса) + Idпредыстории'''

[[Image:back_tute_bg_defaults.png]]

В колонке '''“Label”''' должна содержаться комбинация (правда, это ни на что не влияет). В нашей демке место появления героя всех комбинации будет одинаковым (локация, выбранная в модуле по умолчанию) но если вы хотите создать индивидуальное начало для каждой предыстории, вы можете использовать для этого две следующие колонки (чтобы это сработало, нужно написать скрипт).
В колонке '''“Template”''' вы можете вписать название файла с существом, которое вы хотите использовать в качестве шаблона для определенной комбинации расы\предыстории\класса. На скриншоте вы можете увидеть, что мы используем стандартные шаблоны, идущие в комплекте с тулсетом, но вы запросто можете пользоваться своими. Заметьте, что от шаблона герой получает только инвентарь, так что для шаблонных персонажей вам не нужно задавать ничего кроме инвентаря.

Имя берется со '''string'''-переменных, так что если вы хотите задать герою новое имя, вам придется создать новые переменные в '''string'''-редакторе.
В конце мы видим столбец с возможностями. Как и в случае с навыками в таблице предыстории, '''ID'''-номера возможностей соответствуют записям в файле '''ABI_base.xls'''. Раса, класс и предыстория являются единственными источниками стартовых возможностей. Поэтому перед тем, как вписывать в столбец '''ID'''-номер возможности, вам следует узнать, какие возможности уже добавлены. Это поможет избежать дубликатов.
Последняя таблица называется '''chargen_preload'''. Два столбца этой таблицы должны точно совпадать со значениями '''ID'''-номеров и шаблонов из предыдущей.

[[Image:back_tut_chargen_preload.png]]

{{TutorialRef|2DA|2DA#Excel file formatting|Background.xls}}

== Компиляция и исправления файлов GDA ==
Теперь скомпилируйте файл '''backgrounds.xls''' и положите полученный в результате компиляции '''GDA'''-файл в папку '''AddIns\название_модуля\module\override'''
Никогда не кладите ничего в папке '''AddIns\название_модуля\core\override''' иначе изменения коснуться всех модулей.
Раньше был баг, из-за которого '''string'''-переменный с большими '''ID'''-значениями компилировались некорректно. Сейчас он исправлен. Чтобы обойти этот баг, '''GDA'''-файлы вручную редактировались в тулсете. Если же вы взглянете на '''ID'''-номера сейчас, то увидите, что они правильные.

{{TutorialRef|Compiling 2DAs|GDA}}

== Создание plot-файла для предыстории ==
'''Plot'''-файл предыстории используется для отслеживания выбранной игроком предыстории и позволяет менять диалоги в зависимости от выбора.
Оригинальная кампания для отслеживания выбранной предыстории использует '''plot'''-файл под названием '''gen00pt_backgrounds'''. Вы можете найти его в папке '''\_Global\Generic''' в разделе '''“Plots”'''. Мы создадим похожий файл для наших предысторий. Создайте новый '''plot''' и назовите его '''bdm_000pt_backgrounds''' (я использую три нуля для обозначения файлов, не привязанных к конкретной локации, вы можете использовать собственное обозначение, только не забудьте о нем в процессе прохождения туториала). Добавьте главные '''plot'''-флаги, как это изображено на скриншоте.

[[Image:Back_tut_bg_plot.png]]

Вы также можете добавить определенные флаги. Они используются для создания комбинации главных флагов(таких как '''TRAVELLER'''(путешественник)) или для добавления составных условий, таких как '''FEMALE_APPRENTICE'''(женщина-ученица) или '''ELVEN_APPRENTICE'''(эльф-ученик). Определенный флаги, тем не менее, не входят в рамки данного туториала.

{{TutorialRef|Designer Resources|Plot}}

== Написание скриптов ==
Мы не будем редактировать скрипты оригинальной кампании, мы добавим свои. Для лучшего понимания того, что мы будем делать, вы можете ознакомиться со скриптами оригинала, но ни в коем случае не редактируйте их. Используя в своем модуле измененные скрипты оригинала, вы делаете ваш модуль несовместимым с возможными будущими патчами.
Начнем с написания скрипта, обрабатывающего события генерации персонажа. Обычно, этот скрипт назначается модуль-скриптом. Создайте новый скрипт и назовите его '''bdm_module_core'''. Вы должны решить, какубю структуру папок использовать для распределения ваших скриптов. Советую помещать их в папке с названием модуля: это позволит отделить их от скриптов оригинала. Если вам нравится оригинальная структура, вы сможете воссоздать ее в папке скриптов вашего модуля.
Модуль-скрипт оригинальной кампании называется '''module_core''' и лежит в папке '''\_Core Scripts'''.
А наш модуль-скрипт под названием bdm_module_core мы положим в папку '''\Backgrounds demo\_Core Scripts''' (знак нижнего подчеркивания вынесет вашу папку в самый верх списка. Похоже, '''Bioware''' случайно создали одну папку без знака подчеркивания. Думаю, '''_Core''' и '''Core''' - одна и та же дирректория). Структуризация скриптов подобным образом упростит вашу работу.

Откройте ваш bdm_module_core и напишите в нем следующее:

<dascript>
#include "global_objects_h"
void main(){
event ev = GetCurrentEvent();
int nEvent = GetEventType(ev); //извлечение с текущего события его типа
int nEventHandled = FALSE; //флаг, следящий за тем, было ли обработано события или нет.
switch(nEvent){
case EVENT_TYPE_MODULE_START:{
// -----------------------------------------------------------------
// Initiate character generation.
// -----------------------------------------------------------------
PreloadCharGen(); //предварительна загрузка ресурсов для генерации персонажа
StartCharGen(GetHero(),0,TRUE); //начало генерации
break;
}
default:
{
// -----------------------------------------------------------------
// Обработка отправленных движков события генерации персонажа.
// -----------------------------------------------------------------
if ((nEvent >= EVENT_TYPE_CHARGEN_START && nEvent <= EVENT_TYPE_CHARGEN_END)
|| nEvent == EVENT_TYPE_PLAYERLEVELUP )
{
HandleEvent(ev, R"bdm_sys_chargen.ncs");
nEventHandled = TRUE;
}
break;
}

}
if (!nEventHandled) { //если событие не было обработано, оно отправляется в core-скрипт
HandleEvent(ev, RESOURCE_SCRIPT_MODULE_CORE);
}
}
</dascript>

Теперь жмите '''File -> Manage modules ->''' кнопка '''Properties'''. Установите только что написанный скрипт в качестве модуль-скрипта('''module script''')
Теперь наш новый скрипт выполняет функцию модуль-скрипта.
Посла обработки события, наш модуль-скрипт решает, нужно ли отправлять событие в '''module_core''' для дальнейшей обработки.
Первое описанное нами событие носит название '''EVENT_TYPE_MODULE_START''' и отвечает за начало процесса генерации персонажа. В этом случае после начала генерации, событие передается в '''module_core''', где собственно и происходит сам процесс генерации.

'''ПРИМЕЧАНИЕ:''' ''код из других секций скрипта не нуждается в редактировании. Вообще не понятно, за что он отвечает.''

Дальше мы займемся целой группой событий. Если вы заглянете в нижнюю часть '''module_core'''-скрипта, то увидите, что часть написанного там за исключением некоторых деталей совпадает с нашим кодом, отвечающим за обработку событий. Вместо того, чтобы пропустить наши события, генерирующие персонажа через sys_chargen.nc, мы пропустим их через наш собственный скрипт под названием bdm_sys_chargen.ncs, который мы вскоре напишем.
Если нам попадется одно из событий, генерирующих персонажа, мы должны обработать его сами и освободить от этого core-скрипт, поэтому мы установим флагу '''nEventHandled''' значение '''TRUE'''(истина): '''nEventHandled = TRUE;'''
Заметьте, что все другие события обрабатываться нашим модуль-скриптом не будут, они сразу же направятся к core-скрипту.
Перед созданием bdm_sys_chargen скрипта нам понадобятся несколько новых констант. В папке '''\Backgrounds demo\_Core Includes''' создайте новый скрипт с названием '''bdm_2da_constants_h'''.
Откройте его и напишите внутри следующее:

<dascript>
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Backgrounds - rules/backgrounds.xls
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
const int BACKGROUND_SERVANT = 1;
const int BACKGROUND_APPRENTICE = 2;
const int BACKGROUND_TRAVELLER = 3;
</dascript>

Три константные переменные позволяют нам сослаться на второстепенные параметры персонажа, которые мы указали в '''2DA'''-файлах, без использования их '''ID'''-номеров. Подобные константы также делаю ваш код более читабельным. Если во время редактирования вам нужно добавить новые параметры в '''2D'''A-файлы, вы можете также создать для них переменные в этом скрипте('''bdm_2da_constants_h'''). С этого момента, вместо оригинальных констант(которые вы можете увидеть в скрипте под названием '''2da_constants_h''') мы будем использовать собственные. Это значит, что мы должны найти все участки, где используются эти оригинальные переменные и заменить их своими.
В папке '''\Backgrounds demo\_Systems''' создайте новый скрипт с названием '''bdm_sys_chargen''' и напишите в нем:

<dascript>
#include "bdm_sys_chargen_h"
#include "log_h"

const int CHARGEN_QUICKSTART_QUICK = 0;
const int CHARGEN_QUICKSTART_NORMAL = 1;
const int CHARGEN_QUICKSTART_ADVANCED = 2;

void _RunChargen(int nRace, int nClass, object oChar, int nBackground)
{

Chargen_InitializeCharacter(oChar);
Chargen_SelectGender(oChar,GENDER_MALE);
Chargen_SelectRace(oChar,nRace);
Chargen_SelectCoreClass(oChar,nClass);
Chargen_SelectBackground(oChar, nBackground,FALSE);

int nEquipIdx = Chargen_GetEquipIndex(nRace, nClass, nBackground);
Chargen_InitInventory(oChar,0,nEquipIdx);
Chargen_SpendAttributePoints(oChar,PROPERTY_ATTRIBUTE_STRENGTH, 3,FALSE);
Chargen_SpendAttributePoints(oChar,PROPERTY_ATTRIBUTE_DEXTERITY, 2,FALSE);

}

void main(){
event ev = GetCurrentEvent();
int nEventType = GetEventType(ev);
object oChar = GetEventObject(ev,0);

int nMode;
int nInt0 = GetEventInteger(ev,0);
int nInt1 = GetEventInteger(ev,1);
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Отладка.
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Log_Trace(LOG_CHANNEL_EVENTS_CHARGEN,"bdm_sys_chargen","Chargen Event:" + Log_GetEventNameById (nEventType)
+ " " + ToString(nInt0) + "," + ToString(nInt1), oChar);

int nEventHandled = FALSE;

switch (nEventType)
{
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Срабатывает, когда игрок кликает по иконке одной из доступных
// предысторий.
//
// nInt0 - Constant BACKGROUND_* integer
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
case EVENT_TYPE_CHARGEN_SELECT_BACKGROUND: {
int nBackground = nInt0;
// -----------------------------------------------------------------
// Выбор предыстории для игрока и установка соответствующих предыстории
// plot-флагов.
// -----------------------------------------------------------------
Chargen_InitializeCharacter(oChar,TRUE);
Chargen_SelectGender(oChar,GetCreatureGender(oChar));
Chargen_SelectRace(oChar,GetCreatureRacialType(oChar));
Chargen_SelectCoreClass(oChar,GetCreatureCoreClass(oChar));

bdm_Chargen_SelectBackground(oChar, nBackground, FALSE);
bdm_Chargen_SetupPlotFlags(oChar);

// -----------------------------------------------------------------
// Проверяет шаблоны, указанные в 2DA-файлах
// и, руководствуясь ими создает герою инвентарь.
// -----------------------------------------------------------------
int nClass = GetCreatureCoreClass(oChar);
int nRace = GetCreatureRacialType(oChar);
int nEquipIdx = Chargen_GetEquipIndex(nRace, nClass, nBackground);
Chargen_InitInventory(oChar,0,nEquipIdx);
nEventHandled = TRUE;
break;
}
case EVENT_TYPE_CHARGEN_END: {
nMode = nInt0;
int nQuickStart = nInt1;
// 0 - quickstart
// 1 - normal \
// 2 - advanced / то же самое
Log_Trace(LOG_CHANNEL_CHARACTER,"bdm_sys_chargen","MODE: " + IntToString(nMode)
+ ", Quick Start: " + IntToString(nQuickStart));
if (nMode == CHARGEN_MODE_CREATE && nQuickStart == CHARGEN_QUICKSTART_QUICK){
Log_Trace(LOG_CHANNEL_CHARACTER,"bdm_sys_chargen","Установка стандартный параметров для игрового персонажа.");

int nRandClass = abs((GetLowResTimer()%3)+1);

if(nRandClass == CLASS_ROGUE || nRandClass == CLASS_WARRIOR)
{
_RunChargen(RACE_HUMAN, nRandClass, oChar, BACKGROUND_SERVANT );

WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_SERVANT, TRUE);
}
else // mage
{
_RunChargen(RACE_HUMAN, nRandClass, oChar, BACKGROUND_APPRENTICE );
WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_APPRENTICE, TRUE);
}
Chargen_SetNumTactics(oChar);
SetCanLevelUp(oChar,Chargen_HasPointsToSpend(oChar));
SendEventModuleChargenDone("", "");
nEventHandled = TRUE;
}
break;
}
} //end switch

if (!nEventHandled){
HandleEvent(ev, R"sys_chargen.ncs");
}

}
</dascript>

В оригинальном '''sys_chargen''' скрипте есть два события, связанные с генерацией персонажа. Мы должны их отредактировать. Первое называется '''EVENT_TYPE_CHARGEN_SELECT_BACKGROUND''', второе - '''EVENT_TYPE_CHARGEN_END'''.
Во втором событии мы должны изменить только случай, в котором персонаж был создан в '''Режиме быстрой загрузки'''. Нашей целью является изменение всего, что надо и передача всех оставшихся событий в оригинальный sys_chargen скрипт. Сравните '''sys_chargen''' от '''Bioware''' с тем, что вы только что создали.

Вы заметите, что мы подключили скрипт с названием '''bdm_sys_chargen_h''' и использовали функции с префиксом '''bdm_'''. Эти функции будут содержаться в скрипте, который мы сейчас напишем.
По сути, они являются усовершенствованными аналогами функций с инклуд-файла под названием '''sys_chargen_h'''.
В папке '''\Backgrounds demo\_Systems\Includes''' создайте новый скрипт и назовите его '''bdm_sys_chargen_h'''.
Внутри напишите это:

<dascript>
#include "sys_chargen_h"
#include "bdm_2da_constants_h"
#include "wrappers_h"
#include "plt_bdm_000pt_backgrounds"

void bdm_Chargen_SelectBackground(object oChar, int nBackground, int bUnApply = FALSE)
{
Log_Chargen("bdm_Chargen_SelectBackground","-- " + (bUnApply?"Un":"") +"Selecting BG: " + ToString(nBackground),oChar);
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
// 1. Установка переменной предыстории
// - создание внешности героя (или использование одной из заготовок)
//
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
if (bUnApply)
{
SetCreatureProperty(oChar, PROPERTY_SIMPLE_BACKGROUND, 0.0, PROPERTY_VALUE_BASE);
}
else
{
SetCreatureProperty(oChar, PROPERTY_SIMPLE_BACKGROUND, IntToFloat(nBackground), PROPERTY_VALUE_BASE);
}
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
// 2. Игрок получает один навык.
// - найти нужный навык в файле backgrounds.xls
// - присвоить его игроку.
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
int nAbility = ChargenGetBackgroundSkill(GetCreatureRacialType(oChar), nBackground);
if (nAbility)
{
_AddAbility (oChar, nAbility, bUnApply);
}
}

void bdm_Chargen_SetupPlotFlags(object oChar)
{
int nRace = GetCreatureRacialType(oChar);
int nBackground = GetPlayerBackground(oChar);

Log_Trace(LOG_CHANNEL_CHARACTER,"bdm_sys_chargen_h","Установка plot-флагов расы: "
+ IntToString(nRace) + ", background: " + IntToString(nBackground));

// Сперва происходит инициализация всех флагов
WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_SERVANT,FALSE);
WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_APPRENTICE,FALSE);
WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_DWARF_TRAVELLER,FALSE);
WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_ELF_TRAVELLER,FALSE);

switch (nBackground)
{
case BACKGROUND_SERVANT:
{
WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_SERVANT,TRUE); break;
break;
}
case BACKGROUND_APPRENTICE:
{
WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_APPRENTICE,TRUE); break;
break;
}
case BACKGROUND_TRAVELLER:
{
switch(nRace)
{
case RACE_DWARF: WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_DWARF_TRAVELLER,TRUE); break;
case RACE_ELF: WR_SetPlotFlag(PLT_BDM_000PT_BACKGROUNDS, BDM_GEN_BACK_ELF_TRAVELLER,TRUE); break;
}
break;
}
}
}
</dascript>

Давайте рассмотрим эти две функции. Для начала сравните их с оригинальными. Наша функция '''bdm_Chargen_SelectBackground''' является более универсальной и может работать с любыми предысториями. Мы убрали сложные значения, определяющие начальные возможности для персонажа каждой предыстории и теперь используем функцию '''ChargenGetBackgroundSkill()''', которая берет возможности с '''2DA'''-файла предыстории, который мы отредактировали раньше (вспомните три последние столбца, определяющих начальные способности в зависимости от расы и предыстории).
Если этот способ вам не подходит, и вам нужна более сложная логика распределения возможностей (как в предыстории аристократа), вы всегда можете вернуться к методу кодирования, как это сделали '''Bioware'''.
Вторая функция называется '''bdm_Chargen_SetupPlotFlags()'''. Что она делает, можно понять из названия. Помните '''plot'''-файл, созданный нами ранее? Здесь мы устанавливаем нужный нам флаг в зависимости от выбранной расы и предыстории.

{{TutorialRef|Script}}

== Проверка работоспособности ==

Теперь скомпилируйте ваши скрипты и экспортируйте их в модуль. Также убедитесь, что вы экспортировали вашу '''string'''-таблицу.

'''ВАЖНО!''' ''После экспорта всегда проверяйте, есть ли что-то в папке '''\Dragon Age\packages\core\override'''. Наличие каких-либо файлов может привести к багу и повредить оригинальную кампанию.''

Теперь вы можете запустить игру и увидеть созданные вами предыстории. Если вы хотите проверить, правильно ли установлены '''plot'''-флаги, добавьте в стартовую локацию непися, создайте для него диалоги, в котором каждая строчка будет выводиться в зависимости от расы\класса\предыстории\пола героя. Также стоит убедиться, что герой получает возможности, указанные в '''2DA'''-файлах.

'''NOTE''' ''Кажется, изменить сообщение, которое выводится в начале генерации персонажа невозможно.''

{{TutorialRef|Exporting a module}}

== Опциональные расширения ==
У Bioware есть парочка других скриптов, которые имеют отношение к константам предысторий. Их можно не менять, так как они нигде не используются. Скрипт из туториала по генерации использует проверку предыстории, но вам она не нужна, разве что вы хотите использовать свой модуль для написания туториала. Также есть, по крайней мере, один отладочный скрипт, который использует предыстории из оригинала (чтобы гарантировано установить нужный '''plot'''-флаг). Если вы хотите, чтобы ваши предыстории обрабатывались подобным образом, вы должны написать для себя схожий скрипт.

== Описания расы и пола ==
Если действие вашего модуля происходит не в Ферелдене, вы, возможно, пожелаете изменить описания расы и пола, которое появляется во время генерации персонажа. Описание расы содержится в столбце '''“Description”'''(описание) в документе '''RACE_base 2DA'''. Вам просто надо изменить строчки, указанные там. Используйте значения '''ID'''-номеров в районе '''100000000'''. К сожалению, описание пола сложно закодировано в '''string'''-переменной с '''ID'''-номером '''377283'''. К счастью, вы можете сделать локальную версию этой строчки. Они будет применяться исключительно для вашей кампании.
Или же, если вы опытный пользователь и знакомы с '''UI''' туториалом, то нужная нам строчка содержится в файле '''Localization.as''' в виде переменной '''LOC_GENDER_DESCRIPTION = 377283''', которая позже используется в файле '''RaceGenderScene.as'''. После редактирования файла '''Localization.as''' вы должны скомпилировать его и внедрить в соответствующие '''.gfx'''-файлы.

== Заключение ==
В этом туториале мы продемонстрировали возможность редактирования игровых предысторий без редактирования оригинальных скриптов. По логике, подобных алгоритм действий можно использовать и для изменения других аспектов игры, например добавления новой расы или класса. В этом случае скрипт, написанный в туториале должен быть дополнен событиями, обрабатывающими процессы выбора класса и расы.

[[Category:Tutorials]]
== Переводчики ==
Silderon / [mailto:lordmilten95@gmail.com Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]
{{Languages|Backgrounds tutorial}}
[[Category:Scripts]]
[[Category:Translations_ru]]

Cutscene/ru

2011-09-07T04:31:21Z

Warslav: /* Панель инструментов */

{| align="right"
|-
| {{Resource palette}}
|-
| {{Infobox cutscenes}}
|}

Катсцена – это заранее заскриптованная кинематографическая последовательность, которая воспроизводится используя движок игры и игровые объекты.

== Приступая к работе ==

Есть две вещи, которые необходимо сделать перед тем, как приступить к работе с катсценой.
* Необходимо создать новый ресурс – катсцену
* К катсцене необходим творческий подход.

Для создания нового ресурса катсцены, перейдите в меню File и віберите New-> Cutscene. Введите уникальное имя для катсцены. Нажмите ОК. Новый ресурс катсцены появится в закладке для катсцен в окне палитры.

[[Image:New resource.png|thumb|New resource]]

Паралельно, катсцены могут быть созданы из существующей кинематографической линии в [[conversation]](диалоге). Это позволяет редактировать кинематографичность диалогов в более искусные способы.

Когда вы впервые открываете ресурс катсцены, окно Object Inspector отобразит несколько отличающиеся между собой полей данных. Одно из них – «Area» (область). Кликните на строке и, затем, кликните на кнопку “…”. Это откроет окно, отображающее все доступные игровые области. Выберите одну, кликните ОК и вы сможете увидеть ее через экраны видов.

Вы также можете назначить сцену [[stage]] катсцене. Это позволит сделать доступным действие «jump to stage», которое позволит вам моментально переместить камеры и объекты в заданные места место в сцене, возможно упрощающее создание катсцены, если у вас уже есть хорошая сцена для работы, которую вы намерены делать. Сцена не есть строго необходимой для создания катсцены, но в некоторых случаях, она может помочь сделать вещи более удобными, посредством создания опорных точек для дальнейшей работы.

Редактор катсцены имеет два главных раздела: Видовые экраны (сверху), и шкала хронологии (внизу). Также существует [[curve editor]] (редактор кривых) , который может быть отображен ниже шкалы хронологии, корда кнопка «show curve editor» (показать редактор кривых) доступна на панели инструментов.

{|
|-
| [[Image:Cutscene new.png|center|thumb|300px|New blank cutscene]]
| [[File:Cutscene editor overview.png|thumb|300px|Cutscene editor components:
A. Viewports
B. Timeline
C. Curve Editor
D. Toolbar
E. Palette Window
F. Object Inspector]]
|}

== Панель инструментов ==

[[Image:Cutscene toolbar labeled.png]]

*"Show trajectories" показывает путь, траекторию, вдоль которой объекты с позиционным ключом будут перемещаться. Ключевые позиции показаны маленькими белыми квадратиками вдоль линии траектории.
* When "Curve mode" is enabled, key curves are bezier by default. When not selected, key curves are stepped by default.
* See [[3D control]] for information on standard selection, 3-axis movement, 3-axis rotation and local coordinates
* Objects follow surface: selected objects snap to walkmesh when they're moved.
* "Update keys" update position and orientation keys when you rotate/translate cutscene objects
* The "add keys for selected object" (position, orientation, and other) command has the keyboard shortcut "K"
* "Simulate cutscene" Causes the cutscene engine to fully simulate the cutscene up to the point currently selected by the timeline scrubber and update the view to that state. This is useful to ensure that all visual effect elements are in the state they would be in if you played the cutscene normally to that point. For efficiency reasons some complex visual effects aren't updated in this way when you move the scrubber around.

== Viewports ==

The viewports are where the scene can be viewed, and where objects in the scene can be manipulated.

See [[3D control]] for information on how to control the view within a viewport.

=== View types ===

To change the type of view for a viewport right-click on the line above the viewport. This will show a context menu that allows the viewport type to be changed.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport properties.png]]

The top portion of the context menu lists the following options: Front, Back, Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Perspective. These are predefined user views, and will move the camera to those positions. The bottom portion of the context menu allows the viewport to be attached to a camera.

*User — This is the default view type. The camera can be moved around to view the scene from any angle. This is the most useful view type for manipulating objects in the scene.
*Active Camera — This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that is currently active. This view is the one to use to preview how the scene will look in the game.
*Selected Camera - This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that's currently selected in the timeline window.
*Camera(s) — This view type will attach the viewport to a specific camera. In the context menu move the mouse over the Camera option, and a sub-menu will open listing all the available cameras in the scene. This view will preview how the scene will look from that camera. Also, if the viewport camera is moved via camera controls the actual camera will also be moved.

There is one more option of note in the context menu: Detach Camera. If a viewport is attached to a camera (either a specific camera or the active camera) this option will switch the viewport back to the User mode, but the viewport camera will remain where it is.

Other options here include:
* Toggle Orthographic — Turns on or off perspective view.
*Toggle Wireframe — Turns on or off the display of textures and shading. Can be useful when the topography of an area is obscured by complex texturing.
*Safe Frame — Restricts the camera's view to a frame that shows what will be visible when the cutscene is viewed in-game. Useful for previewing.

=== Viewport layout ===

By default there are four viewport windows, allowing the user to view the scene from many different angles at once. However this can be customized to suit the user's needs.

All of the viewports can be resized by dragging the separating lines between the viewports.

Also, the number of viewports can be changed. Between one and four viewports can be visible at once, in a variety of different configurations. This can be changed using the View -> Viewports menu or by right-clicking on the title bar of the active viewport.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport layout.png]]

=== Working with objects in viewports ===

For a complete list of the types of objects that can be placed in a cutscene, and their properties, see [[cutscene object]]s.

==== Placing a creature or placeable ====

To place a creature or placeable object in the cutscene you simply need to select the object in the palette window and then click in the viewport to place the object.

* Go to the Creatures or Placeables portion of the Palette Window.
* Find the creature or placeable that you wish to use in the cutscene, and select it.
* Once selected when you move the cursor over a viewport window it will change to a crosshair.
* Select a spot to place the object, and click.

The object will then be placed in the scene, and it will also be listed in the timeline.

==== Placing a camera or light ====

Go to the Edit menu -> Insert -> Camera/Light. From here it is the same as placing a creature or placeable — the cursor will change to a crosshair and clicking will place the camera or light.

An alternate method is to right-click anywhere in a viewport. This will show a context menu that has the same Insert menu option.

Proxies and visual effect objects can be placed in the same manner.

==== Editing object properties ====

Select the object — either in the viewport, or click its name in the timeline — and the Object Inspector will display the valid editable properties for the object.

All timeline objects have a Name field. This simply changes the name as it is displayed in the timeline, which is useful to keep things organized.

You can also type in the Orientation and Position values, though most of the time it isn't necessary to enter the values in directly.

Some objects have special fields that can be keyed and edited with the [[curve editor]]. Cameras have a FOV (field of view) field, which sets the default FOV for that camera. Lights have a Color and a Radius field.

==== Activating pre-placed area objects ====

Objects that are pre-placed in the area (via the area editor) are inactive by default, meaning they can't be controlled by the cutscene engine and will carry on doing whatever ambient behaviour they would normally do. They can be selected in standard mode, however, and activated by right-clicking the selected object and selecting "Activate Area Objects". The object will then get an entry in the timeline.

[[Image:Cutscene activate object.png]]

To deactivate an area object, simply delete it. The timeline entry for the object will be removed and it will go back to its original position and inactive state.

If you want to hide an area object during the cutscene, activate it and then give it a "Change Visibility" [[cutscene action]] to make it disappear.

== Timeline ==

The timeline consists of a list of all the active objects in the cutscene, each with a set of "tracks" that contain various actions and events that occur to those objects over time. The bar along the top of the timeline shows the location of those events in time, and a marker (or "scrubber") with a vertical line running through the tracks shows what moment in time is currently being displayed in the viewports.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial timeline.png]]

=== Tool Buttons ===

*Selection Tool - This tool allows you to select the objects, events, and their respective tracks.
*Hand Tool - Left-clicking and dragging in the Track Pane with this tool will allow you to scroll rapidly through the Timeline. If you have the Selection Tool selected, you can temporarily switch to the Hand Tool by simply holding the SHIFT key.
* Units Indicator - This indicates what the numbers on the timeline mean. The default is “frames”. To change the units, open the properties of the timeline window by right-clicking anywhere in the timeline area and selecting "properties". The options under the "Time Scale" property are seconds (100 FPS) or frames (30 FPS).
* Timeline Bar - An indication of the cutscene’s progression in linear temporal units. To stretch or shrink the timeline place the mouse cursor over it and use the mouse wheel (you may need to click it once to give the timeline focus).
* Timeline Marker - This shows the precise point in the timeline that the scene is at. Left-clicking and dragging it will allow you to cycle back and forth through the Timeline, as the actions play out in the viewports. Any keys or actions you place will appear at the point in time occupied by the Time Marker.
* Track List - This section lists all of the objects in the scene. When the + sign beside the object is clicked it will expand and list all of the tracks associated with that object.

There is always a "MASTER" object. Global actions are assigned to a track on the MASTER object. This would include things like fades and other frame buffer effects. The MASTER object cannot be deleted. All other objects can be added and deleted at will.

Each object has Position and Orientation track sets with each set having three sub-tracks (X, Y and Z, and roll, pitch, and yaw). In addition, there are the following special tracks:

* Cameras have a "FOV" (field of view) track.
* Lights have "radius", "intensity", and "color" tracks (the latter having one sub-track each for red, green, and blue).
* MASTER lacks an Orientation track set.
* Sounds have a "Sound" track

To add a new generic track right-click an object and select “Add Track”. All actions not covered by the Position, Orientation, or FOV tracks (like animations) are placed on generic tracks.

For a complete list of the actions and effects that can be added to generic tracks, see:
*[[cutscene action]]s - these affect how objects in the cutscene behave.
*[[cutscene effect]]s - these modify the view through the camera, for example adding motion blur.

To rename an object select it and change the “Name” field in the Object Inspector. The same can be done for generic tracks (but not the Position, Orientation, or other special tracks).

Objects can be re-ordered by dragging the name up and down in the list.

*Track Pane - This pane displays all the actions (keys, curves, other actions) that are occurring within the scene, in their related points in Time.

Actions can be shuffled around by left-clicking and dragging while using the Selection Tool. They can also be cut/copied from one track and pasted to another track.

Objects can be multi-selected by left-click dragging in an open area of the pane. Another method is to use CTRL-click on multiple objects to select them.

* Keys and Curves - To make objects move around during the cutscene they need to have keys assigned to them on the timeline. For example, if a creature is supposed to be at a specific point at a specific time he will have a position key placed at the appropriate time on the timeline.

A single key will immediately snap the object when that point in time is reached. For a position key this means the object will jump to that point. For an orientation key the object will snap to the new orientation. For a FOV key the camera will snap to the new FOV.

Keys can also be combined to create a curve. When this is done a Bezier curve or linear curve is generated to fill the gaps between the keys. The curve can then be adjusted in different ways to create the exact movement the user needs.

Creating keys and curves is pretty much the same for all types (position, movement, FOV) though there are differences in how to work with them once they are created.

==== Creating a Key ====

*Position the time marker to the point on the timeline where the key should be created.
* Adjust the object to the desired setting.
** Position: Move the object to the proper place in the level.
** Orientation: Rotate the object.
** FOV: Change the FOV field in the Object Inspector.
* Right-click the object name in the timeline and select either “Add Position Key”, “Add Orientation Key”, or “Add Camera FOV Key”.
* The keyboard shortcuts "P", "O", and "F" can also be used.
* The shortcut "K" creates a key on all three sets of tracks simultaneously.

== Position Keys and Curves ==

Once placed, position keys and curves are visible in User viewports. Moving keys and curves around the layout works the same as moving any other object.

Individual keys are shown in viewports as white squares (yellow when selected). To change the position of a key simply drag it around the layout.

Curves can also be adjusted in the curve editor. See [[curve editor]] for more details.

=== Orientation and FOV keys/curves ===

Orientation and FOV keys/curves cannot be easily represented in the viewport. The result will be displayed (for example, a creature will turn), but the keys and curves themselves will not be visible.

To adjust them the Curve Editor must be used. Refer to [[curve editor]] for more information.

== VFX ==

See [[VFX list]] for a list of visual effects available in Dragon Age's library.

To use a VFX object in the cutscene editor, right-click in the user viewport and select "insert/VFX". Find the desired VFX in the popup browser window. If you know the exact VFX you need, filter for it by copying the name over. Use " * " as wildcard if needed. Filtering by entering "*x*" in the "name" field and hitting "enter" should eliminate most other animations from the list. You can also filter by type of VFX, using the prefixes listed above. Select the VFX you want and hit "ok".

Now left-click in the scene to place the VFX. You will see a new "VFX" item added to your timeline.
*If the VFX is a crust effect, select it and designate a crust target in the "actor" field of the object inspector.
*If the VFX is a placeable effect, use the 3 Axis Movement tool to place it at the desired coordinates.
You can click on the "+" next to the VFX on the timeline to view its info, including assigned animations.

VFX animations can be chopped and looped if needed.

Most VFX are made up of 3 separate stages: Impact, Duration, and cessation. These are indicated using a ".impa", ".dura" or ".cess" extension in the animation name on the timeline.

If you want a VFX to play for a specific time, manipulate the "Duration" stage of the animation in the timeline.

Previewing in editor:

To get a frame-accurate preview of the VFX at any given frame when scrubbing the timeline, click the "Simulate Cutscene" button at the top of the screen.

== Titles and text ==

Since all text comes from conversations, this is how we add a title for DA:
# Create a conversation line (the way we do thing is: some stand alone cutscenes have their own conversation; you could also create one conversation with all your area titles or whatever)
# Flag the line in the conversation as “No VO In Game” – this will cause the subtitle to always show and it won’t try to play or generate VO
# Add the conversation line to the cutscene via a Speak Line action. It is usually most convenient to add this to the MASTER object.

This will create a title which works just like a subtitled VO line. There is no way to change the font or have any kind of title other than a VO subtitle (with or without actual VO).

Note that subtitles have a different appearance in the toolset editor than in the game.

== Cutscene properties ==

{{inspector start}}
{{inspector section|General}}
{{inspector row|Cutscene Length| How long the cutscene plays for. }}
{{inspector row|End Script| The script that will be fired when the cutscene completes. This field is only considered during stand-alone cutscenes. Cutscenes that are part of a conversation ignore this field.}}
{{inspector row|Play Until VO Completes| If true the cutscene will continue playing past the end if non-english VO extends beyond the end of the scene. If false the cutscene always ends at the end of its runtime. This flag only applies to cutscenes played as part of a conversation. }}
{{inspector row|Resource Name| A unique string identifier the toolset and the game both use to refer to this resource }}
{{inspector row|Time Scale| The time scale that the cutscene uses. }}

{{inspector section|Debug}}
{{inspector row|Animatic| A temporary bink movie that will be played instead of this cutscene. This field is intended to allow hookup of cutscenes before they are ready. It should never be used in the final game. }}

{{inspector section|Game}}
{{inspector row|Play Sound Events| If true any sound events associated with animations will be played. If false these events will not be played. Sound events can only be played in the game, you will not hear them in the toolset. }}
{{inspector row|Use Master For LOD| If true the master object will be used to determine the center of level LOD for the cutscene. If false the LOD is centered around the mid point of the scene and never moves. }}

{{inspector section|Setting}}
{{inspector row|Area| The area in which the cutscene takes place. }}
{{inspector row|Enable Level Effects| If true the effects from the level will be applied. If false only those effects defined in the cutscene will be applied. }}
{{inspector row|Stage| The stage on which the cutscene will be played. If set, stage actions are allowed. }}
{{inspector row|Stage Orientation| The orientation of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector row|Stage Position| The position of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector end}}
== Переводчики ==
Warslav / [[User:Warslav|Страница]] / [mailto:jsmits@mail.ru Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]

{{Languages|Cutscene}}
[[Category:Cutscenes]]
[[Category:Translations_ru]]

Cutscene/ru

2011-09-07T04:25:07Z

Warslav:

{| align="right"
|-
| {{Resource palette}}
|-
| {{Infobox cutscenes}}
|}

Катсцена – это заранее заскриптованная кинематографическая последовательность, которая воспроизводится используя движок игры и игровые объекты.

== Приступая к работе ==

Есть две вещи, которые необходимо сделать перед тем, как приступить к работе с катсценой.
* Необходимо создать новый ресурс – катсцену
* К катсцене необходим творческий подход.

Для создания нового ресурса катсцены, перейдите в меню File и віберите New-> Cutscene. Введите уникальное имя для катсцены. Нажмите ОК. Новый ресурс катсцены появится в закладке для катсцен в окне палитры.

[[Image:New resource.png|thumb|New resource]]

Паралельно, катсцены могут быть созданы из существующей кинематографической линии в [[conversation]](диалоге). Это позволяет редактировать кинематографичность диалогов в более искусные способы.

Когда вы впервые открываете ресурс катсцены, окно Object Inspector отобразит несколько отличающиеся между собой полей данных. Одно из них – «Area» (область). Кликните на строке и, затем, кликните на кнопку “…”. Это откроет окно, отображающее все доступные игровые области. Выберите одну, кликните ОК и вы сможете увидеть ее через экраны видов.

Вы также можете назначить сцену [[stage]] катсцене. Это позволит сделать доступным действие «jump to stage», которое позволит вам моментально переместить камеры и объекты в заданные места место в сцене, возможно упрощающее создание катсцены, если у вас уже есть хорошая сцена для работы, которую вы намерены делать. Сцена не есть строго необходимой для создания катсцены, но в некоторых случаях, она может помочь сделать вещи более удобными, посредством создания опорных точек для дальнейшей работы.

Редактор катсцены имеет два главных раздела: Видовые экраны (сверху), и шкала хронологии (внизу). Также существует [[curve editor]] (редактор кривых) , который может быть отображен ниже шкалы хронологии, корда кнопка «show curve editor» (показать редактор кривых) доступна на панели инструментов.

{|
|-
| [[Image:Cutscene new.png|center|thumb|300px|New blank cutscene]]
| [[File:Cutscene editor overview.png|thumb|300px|Cutscene editor components:
A. Viewports
B. Timeline
C. Curve Editor
D. Toolbar
E. Palette Window
F. Object Inspector]]
|}

== Панель инструментов ==

[[Image:Cutscene toolbar labeled.png]]

*"Show trajectories" shows the path that objects with position keys will move along. Keyframe positions are indicated with small white squares along the line.
* When "Curve mode" is enabled, key curves are bezier by default. When not selected, key curves are stepped by default.
* See [[3D control]] for information on standard selection, 3-axis movement, 3-axis rotation and local coordinates
* Objects follow surface: selected objects snap to walkmesh when they're moved.
* "Update keys" update position and orientation keys when you rotate/translate cutscene objects
* The "add keys for selected object" (position, orientation, and other) command has the keyboard shortcut "K"
* "Simulate cutscene" Causes the cutscene engine to fully simulate the cutscene up to the point currently selected by the timeline scrubber and update the view to that state. This is useful to ensure that all visual effect elements are in the state they would be in if you played the cutscene normally to that point. For efficiency reasons some complex visual effects aren't updated in this way when you move the scrubber around.

== Viewports ==

The viewports are where the scene can be viewed, and where objects in the scene can be manipulated.

See [[3D control]] for information on how to control the view within a viewport.

=== View types ===

To change the type of view for a viewport right-click on the line above the viewport. This will show a context menu that allows the viewport type to be changed.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport properties.png]]

The top portion of the context menu lists the following options: Front, Back, Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Perspective. These are predefined user views, and will move the camera to those positions. The bottom portion of the context menu allows the viewport to be attached to a camera.

*User — This is the default view type. The camera can be moved around to view the scene from any angle. This is the most useful view type for manipulating objects in the scene.
*Active Camera — This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that is currently active. This view is the one to use to preview how the scene will look in the game.
*Selected Camera - This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that's currently selected in the timeline window.
*Camera(s) — This view type will attach the viewport to a specific camera. In the context menu move the mouse over the Camera option, and a sub-menu will open listing all the available cameras in the scene. This view will preview how the scene will look from that camera. Also, if the viewport camera is moved via camera controls the actual camera will also be moved.

There is one more option of note in the context menu: Detach Camera. If a viewport is attached to a camera (either a specific camera or the active camera) this option will switch the viewport back to the User mode, but the viewport camera will remain where it is.

Other options here include:
* Toggle Orthographic — Turns on or off perspective view.
*Toggle Wireframe — Turns on or off the display of textures and shading. Can be useful when the topography of an area is obscured by complex texturing.
*Safe Frame — Restricts the camera's view to a frame that shows what will be visible when the cutscene is viewed in-game. Useful for previewing.

=== Viewport layout ===

By default there are four viewport windows, allowing the user to view the scene from many different angles at once. However this can be customized to suit the user's needs.

All of the viewports can be resized by dragging the separating lines between the viewports.

Also, the number of viewports can be changed. Between one and four viewports can be visible at once, in a variety of different configurations. This can be changed using the View -> Viewports menu or by right-clicking on the title bar of the active viewport.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport layout.png]]

=== Working with objects in viewports ===

For a complete list of the types of objects that can be placed in a cutscene, and their properties, see [[cutscene object]]s.

==== Placing a creature or placeable ====

To place a creature or placeable object in the cutscene you simply need to select the object in the palette window and then click in the viewport to place the object.

* Go to the Creatures or Placeables portion of the Palette Window.
* Find the creature or placeable that you wish to use in the cutscene, and select it.
* Once selected when you move the cursor over a viewport window it will change to a crosshair.
* Select a spot to place the object, and click.

The object will then be placed in the scene, and it will also be listed in the timeline.

==== Placing a camera or light ====

Go to the Edit menu -> Insert -> Camera/Light. From here it is the same as placing a creature or placeable — the cursor will change to a crosshair and clicking will place the camera or light.

An alternate method is to right-click anywhere in a viewport. This will show a context menu that has the same Insert menu option.

Proxies and visual effect objects can be placed in the same manner.

==== Editing object properties ====

Select the object — either in the viewport, or click its name in the timeline — and the Object Inspector will display the valid editable properties for the object.

All timeline objects have a Name field. This simply changes the name as it is displayed in the timeline, which is useful to keep things organized.

You can also type in the Orientation and Position values, though most of the time it isn't necessary to enter the values in directly.

Some objects have special fields that can be keyed and edited with the [[curve editor]]. Cameras have a FOV (field of view) field, which sets the default FOV for that camera. Lights have a Color and a Radius field.

==== Activating pre-placed area objects ====

Objects that are pre-placed in the area (via the area editor) are inactive by default, meaning they can't be controlled by the cutscene engine and will carry on doing whatever ambient behaviour they would normally do. They can be selected in standard mode, however, and activated by right-clicking the selected object and selecting "Activate Area Objects". The object will then get an entry in the timeline.

[[Image:Cutscene activate object.png]]

To deactivate an area object, simply delete it. The timeline entry for the object will be removed and it will go back to its original position and inactive state.

If you want to hide an area object during the cutscene, activate it and then give it a "Change Visibility" [[cutscene action]] to make it disappear.

== Timeline ==

The timeline consists of a list of all the active objects in the cutscene, each with a set of "tracks" that contain various actions and events that occur to those objects over time. The bar along the top of the timeline shows the location of those events in time, and a marker (or "scrubber") with a vertical line running through the tracks shows what moment in time is currently being displayed in the viewports.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial timeline.png]]

=== Tool Buttons ===

*Selection Tool - This tool allows you to select the objects, events, and their respective tracks.
*Hand Tool - Left-clicking and dragging in the Track Pane with this tool will allow you to scroll rapidly through the Timeline. If you have the Selection Tool selected, you can temporarily switch to the Hand Tool by simply holding the SHIFT key.
* Units Indicator - This indicates what the numbers on the timeline mean. The default is “frames”. To change the units, open the properties of the timeline window by right-clicking anywhere in the timeline area and selecting "properties". The options under the "Time Scale" property are seconds (100 FPS) or frames (30 FPS).
* Timeline Bar - An indication of the cutscene’s progression in linear temporal units. To stretch or shrink the timeline place the mouse cursor over it and use the mouse wheel (you may need to click it once to give the timeline focus).
* Timeline Marker - This shows the precise point in the timeline that the scene is at. Left-clicking and dragging it will allow you to cycle back and forth through the Timeline, as the actions play out in the viewports. Any keys or actions you place will appear at the point in time occupied by the Time Marker.
* Track List - This section lists all of the objects in the scene. When the + sign beside the object is clicked it will expand and list all of the tracks associated with that object.

There is always a "MASTER" object. Global actions are assigned to a track on the MASTER object. This would include things like fades and other frame buffer effects. The MASTER object cannot be deleted. All other objects can be added and deleted at will.

Each object has Position and Orientation track sets with each set having three sub-tracks (X, Y and Z, and roll, pitch, and yaw). In addition, there are the following special tracks:

* Cameras have a "FOV" (field of view) track.
* Lights have "radius", "intensity", and "color" tracks (the latter having one sub-track each for red, green, and blue).
* MASTER lacks an Orientation track set.
* Sounds have a "Sound" track

To add a new generic track right-click an object and select “Add Track”. All actions not covered by the Position, Orientation, or FOV tracks (like animations) are placed on generic tracks.

For a complete list of the actions and effects that can be added to generic tracks, see:
*[[cutscene action]]s - these affect how objects in the cutscene behave.
*[[cutscene effect]]s - these modify the view through the camera, for example adding motion blur.

To rename an object select it and change the “Name” field in the Object Inspector. The same can be done for generic tracks (but not the Position, Orientation, or other special tracks).

Objects can be re-ordered by dragging the name up and down in the list.

*Track Pane - This pane displays all the actions (keys, curves, other actions) that are occurring within the scene, in their related points in Time.

Actions can be shuffled around by left-clicking and dragging while using the Selection Tool. They can also be cut/copied from one track and pasted to another track.

Objects can be multi-selected by left-click dragging in an open area of the pane. Another method is to use CTRL-click on multiple objects to select them.

* Keys and Curves - To make objects move around during the cutscene they need to have keys assigned to them on the timeline. For example, if a creature is supposed to be at a specific point at a specific time he will have a position key placed at the appropriate time on the timeline.

A single key will immediately snap the object when that point in time is reached. For a position key this means the object will jump to that point. For an orientation key the object will snap to the new orientation. For a FOV key the camera will snap to the new FOV.

Keys can also be combined to create a curve. When this is done a Bezier curve or linear curve is generated to fill the gaps between the keys. The curve can then be adjusted in different ways to create the exact movement the user needs.

Creating keys and curves is pretty much the same for all types (position, movement, FOV) though there are differences in how to work with them once they are created.

==== Creating a Key ====

*Position the time marker to the point on the timeline where the key should be created.
* Adjust the object to the desired setting.
** Position: Move the object to the proper place in the level.
** Orientation: Rotate the object.
** FOV: Change the FOV field in the Object Inspector.
* Right-click the object name in the timeline and select either “Add Position Key”, “Add Orientation Key”, or “Add Camera FOV Key”.
* The keyboard shortcuts "P", "O", and "F" can also be used.
* The shortcut "K" creates a key on all three sets of tracks simultaneously.

== Position Keys and Curves ==

Once placed, position keys and curves are visible in User viewports. Moving keys and curves around the layout works the same as moving any other object.

Individual keys are shown in viewports as white squares (yellow when selected). To change the position of a key simply drag it around the layout.

Curves can also be adjusted in the curve editor. See [[curve editor]] for more details.

=== Orientation and FOV keys/curves ===

Orientation and FOV keys/curves cannot be easily represented in the viewport. The result will be displayed (for example, a creature will turn), but the keys and curves themselves will not be visible.

To adjust them the Curve Editor must be used. Refer to [[curve editor]] for more information.

== VFX ==

See [[VFX list]] for a list of visual effects available in Dragon Age's library.

To use a VFX object in the cutscene editor, right-click in the user viewport and select "insert/VFX". Find the desired VFX in the popup browser window. If you know the exact VFX you need, filter for it by copying the name over. Use " * " as wildcard if needed. Filtering by entering "*x*" in the "name" field and hitting "enter" should eliminate most other animations from the list. You can also filter by type of VFX, using the prefixes listed above. Select the VFX you want and hit "ok".

Now left-click in the scene to place the VFX. You will see a new "VFX" item added to your timeline.
*If the VFX is a crust effect, select it and designate a crust target in the "actor" field of the object inspector.
*If the VFX is a placeable effect, use the 3 Axis Movement tool to place it at the desired coordinates.
You can click on the "+" next to the VFX on the timeline to view its info, including assigned animations.

VFX animations can be chopped and looped if needed.

Most VFX are made up of 3 separate stages: Impact, Duration, and cessation. These are indicated using a ".impa", ".dura" or ".cess" extension in the animation name on the timeline.

If you want a VFX to play for a specific time, manipulate the "Duration" stage of the animation in the timeline.

Previewing in editor:

To get a frame-accurate preview of the VFX at any given frame when scrubbing the timeline, click the "Simulate Cutscene" button at the top of the screen.

== Titles and text ==

Since all text comes from conversations, this is how we add a title for DA:
# Create a conversation line (the way we do thing is: some stand alone cutscenes have their own conversation; you could also create one conversation with all your area titles or whatever)
# Flag the line in the conversation as “No VO In Game” – this will cause the subtitle to always show and it won’t try to play or generate VO
# Add the conversation line to the cutscene via a Speak Line action. It is usually most convenient to add this to the MASTER object.

This will create a title which works just like a subtitled VO line. There is no way to change the font or have any kind of title other than a VO subtitle (with or without actual VO).

Note that subtitles have a different appearance in the toolset editor than in the game.

== Cutscene properties ==

{{inspector start}}
{{inspector section|General}}
{{inspector row|Cutscene Length| How long the cutscene plays for. }}
{{inspector row|End Script| The script that will be fired when the cutscene completes. This field is only considered during stand-alone cutscenes. Cutscenes that are part of a conversation ignore this field.}}
{{inspector row|Play Until VO Completes| If true the cutscene will continue playing past the end if non-english VO extends beyond the end of the scene. If false the cutscene always ends at the end of its runtime. This flag only applies to cutscenes played as part of a conversation. }}
{{inspector row|Resource Name| A unique string identifier the toolset and the game both use to refer to this resource }}
{{inspector row|Time Scale| The time scale that the cutscene uses. }}

{{inspector section|Debug}}
{{inspector row|Animatic| A temporary bink movie that will be played instead of this cutscene. This field is intended to allow hookup of cutscenes before they are ready. It should never be used in the final game. }}

{{inspector section|Game}}
{{inspector row|Play Sound Events| If true any sound events associated with animations will be played. If false these events will not be played. Sound events can only be played in the game, you will not hear them in the toolset. }}
{{inspector row|Use Master For LOD| If true the master object will be used to determine the center of level LOD for the cutscene. If false the LOD is centered around the mid point of the scene and never moves. }}

{{inspector section|Setting}}
{{inspector row|Area| The area in which the cutscene takes place. }}
{{inspector row|Enable Level Effects| If true the effects from the level will be applied. If false only those effects defined in the cutscene will be applied. }}
{{inspector row|Stage| The stage on which the cutscene will be played. If set, stage actions are allowed. }}
{{inspector row|Stage Orientation| The orientation of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector row|Stage Position| The position of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector end}}
== Переводчики ==
Warslav / [[User:Warslav|Страница]] / [mailto:jsmits@mail.ru Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]

{{Languages|Cutscene}}
[[Category:Cutscenes]]
[[Category:Translations_ru]]

Cutscene/ru

2011-09-06T19:10:33Z

Warslav: /* Toolbar */

{| align="right"
|-
| {{Resource palette}}
|-
| {{Infobox cutscenes}}
|}

Катсцена – это заранее заскриптованная кинематографическая последовательность, которая воспроизводится используя движок игры и игровые объекты.

== Приступая к работе ==

Есть две вещи, которые необходимо сделать перед тем, как приступить к работе с катсценой.
* Необходимо создать новый ресурс – катсцену
* К катсцене необходим творческий подход.

Для создания нового ресурса катсцены, перейдите в меню File и віберите New-> Cutscene. Введите уникальное имя для катсцены. Нажмите ОК. Новый ресурс катсцены появится в закладке для катсцен в окне палитры.

[[Image:New resource.png|thumb|New resource]]

Паралельно, катсцены могут быть созданы из существующей кинематографической линии в [[conversation]](диалоге). Это позволяет редактировать кинематографичность диалогов в более искусные способы.

Когда вы впервые открываете ресурс катсцены, окно Object Inspector отобразит несколько отличающиеся между собой полей данных. Одно из них – «Area» (область). Кликните на строке и, затем, кликните на кнопку “…”. Это откроет окно, отображающее все доступные игровые области. Выберите одну, кликните ОК и вы сможете увидеть ее через экраны видов.

Вы также можете назначить сцену [[stage]] катсцене. Это позволит сделать доступным действие «jump to stage», которое позволит вам моментально переместить камеры и объекты в заданные места место в сцене, возможно упрощающее создание катсцены, если у вас уже есть хорошая сцена для работы, которую вы намерены делать. Сцена не есть строго необходимой для создания катсцены, но в некоторых случаях, она может помочь сделать вещи более удобными, посредством создания опорных точек для дальнейшей работы.

Редактор катсцены имеет два главных раздела: Видовые экраны (сверху), и шкала хронологии (внизу). Также существует [[curve editor]] (редактор кривых) , который может быть отображен ниже шкалы хронологии, корда кнопка «show curve editor» (показать редактор кривых) доступна на панели инструментов.

{|
|-
| [[Image:Cutscene new.png|center|thumb|300px|New blank cutscene]]
| [[File:Cutscene editor overview.png|thumb|300px|Cutscene editor components:
A. Viewports
B. Timeline
C. Curve Editor
D. Toolbar
E. Palette Window
F. Object Inspector]]
|}

== Панель инструментов ==

[[Image:Cutscene toolbar labeled.png]]

*"Show trajectories" shows the path that objects with position keys will move along. Keyframe positions are indicated with small white squares along the line.
* When "Curve mode" is enabled, key curves are bezier by default. When not selected, key curves are stepped by default.
* See [[3D control]] for information on standard selection, 3-axis movement, 3-axis rotation and local coordinates
* Objects follow surface: selected objects snap to walkmesh when they're moved.
* "Update keys" update position and orientation keys when you rotate/translate cutscene objects
* The "add keys for selected object" (position, orientation, and other) command has the keyboard shortcut "K"
* "Simulate cutscene" Causes the cutscene engine to fully simulate the cutscene up to the point currently selected by the timeline scrubber and update the view to that state. This is useful to ensure that all visual effect elements are in the state they would be in if you played the cutscene normally to that point. For efficiency reasons some complex visual effects aren't updated in this way when you move the scrubber around.

== Viewports ==

The viewports are where the scene can be viewed, and where objects in the scene can be manipulated.

See [[3D control]] for information on how to control the view within a viewport.

=== View types ===

To change the type of view for a viewport right-click on the line above the viewport. This will show a context menu that allows the viewport type to be changed.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport properties.png]]

The top portion of the context menu lists the following options: Front, Back, Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Perspective. These are predefined user views, and will move the camera to those positions. The bottom portion of the context menu allows the viewport to be attached to a camera.

*User — This is the default view type. The camera can be moved around to view the scene from any angle. This is the most useful view type for manipulating objects in the scene.
*Active Camera — This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that is currently active. This view is the one to use to preview how the scene will look in the game.
*Selected Camera - This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that's currently selected in the timeline window.
*Camera(s) — This view type will attach the viewport to a specific camera. In the context menu move the mouse over the Camera option, and a sub-menu will open listing all the available cameras in the scene. This view will preview how the scene will look from that camera. Also, if the viewport camera is moved via camera controls the actual camera will also be moved.

There is one more option of note in the context menu: Detach Camera. If a viewport is attached to a camera (either a specific camera or the active camera) this option will switch the viewport back to the User mode, but the viewport camera will remain where it is.

Other options here include:
* Toggle Orthographic — Turns on or off perspective view.
*Toggle Wireframe — Turns on or off the display of textures and shading. Can be useful when the topography of an area is obscured by complex texturing.
*Safe Frame — Restricts the camera's view to a frame that shows what will be visible when the cutscene is viewed in-game. Useful for previewing.

=== Viewport layout ===

By default there are four viewport windows, allowing the user to view the scene from many different angles at once. However this can be customized to suit the user's needs.

All of the viewports can be resized by dragging the separating lines between the viewports.

Also, the number of viewports can be changed. Between one and four viewports can be visible at once, in a variety of different configurations. This can be changed using the View -> Viewports menu or by right-clicking on the title bar of the active viewport.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport layout.png]]

=== Working with objects in viewports ===

For a complete list of the types of objects that can be placed in a cutscene, and their properties, see [[cutscene object]]s.

==== Placing a creature or placeable ====

To place a creature or placeable object in the cutscene you simply need to select the object in the palette window and then click in the viewport to place the object.

* Go to the Creatures or Placeables portion of the Palette Window.
* Find the creature or placeable that you wish to use in the cutscene, and select it.
* Once selected when you move the cursor over a viewport window it will change to a crosshair.
* Select a spot to place the object, and click.

The object will then be placed in the scene, and it will also be listed in the timeline.

==== Placing a camera or light ====

Go to the Edit menu -> Insert -> Camera/Light. From here it is the same as placing a creature or placeable — the cursor will change to a crosshair and clicking will place the camera or light.

An alternate method is to right-click anywhere in a viewport. This will show a context menu that has the same Insert menu option.

Proxies and visual effect objects can be placed in the same manner.

==== Editing object properties ====

Select the object — either in the viewport, or click its name in the timeline — and the Object Inspector will display the valid editable properties for the object.

All timeline objects have a Name field. This simply changes the name as it is displayed in the timeline, which is useful to keep things organized.

You can also type in the Orientation and Position values, though most of the time it isn't necessary to enter the values in directly.

Some objects have special fields that can be keyed and edited with the [[curve editor]]. Cameras have a FOV (field of view) field, which sets the default FOV for that camera. Lights have a Color and a Radius field.

==== Activating pre-placed area objects ====

Objects that are pre-placed in the area (via the area editor) are inactive by default, meaning they can't be controlled by the cutscene engine and will carry on doing whatever ambient behaviour they would normally do. They can be selected in standard mode, however, and activated by right-clicking the selected object and selecting "Activate Area Objects". The object will then get an entry in the timeline.

[[Image:Cutscene activate object.png]]

To deactivate an area object, simply delete it. The timeline entry for the object will be removed and it will go back to its original position and inactive state.

If you want to hide an area object during the cutscene, activate it and then give it a "Change Visibility" [[cutscene action]] to make it disappear.

== Timeline ==

The timeline consists of a list of all the active objects in the cutscene, each with a set of "tracks" that contain various actions and events that occur to those objects over time. The bar along the top of the timeline shows the location of those events in time, and a marker (or "scrubber") with a vertical line running through the tracks shows what moment in time is currently being displayed in the viewports.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial timeline.png]]

=== Tool Buttons ===

*Selection Tool - This tool allows you to select the objects, events, and their respective tracks.
*Hand Tool - Left-clicking and dragging in the Track Pane with this tool will allow you to scroll rapidly through the Timeline. If you have the Selection Tool selected, you can temporarily switch to the Hand Tool by simply holding the SHIFT key.
* Units Indicator - This indicates what the numbers on the timeline mean. The default is “frames”. To change the units, open the properties of the timeline window by right-clicking anywhere in the timeline area and selecting "properties". The options under the "Time Scale" property are seconds (100 FPS) or frames (30 FPS).
* Timeline Bar - An indication of the cutscene’s progression in linear temporal units. To stretch or shrink the timeline place the mouse cursor over it and use the mouse wheel (you may need to click it once to give the timeline focus).
* Timeline Marker - This shows the precise point in the timeline that the scene is at. Left-clicking and dragging it will allow you to cycle back and forth through the Timeline, as the actions play out in the viewports. Any keys or actions you place will appear at the point in time occupied by the Time Marker.
* Track List - This section lists all of the objects in the scene. When the + sign beside the object is clicked it will expand and list all of the tracks associated with that object.

There is always a "MASTER" object. Global actions are assigned to a track on the MASTER object. This would include things like fades and other frame buffer effects. The MASTER object cannot be deleted. All other objects can be added and deleted at will.

Each object has Position and Orientation track sets with each set having three sub-tracks (X, Y and Z, and roll, pitch, and yaw). In addition, there are the following special tracks:

* Cameras have a "FOV" (field of view) track.
* Lights have "radius", "intensity", and "color" tracks (the latter having one sub-track each for red, green, and blue).
* MASTER lacks an Orientation track set.
* Sounds have a "Sound" track

To add a new generic track right-click an object and select “Add Track”. All actions not covered by the Position, Orientation, or FOV tracks (like animations) are placed on generic tracks.

For a complete list of the actions and effects that can be added to generic tracks, see:
*[[cutscene action]]s - these affect how objects in the cutscene behave.
*[[cutscene effect]]s - these modify the view through the camera, for example adding motion blur.

To rename an object select it and change the “Name” field in the Object Inspector. The same can be done for generic tracks (but not the Position, Orientation, or other special tracks).

Objects can be re-ordered by dragging the name up and down in the list.

*Track Pane - This pane displays all the actions (keys, curves, other actions) that are occurring within the scene, in their related points in Time.

Actions can be shuffled around by left-clicking and dragging while using the Selection Tool. They can also be cut/copied from one track and pasted to another track.

Objects can be multi-selected by left-click dragging in an open area of the pane. Another method is to use CTRL-click on multiple objects to select them.

* Keys and Curves - To make objects move around during the cutscene they need to have keys assigned to them on the timeline. For example, if a creature is supposed to be at a specific point at a specific time he will have a position key placed at the appropriate time on the timeline.

A single key will immediately snap the object when that point in time is reached. For a position key this means the object will jump to that point. For an orientation key the object will snap to the new orientation. For a FOV key the camera will snap to the new FOV.

Keys can also be combined to create a curve. When this is done a Bezier curve or linear curve is generated to fill the gaps between the keys. The curve can then be adjusted in different ways to create the exact movement the user needs.

Creating keys and curves is pretty much the same for all types (position, movement, FOV) though there are differences in how to work with them once they are created.

==== Creating a Key ====

*Position the time marker to the point on the timeline where the key should be created.
* Adjust the object to the desired setting.
** Position: Move the object to the proper place in the level.
** Orientation: Rotate the object.
** FOV: Change the FOV field in the Object Inspector.
* Right-click the object name in the timeline and select either “Add Position Key”, “Add Orientation Key”, or “Add Camera FOV Key”.
* The keyboard shortcuts "P", "O", and "F" can also be used.
* The shortcut "K" creates a key on all three sets of tracks simultaneously.

== Position Keys and Curves ==

Once placed, position keys and curves are visible in User viewports. Moving keys and curves around the layout works the same as moving any other object.

Individual keys are shown in viewports as white squares (yellow when selected). To change the position of a key simply drag it around the layout.

Curves can also be adjusted in the curve editor. See [[curve editor]] for more details.

=== Orientation and FOV keys/curves ===

Orientation and FOV keys/curves cannot be easily represented in the viewport. The result will be displayed (for example, a creature will turn), but the keys and curves themselves will not be visible.

To adjust them the Curve Editor must be used. Refer to [[curve editor]] for more information.

== VFX ==

See [[VFX list]] for a list of visual effects available in Dragon Age's library.

To use a VFX object in the cutscene editor, right-click in the user viewport and select "insert/VFX". Find the desired VFX in the popup browser window. If you know the exact VFX you need, filter for it by copying the name over. Use " * " as wildcard if needed. Filtering by entering "*x*" in the "name" field and hitting "enter" should eliminate most other animations from the list. You can also filter by type of VFX, using the prefixes listed above. Select the VFX you want and hit "ok".

Now left-click in the scene to place the VFX. You will see a new "VFX" item added to your timeline.
*If the VFX is a crust effect, select it and designate a crust target in the "actor" field of the object inspector.
*If the VFX is a placeable effect, use the 3 Axis Movement tool to place it at the desired coordinates.
You can click on the "+" next to the VFX on the timeline to view its info, including assigned animations.

VFX animations can be chopped and looped if needed.

Most VFX are made up of 3 separate stages: Impact, Duration, and cessation. These are indicated using a ".impa", ".dura" or ".cess" extension in the animation name on the timeline.

If you want a VFX to play for a specific time, manipulate the "Duration" stage of the animation in the timeline.

Previewing in editor:

To get a frame-accurate preview of the VFX at any given frame when scrubbing the timeline, click the "Simulate Cutscene" button at the top of the screen.

== Titles and text ==

Since all text comes from conversations, this is how we add a title for DA:
# Create a conversation line (the way we do thing is: some stand alone cutscenes have their own conversation; you could also create one conversation with all your area titles or whatever)
# Flag the line in the conversation as “No VO In Game” – this will cause the subtitle to always show and it won’t try to play or generate VO
# Add the conversation line to the cutscene via a Speak Line action. It is usually most convenient to add this to the MASTER object.

This will create a title which works just like a subtitled VO line. There is no way to change the font or have any kind of title other than a VO subtitle (with or without actual VO).

Note that subtitles have a different appearance in the toolset editor than in the game.

== Cutscene properties ==

{{inspector start}}
{{inspector section|General}}
{{inspector row|Cutscene Length| How long the cutscene plays for. }}
{{inspector row|End Script| The script that will be fired when the cutscene completes. This field is only considered during stand-alone cutscenes. Cutscenes that are part of a conversation ignore this field.}}
{{inspector row|Play Until VO Completes| If true the cutscene will continue playing past the end if non-english VO extends beyond the end of the scene. If false the cutscene always ends at the end of its runtime. This flag only applies to cutscenes played as part of a conversation. }}
{{inspector row|Resource Name| A unique string identifier the toolset and the game both use to refer to this resource }}
{{inspector row|Time Scale| The time scale that the cutscene uses. }}

{{inspector section|Debug}}
{{inspector row|Animatic| A temporary bink movie that will be played instead of this cutscene. This field is intended to allow hookup of cutscenes before they are ready. It should never be used in the final game. }}

{{inspector section|Game}}
{{inspector row|Play Sound Events| If true any sound events associated with animations will be played. If false these events will not be played. Sound events can only be played in the game, you will not hear them in the toolset. }}
{{inspector row|Use Master For LOD| If true the master object will be used to determine the center of level LOD for the cutscene. If false the LOD is centered around the mid point of the scene and never moves. }}

{{inspector section|Setting}}
{{inspector row|Area| The area in which the cutscene takes place. }}
{{inspector row|Enable Level Effects| If true the effects from the level will be applied. If false only those effects defined in the cutscene will be applied. }}
{{inspector row|Stage| The stage on which the cutscene will be played. If set, stage actions are allowed. }}
{{inspector row|Stage Orientation| The orientation of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector row|Stage Position| The position of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector end}}

[[Category:Cutscenes]]

Cutscene/ru

2011-09-06T18:45:00Z

Warslav: /* Приступая к работе */

{| align="right"
|-
| {{Resource palette}}
|-
| {{Infobox cutscenes}}
|}

Катсцена – это заранее заскриптованная кинематографическая последовательность, которая воспроизводится используя движок игры и игровые объекты.

== Приступая к работе ==

Есть две вещи, которые необходимо сделать перед тем, как приступить к работе с катсценой.
* Необходимо создать новый ресурс – катсцену
* К катсцене необходим творческий подход.

Для создания нового ресурса катсцены, перейдите в меню File и віберите New-> Cutscene. Введите уникальное имя для катсцены. Нажмите ОК. Новый ресурс катсцены появится в закладке для катсцен в окне палитры.

[[Image:New resource.png|thumb|New resource]]

Паралельно, катсцены могут быть созданы из существующей кинематографической линии в [[conversation]](диалоге). Это позволяет редактировать кинематографичность диалогов в более искусные способы.

Когда вы впервые открываете ресурс катсцены, окно Object Inspector отобразит несколько отличающиеся между собой полей данных. Одно из них – «Area» (область). Кликните на строке и, затем, кликните на кнопку “…”. Это откроет окно, отображающее все доступные игровые области. Выберите одну, кликните ОК и вы сможете увидеть ее через экраны видов.

Вы также можете назначить сцену [[stage]] катсцене. Это позволит сделать доступным действие «jump to stage», которое позволит вам моментально переместить камеры и объекты в заданные места место в сцене, возможно упрощающее создание катсцены, если у вас уже есть хорошая сцена для работы, которую вы намерены делать. Сцена не есть строго необходимой для создания катсцены, но в некоторых случаях, она может помочь сделать вещи более удобными, посредством создания опорных точек для дальнейшей работы.

Редактор катсцены имеет два главных раздела: Видовые экраны (сверху), и шкала хронологии (внизу). Также существует [[curve editor]] (редактор кривых) , который может быть отображен ниже шкалы хронологии, корда кнопка «show curve editor» (показать редактор кривых) доступна на панели инструментов.

{|
|-
| [[Image:Cutscene new.png|center|thumb|300px|New blank cutscene]]
| [[File:Cutscene editor overview.png|thumb|300px|Cutscene editor components:
A. Viewports
B. Timeline
C. Curve Editor
D. Toolbar
E. Palette Window
F. Object Inspector]]
|}

== Toolbar ==

[[Image:Cutscene toolbar labeled.png]]

*"Show trajectories" shows the path that objects with position keys will move along. Keyframe positions are indicated with small white squares along the line.
* When "Curve mode" is enabled, key curves are bezier by default. When not selected, key curves are stepped by default.
* See [[3D control]] for information on standard selection, 3-axis movement, 3-axis rotation and local coordinates
* Objects follow surface: selected objects snap to walkmesh when they're moved.
* "Update keys" update position and orientation keys when you rotate/translate cutscene objects
* The "add keys for selected object" (position, orientation, and other) command has the keyboard shortcut "K"
* "Simulate cutscene" Causes the cutscene engine to fully simulate the cutscene up to the point currently selected by the timeline scrubber and update the view to that state. This is useful to ensure that all visual effect elements are in the state they would be in if you played the cutscene normally to that point. For efficiency reasons some complex visual effects aren't updated in this way when you move the scrubber around.

== Viewports ==

The viewports are where the scene can be viewed, and where objects in the scene can be manipulated.

See [[3D control]] for information on how to control the view within a viewport.

=== View types ===

To change the type of view for a viewport right-click on the line above the viewport. This will show a context menu that allows the viewport type to be changed.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport properties.png]]

The top portion of the context menu lists the following options: Front, Back, Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Perspective. These are predefined user views, and will move the camera to those positions. The bottom portion of the context menu allows the viewport to be attached to a camera.

*User — This is the default view type. The camera can be moved around to view the scene from any angle. This is the most useful view type for manipulating objects in the scene.
*Active Camera — This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that is currently active. This view is the one to use to preview how the scene will look in the game.
*Selected Camera - This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that's currently selected in the timeline window.
*Camera(s) — This view type will attach the viewport to a specific camera. In the context menu move the mouse over the Camera option, and a sub-menu will open listing all the available cameras in the scene. This view will preview how the scene will look from that camera. Also, if the viewport camera is moved via camera controls the actual camera will also be moved.

There is one more option of note in the context menu: Detach Camera. If a viewport is attached to a camera (either a specific camera or the active camera) this option will switch the viewport back to the User mode, but the viewport camera will remain where it is.

Other options here include:
* Toggle Orthographic — Turns on or off perspective view.
*Toggle Wireframe — Turns on or off the display of textures and shading. Can be useful when the topography of an area is obscured by complex texturing.
*Safe Frame — Restricts the camera's view to a frame that shows what will be visible when the cutscene is viewed in-game. Useful for previewing.

=== Viewport layout ===

By default there are four viewport windows, allowing the user to view the scene from many different angles at once. However this can be customized to suit the user's needs.

All of the viewports can be resized by dragging the separating lines between the viewports.

Also, the number of viewports can be changed. Between one and four viewports can be visible at once, in a variety of different configurations. This can be changed using the View -> Viewports menu or by right-clicking on the title bar of the active viewport.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport layout.png]]

=== Working with objects in viewports ===

For a complete list of the types of objects that can be placed in a cutscene, and their properties, see [[cutscene object]]s.

==== Placing a creature or placeable ====

To place a creature or placeable object in the cutscene you simply need to select the object in the palette window and then click in the viewport to place the object.

* Go to the Creatures or Placeables portion of the Palette Window.
* Find the creature or placeable that you wish to use in the cutscene, and select it.
* Once selected when you move the cursor over a viewport window it will change to a crosshair.
* Select a spot to place the object, and click.

The object will then be placed in the scene, and it will also be listed in the timeline.

==== Placing a camera or light ====

Go to the Edit menu -> Insert -> Camera/Light. From here it is the same as placing a creature or placeable — the cursor will change to a crosshair and clicking will place the camera or light.

An alternate method is to right-click anywhere in a viewport. This will show a context menu that has the same Insert menu option.

Proxies and visual effect objects can be placed in the same manner.

==== Editing object properties ====

Select the object — either in the viewport, or click its name in the timeline — and the Object Inspector will display the valid editable properties for the object.

All timeline objects have a Name field. This simply changes the name as it is displayed in the timeline, which is useful to keep things organized.

You can also type in the Orientation and Position values, though most of the time it isn't necessary to enter the values in directly.

Some objects have special fields that can be keyed and edited with the [[curve editor]]. Cameras have a FOV (field of view) field, which sets the default FOV for that camera. Lights have a Color and a Radius field.

==== Activating pre-placed area objects ====

Objects that are pre-placed in the area (via the area editor) are inactive by default, meaning they can't be controlled by the cutscene engine and will carry on doing whatever ambient behaviour they would normally do. They can be selected in standard mode, however, and activated by right-clicking the selected object and selecting "Activate Area Objects". The object will then get an entry in the timeline.

[[Image:Cutscene activate object.png]]

To deactivate an area object, simply delete it. The timeline entry for the object will be removed and it will go back to its original position and inactive state.

If you want to hide an area object during the cutscene, activate it and then give it a "Change Visibility" [[cutscene action]] to make it disappear.

== Timeline ==

The timeline consists of a list of all the active objects in the cutscene, each with a set of "tracks" that contain various actions and events that occur to those objects over time. The bar along the top of the timeline shows the location of those events in time, and a marker (or "scrubber") with a vertical line running through the tracks shows what moment in time is currently being displayed in the viewports.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial timeline.png]]

=== Tool Buttons ===

*Selection Tool - This tool allows you to select the objects, events, and their respective tracks.
*Hand Tool - Left-clicking and dragging in the Track Pane with this tool will allow you to scroll rapidly through the Timeline. If you have the Selection Tool selected, you can temporarily switch to the Hand Tool by simply holding the SHIFT key.
* Units Indicator - This indicates what the numbers on the timeline mean. The default is “frames”. To change the units, open the properties of the timeline window by right-clicking anywhere in the timeline area and selecting "properties". The options under the "Time Scale" property are seconds (100 FPS) or frames (30 FPS).
* Timeline Bar - An indication of the cutscene’s progression in linear temporal units. To stretch or shrink the timeline place the mouse cursor over it and use the mouse wheel (you may need to click it once to give the timeline focus).
* Timeline Marker - This shows the precise point in the timeline that the scene is at. Left-clicking and dragging it will allow you to cycle back and forth through the Timeline, as the actions play out in the viewports. Any keys or actions you place will appear at the point in time occupied by the Time Marker.
* Track List - This section lists all of the objects in the scene. When the + sign beside the object is clicked it will expand and list all of the tracks associated with that object.

There is always a "MASTER" object. Global actions are assigned to a track on the MASTER object. This would include things like fades and other frame buffer effects. The MASTER object cannot be deleted. All other objects can be added and deleted at will.

Each object has Position and Orientation track sets with each set having three sub-tracks (X, Y and Z, and roll, pitch, and yaw). In addition, there are the following special tracks:

* Cameras have a "FOV" (field of view) track.
* Lights have "radius", "intensity", and "color" tracks (the latter having one sub-track each for red, green, and blue).
* MASTER lacks an Orientation track set.
* Sounds have a "Sound" track

To add a new generic track right-click an object and select “Add Track”. All actions not covered by the Position, Orientation, or FOV tracks (like animations) are placed on generic tracks.

For a complete list of the actions and effects that can be added to generic tracks, see:
*[[cutscene action]]s - these affect how objects in the cutscene behave.
*[[cutscene effect]]s - these modify the view through the camera, for example adding motion blur.

To rename an object select it and change the “Name” field in the Object Inspector. The same can be done for generic tracks (but not the Position, Orientation, or other special tracks).

Objects can be re-ordered by dragging the name up and down in the list.

*Track Pane - This pane displays all the actions (keys, curves, other actions) that are occurring within the scene, in their related points in Time.

Actions can be shuffled around by left-clicking and dragging while using the Selection Tool. They can also be cut/copied from one track and pasted to another track.

Objects can be multi-selected by left-click dragging in an open area of the pane. Another method is to use CTRL-click on multiple objects to select them.

* Keys and Curves - To make objects move around during the cutscene they need to have keys assigned to them on the timeline. For example, if a creature is supposed to be at a specific point at a specific time he will have a position key placed at the appropriate time on the timeline.

A single key will immediately snap the object when that point in time is reached. For a position key this means the object will jump to that point. For an orientation key the object will snap to the new orientation. For a FOV key the camera will snap to the new FOV.

Keys can also be combined to create a curve. When this is done a Bezier curve or linear curve is generated to fill the gaps between the keys. The curve can then be adjusted in different ways to create the exact movement the user needs.

Creating keys and curves is pretty much the same for all types (position, movement, FOV) though there are differences in how to work with them once they are created.

==== Creating a Key ====

*Position the time marker to the point on the timeline where the key should be created.
* Adjust the object to the desired setting.
** Position: Move the object to the proper place in the level.
** Orientation: Rotate the object.
** FOV: Change the FOV field in the Object Inspector.
* Right-click the object name in the timeline and select either “Add Position Key”, “Add Orientation Key”, or “Add Camera FOV Key”.
* The keyboard shortcuts "P", "O", and "F" can also be used.
* The shortcut "K" creates a key on all three sets of tracks simultaneously.

== Position Keys and Curves ==

Once placed, position keys and curves are visible in User viewports. Moving keys and curves around the layout works the same as moving any other object.

Individual keys are shown in viewports as white squares (yellow when selected). To change the position of a key simply drag it around the layout.

Curves can also be adjusted in the curve editor. See [[curve editor]] for more details.

=== Orientation and FOV keys/curves ===

Orientation and FOV keys/curves cannot be easily represented in the viewport. The result will be displayed (for example, a creature will turn), but the keys and curves themselves will not be visible.

To adjust them the Curve Editor must be used. Refer to [[curve editor]] for more information.

== VFX ==

See [[VFX list]] for a list of visual effects available in Dragon Age's library.

To use a VFX object in the cutscene editor, right-click in the user viewport and select "insert/VFX". Find the desired VFX in the popup browser window. If you know the exact VFX you need, filter for it by copying the name over. Use " * " as wildcard if needed. Filtering by entering "*x*" in the "name" field and hitting "enter" should eliminate most other animations from the list. You can also filter by type of VFX, using the prefixes listed above. Select the VFX you want and hit "ok".

Now left-click in the scene to place the VFX. You will see a new "VFX" item added to your timeline.
*If the VFX is a crust effect, select it and designate a crust target in the "actor" field of the object inspector.
*If the VFX is a placeable effect, use the 3 Axis Movement tool to place it at the desired coordinates.
You can click on the "+" next to the VFX on the timeline to view its info, including assigned animations.

VFX animations can be chopped and looped if needed.

Most VFX are made up of 3 separate stages: Impact, Duration, and cessation. These are indicated using a ".impa", ".dura" or ".cess" extension in the animation name on the timeline.

If you want a VFX to play for a specific time, manipulate the "Duration" stage of the animation in the timeline.

Previewing in editor:

To get a frame-accurate preview of the VFX at any given frame when scrubbing the timeline, click the "Simulate Cutscene" button at the top of the screen.

== Titles and text ==

Since all text comes from conversations, this is how we add a title for DA:
# Create a conversation line (the way we do thing is: some stand alone cutscenes have their own conversation; you could also create one conversation with all your area titles or whatever)
# Flag the line in the conversation as “No VO In Game” – this will cause the subtitle to always show and it won’t try to play or generate VO
# Add the conversation line to the cutscene via a Speak Line action. It is usually most convenient to add this to the MASTER object.

This will create a title which works just like a subtitled VO line. There is no way to change the font or have any kind of title other than a VO subtitle (with or without actual VO).

Note that subtitles have a different appearance in the toolset editor than in the game.

== Cutscene properties ==

{{inspector start}}
{{inspector section|General}}
{{inspector row|Cutscene Length| How long the cutscene plays for. }}
{{inspector row|End Script| The script that will be fired when the cutscene completes. This field is only considered during stand-alone cutscenes. Cutscenes that are part of a conversation ignore this field.}}
{{inspector row|Play Until VO Completes| If true the cutscene will continue playing past the end if non-english VO extends beyond the end of the scene. If false the cutscene always ends at the end of its runtime. This flag only applies to cutscenes played as part of a conversation. }}
{{inspector row|Resource Name| A unique string identifier the toolset and the game both use to refer to this resource }}
{{inspector row|Time Scale| The time scale that the cutscene uses. }}

{{inspector section|Debug}}
{{inspector row|Animatic| A temporary bink movie that will be played instead of this cutscene. This field is intended to allow hookup of cutscenes before they are ready. It should never be used in the final game. }}

{{inspector section|Game}}
{{inspector row|Play Sound Events| If true any sound events associated with animations will be played. If false these events will not be played. Sound events can only be played in the game, you will not hear them in the toolset. }}
{{inspector row|Use Master For LOD| If true the master object will be used to determine the center of level LOD for the cutscene. If false the LOD is centered around the mid point of the scene and never moves. }}

{{inspector section|Setting}}
{{inspector row|Area| The area in which the cutscene takes place. }}
{{inspector row|Enable Level Effects| If true the effects from the level will be applied. If false only those effects defined in the cutscene will be applied. }}
{{inspector row|Stage| The stage on which the cutscene will be played. If set, stage actions are allowed. }}
{{inspector row|Stage Orientation| The orientation of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector row|Stage Position| The position of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector end}}

[[Category:Cutscenes]]

Cutscene/ru

2011-09-06T18:37:19Z

Warslav: /* Приступая к работе */

{| align="right"
|-
| {{Resource palette}}
|-
| {{Infobox cutscenes}}
|}

Катсцена – это заранее заскриптованная кинематографическая последовательность, которая воспроизводится используя движок игры и игровые объекты.

== Приступая к работе ==

Есть две вещи, которые необходимо сделать перед тем, как приступить к работе с катсценой.
* Необходимо создать новый ресурс – катсцену
* К катсцене необходим творческий подход.

Для создания нового ресурса катсцены, перейдите в меню File и віберите New-> Cutscene. Введите уникальное имя для катсцены. Нажмите ОК. Новый ресурс катсцены появится в закладке для катсцен в окне палитры.

[[Image:New resource.png|thumb|New resource]]

Alternately, cutscenes can be created from an existing line cinematic in a [[conversation]]. This allows the cinematics of conversations to be edited in more elaborate ways.

When you first open the cutscene resource the Object Inspector window will list a few different data fields. One of them is called “Area”. Click on the line and then click on the “…” button. This will open a window listing all of the game’s available areas. Select one, hit OK, and you should see it in the viewport windows.

You can also assign a [[stage]] to a cutscene. This will enable "jump to stage" actions that allow you to snap cameras and objects to places in the stage, possibly simplifying cutscene setup if you already have a good stage for the work you intend to do. A stage is not strictly necessary for creating a cutscene, but in some cases it can help make things more convenient by establishing reference points to work from.

The cutscene editor has two major sections: the viewports (top) and the timeline (bottom). There is also a [[curve editor]] that can be shown below the timeline when the "show curve editor" button is enabled in the toolbar.

{|
|-
| [[Image:Cutscene new.png|center|thumb|300px|New blank cutscene]]
| [[File:Cutscene editor overview.png|thumb|300px|Cutscene editor components:
A. Viewports
B. Timeline
C. Curve Editor
D. Toolbar
E. Palette Window
F. Object Inspector]]
|}

== Toolbar ==

[[Image:Cutscene toolbar labeled.png]]

*"Show trajectories" shows the path that objects with position keys will move along. Keyframe positions are indicated with small white squares along the line.
* When "Curve mode" is enabled, key curves are bezier by default. When not selected, key curves are stepped by default.
* See [[3D control]] for information on standard selection, 3-axis movement, 3-axis rotation and local coordinates
* Objects follow surface: selected objects snap to walkmesh when they're moved.
* "Update keys" update position and orientation keys when you rotate/translate cutscene objects
* The "add keys for selected object" (position, orientation, and other) command has the keyboard shortcut "K"
* "Simulate cutscene" Causes the cutscene engine to fully simulate the cutscene up to the point currently selected by the timeline scrubber and update the view to that state. This is useful to ensure that all visual effect elements are in the state they would be in if you played the cutscene normally to that point. For efficiency reasons some complex visual effects aren't updated in this way when you move the scrubber around.

== Viewports ==

The viewports are where the scene can be viewed, and where objects in the scene can be manipulated.

See [[3D control]] for information on how to control the view within a viewport.

=== View types ===

To change the type of view for a viewport right-click on the line above the viewport. This will show a context menu that allows the viewport type to be changed.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport properties.png]]

The top portion of the context menu lists the following options: Front, Back, Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Perspective. These are predefined user views, and will move the camera to those positions. The bottom portion of the context menu allows the viewport to be attached to a camera.

*User — This is the default view type. The camera can be moved around to view the scene from any angle. This is the most useful view type for manipulating objects in the scene.
*Active Camera — This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that is currently active. This view is the one to use to preview how the scene will look in the game.
*Selected Camera - This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that's currently selected in the timeline window.
*Camera(s) — This view type will attach the viewport to a specific camera. In the context menu move the mouse over the Camera option, and a sub-menu will open listing all the available cameras in the scene. This view will preview how the scene will look from that camera. Also, if the viewport camera is moved via camera controls the actual camera will also be moved.

There is one more option of note in the context menu: Detach Camera. If a viewport is attached to a camera (either a specific camera or the active camera) this option will switch the viewport back to the User mode, but the viewport camera will remain where it is.

Other options here include:
* Toggle Orthographic — Turns on or off perspective view.
*Toggle Wireframe — Turns on or off the display of textures and shading. Can be useful when the topography of an area is obscured by complex texturing.
*Safe Frame — Restricts the camera's view to a frame that shows what will be visible when the cutscene is viewed in-game. Useful for previewing.

=== Viewport layout ===

By default there are four viewport windows, allowing the user to view the scene from many different angles at once. However this can be customized to suit the user's needs.

All of the viewports can be resized by dragging the separating lines between the viewports.

Also, the number of viewports can be changed. Between one and four viewports can be visible at once, in a variety of different configurations. This can be changed using the View -> Viewports menu or by right-clicking on the title bar of the active viewport.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport layout.png]]

=== Working with objects in viewports ===

For a complete list of the types of objects that can be placed in a cutscene, and their properties, see [[cutscene object]]s.

==== Placing a creature or placeable ====

To place a creature or placeable object in the cutscene you simply need to select the object in the palette window and then click in the viewport to place the object.

* Go to the Creatures or Placeables portion of the Palette Window.
* Find the creature or placeable that you wish to use in the cutscene, and select it.
* Once selected when you move the cursor over a viewport window it will change to a crosshair.
* Select a spot to place the object, and click.

The object will then be placed in the scene, and it will also be listed in the timeline.

==== Placing a camera or light ====

Go to the Edit menu -> Insert -> Camera/Light. From here it is the same as placing a creature or placeable — the cursor will change to a crosshair and clicking will place the camera or light.

An alternate method is to right-click anywhere in a viewport. This will show a context menu that has the same Insert menu option.

Proxies and visual effect objects can be placed in the same manner.

==== Editing object properties ====

Select the object — either in the viewport, or click its name in the timeline — and the Object Inspector will display the valid editable properties for the object.

All timeline objects have a Name field. This simply changes the name as it is displayed in the timeline, which is useful to keep things organized.

You can also type in the Orientation and Position values, though most of the time it isn't necessary to enter the values in directly.

Some objects have special fields that can be keyed and edited with the [[curve editor]]. Cameras have a FOV (field of view) field, which sets the default FOV for that camera. Lights have a Color and a Radius field.

==== Activating pre-placed area objects ====

Objects that are pre-placed in the area (via the area editor) are inactive by default, meaning they can't be controlled by the cutscene engine and will carry on doing whatever ambient behaviour they would normally do. They can be selected in standard mode, however, and activated by right-clicking the selected object and selecting "Activate Area Objects". The object will then get an entry in the timeline.

[[Image:Cutscene activate object.png]]

To deactivate an area object, simply delete it. The timeline entry for the object will be removed and it will go back to its original position and inactive state.

If you want to hide an area object during the cutscene, activate it and then give it a "Change Visibility" [[cutscene action]] to make it disappear.

== Timeline ==

The timeline consists of a list of all the active objects in the cutscene, each with a set of "tracks" that contain various actions and events that occur to those objects over time. The bar along the top of the timeline shows the location of those events in time, and a marker (or "scrubber") with a vertical line running through the tracks shows what moment in time is currently being displayed in the viewports.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial timeline.png]]

=== Tool Buttons ===

*Selection Tool - This tool allows you to select the objects, events, and their respective tracks.
*Hand Tool - Left-clicking and dragging in the Track Pane with this tool will allow you to scroll rapidly through the Timeline. If you have the Selection Tool selected, you can temporarily switch to the Hand Tool by simply holding the SHIFT key.
* Units Indicator - This indicates what the numbers on the timeline mean. The default is “frames”. To change the units, open the properties of the timeline window by right-clicking anywhere in the timeline area and selecting "properties". The options under the "Time Scale" property are seconds (100 FPS) or frames (30 FPS).
* Timeline Bar - An indication of the cutscene’s progression in linear temporal units. To stretch or shrink the timeline place the mouse cursor over it and use the mouse wheel (you may need to click it once to give the timeline focus).
* Timeline Marker - This shows the precise point in the timeline that the scene is at. Left-clicking and dragging it will allow you to cycle back and forth through the Timeline, as the actions play out in the viewports. Any keys or actions you place will appear at the point in time occupied by the Time Marker.
* Track List - This section lists all of the objects in the scene. When the + sign beside the object is clicked it will expand and list all of the tracks associated with that object.

There is always a "MASTER" object. Global actions are assigned to a track on the MASTER object. This would include things like fades and other frame buffer effects. The MASTER object cannot be deleted. All other objects can be added and deleted at will.

Each object has Position and Orientation track sets with each set having three sub-tracks (X, Y and Z, and roll, pitch, and yaw). In addition, there are the following special tracks:

* Cameras have a "FOV" (field of view) track.
* Lights have "radius", "intensity", and "color" tracks (the latter having one sub-track each for red, green, and blue).
* MASTER lacks an Orientation track set.
* Sounds have a "Sound" track

To add a new generic track right-click an object and select “Add Track”. All actions not covered by the Position, Orientation, or FOV tracks (like animations) are placed on generic tracks.

For a complete list of the actions and effects that can be added to generic tracks, see:
*[[cutscene action]]s - these affect how objects in the cutscene behave.
*[[cutscene effect]]s - these modify the view through the camera, for example adding motion blur.

To rename an object select it and change the “Name” field in the Object Inspector. The same can be done for generic tracks (but not the Position, Orientation, or other special tracks).

Objects can be re-ordered by dragging the name up and down in the list.

*Track Pane - This pane displays all the actions (keys, curves, other actions) that are occurring within the scene, in their related points in Time.

Actions can be shuffled around by left-clicking and dragging while using the Selection Tool. They can also be cut/copied from one track and pasted to another track.

Objects can be multi-selected by left-click dragging in an open area of the pane. Another method is to use CTRL-click on multiple objects to select them.

* Keys and Curves - To make objects move around during the cutscene they need to have keys assigned to them on the timeline. For example, if a creature is supposed to be at a specific point at a specific time he will have a position key placed at the appropriate time on the timeline.

A single key will immediately snap the object when that point in time is reached. For a position key this means the object will jump to that point. For an orientation key the object will snap to the new orientation. For a FOV key the camera will snap to the new FOV.

Keys can also be combined to create a curve. When this is done a Bezier curve or linear curve is generated to fill the gaps between the keys. The curve can then be adjusted in different ways to create the exact movement the user needs.

Creating keys and curves is pretty much the same for all types (position, movement, FOV) though there are differences in how to work with them once they are created.

==== Creating a Key ====

*Position the time marker to the point on the timeline where the key should be created.
* Adjust the object to the desired setting.
** Position: Move the object to the proper place in the level.
** Orientation: Rotate the object.
** FOV: Change the FOV field in the Object Inspector.
* Right-click the object name in the timeline and select either “Add Position Key”, “Add Orientation Key”, or “Add Camera FOV Key”.
* The keyboard shortcuts "P", "O", and "F" can also be used.
* The shortcut "K" creates a key on all three sets of tracks simultaneously.

== Position Keys and Curves ==

Once placed, position keys and curves are visible in User viewports. Moving keys and curves around the layout works the same as moving any other object.

Individual keys are shown in viewports as white squares (yellow when selected). To change the position of a key simply drag it around the layout.

Curves can also be adjusted in the curve editor. See [[curve editor]] for more details.

=== Orientation and FOV keys/curves ===

Orientation and FOV keys/curves cannot be easily represented in the viewport. The result will be displayed (for example, a creature will turn), but the keys and curves themselves will not be visible.

To adjust them the Curve Editor must be used. Refer to [[curve editor]] for more information.

== VFX ==

See [[VFX list]] for a list of visual effects available in Dragon Age's library.

To use a VFX object in the cutscene editor, right-click in the user viewport and select "insert/VFX". Find the desired VFX in the popup browser window. If you know the exact VFX you need, filter for it by copying the name over. Use " * " as wildcard if needed. Filtering by entering "*x*" in the "name" field and hitting "enter" should eliminate most other animations from the list. You can also filter by type of VFX, using the prefixes listed above. Select the VFX you want and hit "ok".

Now left-click in the scene to place the VFX. You will see a new "VFX" item added to your timeline.
*If the VFX is a crust effect, select it and designate a crust target in the "actor" field of the object inspector.
*If the VFX is a placeable effect, use the 3 Axis Movement tool to place it at the desired coordinates.
You can click on the "+" next to the VFX on the timeline to view its info, including assigned animations.

VFX animations can be chopped and looped if needed.

Most VFX are made up of 3 separate stages: Impact, Duration, and cessation. These are indicated using a ".impa", ".dura" or ".cess" extension in the animation name on the timeline.

If you want a VFX to play for a specific time, manipulate the "Duration" stage of the animation in the timeline.

Previewing in editor:

To get a frame-accurate preview of the VFX at any given frame when scrubbing the timeline, click the "Simulate Cutscene" button at the top of the screen.

== Titles and text ==

Since all text comes from conversations, this is how we add a title for DA:
# Create a conversation line (the way we do thing is: some stand alone cutscenes have their own conversation; you could also create one conversation with all your area titles or whatever)
# Flag the line in the conversation as “No VO In Game” – this will cause the subtitle to always show and it won’t try to play or generate VO
# Add the conversation line to the cutscene via a Speak Line action. It is usually most convenient to add this to the MASTER object.

This will create a title which works just like a subtitled VO line. There is no way to change the font or have any kind of title other than a VO subtitle (with or without actual VO).

Note that subtitles have a different appearance in the toolset editor than in the game.

== Cutscene properties ==

{{inspector start}}
{{inspector section|General}}
{{inspector row|Cutscene Length| How long the cutscene plays for. }}
{{inspector row|End Script| The script that will be fired when the cutscene completes. This field is only considered during stand-alone cutscenes. Cutscenes that are part of a conversation ignore this field.}}
{{inspector row|Play Until VO Completes| If true the cutscene will continue playing past the end if non-english VO extends beyond the end of the scene. If false the cutscene always ends at the end of its runtime. This flag only applies to cutscenes played as part of a conversation. }}
{{inspector row|Resource Name| A unique string identifier the toolset and the game both use to refer to this resource }}
{{inspector row|Time Scale| The time scale that the cutscene uses. }}

{{inspector section|Debug}}
{{inspector row|Animatic| A temporary bink movie that will be played instead of this cutscene. This field is intended to allow hookup of cutscenes before they are ready. It should never be used in the final game. }}

{{inspector section|Game}}
{{inspector row|Play Sound Events| If true any sound events associated with animations will be played. If false these events will not be played. Sound events can only be played in the game, you will not hear them in the toolset. }}
{{inspector row|Use Master For LOD| If true the master object will be used to determine the center of level LOD for the cutscene. If false the LOD is centered around the mid point of the scene and never moves. }}

{{inspector section|Setting}}
{{inspector row|Area| The area in which the cutscene takes place. }}
{{inspector row|Enable Level Effects| If true the effects from the level will be applied. If false only those effects defined in the cutscene will be applied. }}
{{inspector row|Stage| The stage on which the cutscene will be played. If set, stage actions are allowed. }}
{{inspector row|Stage Orientation| The orientation of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector row|Stage Position| The position of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector end}}

[[Category:Cutscenes]]

Cutscene/ru

2011-09-06T17:26:39Z

Warslav:

{| align="right"
|-
| {{Resource palette}}
|-
| {{Infobox cutscenes}}
|}

Катсцена – это заранее заскриптованная кинематографическая последовательность, которая воспроизводится используя движок игры и игровые объекты.

== Приступая к работе ==

There are two things that need to be done before work can begin on a cutscene.
* A new cutscene resource needs to be created.
* An art layout needs to be assigned to the cutscene.

To create a new cutscene resource go the the File menu and select New -> Cutscene. Enter in a unique name for the cutscene. Hit OK. The new cutscene resource will appear in the cutscene tab of the Palette Window.

[[Image:New resource.png|thumb|New resource]]

Alternately, cutscenes can be created from an existing line cinematic in a [[conversation]]. This allows the cinematics of conversations to be edited in more elaborate ways.

When you first open the cutscene resource the Object Inspector window will list a few different data fields. One of them is called “Area”. Click on the line and then click on the “…” button. This will open a window listing all of the game’s available areas. Select one, hit OK, and you should see it in the viewport windows.

You can also assign a [[stage]] to a cutscene. This will enable "jump to stage" actions that allow you to snap cameras and objects to places in the stage, possibly simplifying cutscene setup if you already have a good stage for the work you intend to do. A stage is not strictly necessary for creating a cutscene, but in some cases it can help make things more convenient by establishing reference points to work from.

The cutscene editor has two major sections: the viewports (top) and the timeline (bottom). There is also a [[curve editor]] that can be shown below the timeline when the "show curve editor" button is enabled in the toolbar.

{|
|-
| [[Image:Cutscene new.png|center|thumb|300px|New blank cutscene]]
| [[File:Cutscene editor overview.png|thumb|300px|Cutscene editor components:
A. Viewports
B. Timeline
C. Curve Editor
D. Toolbar
E. Palette Window
F. Object Inspector]]
|}

== Toolbar ==

[[Image:Cutscene toolbar labeled.png]]

*"Show trajectories" shows the path that objects with position keys will move along. Keyframe positions are indicated with small white squares along the line.
* When "Curve mode" is enabled, key curves are bezier by default. When not selected, key curves are stepped by default.
* See [[3D control]] for information on standard selection, 3-axis movement, 3-axis rotation and local coordinates
* Objects follow surface: selected objects snap to walkmesh when they're moved.
* "Update keys" update position and orientation keys when you rotate/translate cutscene objects
* The "add keys for selected object" (position, orientation, and other) command has the keyboard shortcut "K"
* "Simulate cutscene" Causes the cutscene engine to fully simulate the cutscene up to the point currently selected by the timeline scrubber and update the view to that state. This is useful to ensure that all visual effect elements are in the state they would be in if you played the cutscene normally to that point. For efficiency reasons some complex visual effects aren't updated in this way when you move the scrubber around.

== Viewports ==

The viewports are where the scene can be viewed, and where objects in the scene can be manipulated.

See [[3D control]] for information on how to control the view within a viewport.

=== View types ===

To change the type of view for a viewport right-click on the line above the viewport. This will show a context menu that allows the viewport type to be changed.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport properties.png]]

The top portion of the context menu lists the following options: Front, Back, Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Perspective. These are predefined user views, and will move the camera to those positions. The bottom portion of the context menu allows the viewport to be attached to a camera.

*User — This is the default view type. The camera can be moved around to view the scene from any angle. This is the most useful view type for manipulating objects in the scene.
*Active Camera — This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that is currently active. This view is the one to use to preview how the scene will look in the game.
*Selected Camera - This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that's currently selected in the timeline window.
*Camera(s) — This view type will attach the viewport to a specific camera. In the context menu move the mouse over the Camera option, and a sub-menu will open listing all the available cameras in the scene. This view will preview how the scene will look from that camera. Also, if the viewport camera is moved via camera controls the actual camera will also be moved.

There is one more option of note in the context menu: Detach Camera. If a viewport is attached to a camera (either a specific camera or the active camera) this option will switch the viewport back to the User mode, but the viewport camera will remain where it is.

Other options here include:
* Toggle Orthographic — Turns on or off perspective view.
*Toggle Wireframe — Turns on or off the display of textures and shading. Can be useful when the topography of an area is obscured by complex texturing.
*Safe Frame — Restricts the camera's view to a frame that shows what will be visible when the cutscene is viewed in-game. Useful for previewing.

=== Viewport layout ===

By default there are four viewport windows, allowing the user to view the scene from many different angles at once. However this can be customized to suit the user's needs.

All of the viewports can be resized by dragging the separating lines between the viewports.

Also, the number of viewports can be changed. Between one and four viewports can be visible at once, in a variety of different configurations. This can be changed using the View -> Viewports menu or by right-clicking on the title bar of the active viewport.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport layout.png]]

=== Working with objects in viewports ===

For a complete list of the types of objects that can be placed in a cutscene, and their properties, see [[cutscene object]]s.

==== Placing a creature or placeable ====

To place a creature or placeable object in the cutscene you simply need to select the object in the palette window and then click in the viewport to place the object.

* Go to the Creatures or Placeables portion of the Palette Window.
* Find the creature or placeable that you wish to use in the cutscene, and select it.
* Once selected when you move the cursor over a viewport window it will change to a crosshair.
* Select a spot to place the object, and click.

The object will then be placed in the scene, and it will also be listed in the timeline.

==== Placing a camera or light ====

Go to the Edit menu -> Insert -> Camera/Light. From here it is the same as placing a creature or placeable — the cursor will change to a crosshair and clicking will place the camera or light.

An alternate method is to right-click anywhere in a viewport. This will show a context menu that has the same Insert menu option.

Proxies and visual effect objects can be placed in the same manner.

==== Editing object properties ====

Select the object — either in the viewport, or click its name in the timeline — and the Object Inspector will display the valid editable properties for the object.

All timeline objects have a Name field. This simply changes the name as it is displayed in the timeline, which is useful to keep things organized.

You can also type in the Orientation and Position values, though most of the time it isn't necessary to enter the values in directly.

Some objects have special fields that can be keyed and edited with the [[curve editor]]. Cameras have a FOV (field of view) field, which sets the default FOV for that camera. Lights have a Color and a Radius field.

==== Activating pre-placed area objects ====

Objects that are pre-placed in the area (via the area editor) are inactive by default, meaning they can't be controlled by the cutscene engine and will carry on doing whatever ambient behaviour they would normally do. They can be selected in standard mode, however, and activated by right-clicking the selected object and selecting "Activate Area Objects". The object will then get an entry in the timeline.

[[Image:Cutscene activate object.png]]

To deactivate an area object, simply delete it. The timeline entry for the object will be removed and it will go back to its original position and inactive state.

If you want to hide an area object during the cutscene, activate it and then give it a "Change Visibility" [[cutscene action]] to make it disappear.

== Timeline ==

The timeline consists of a list of all the active objects in the cutscene, each with a set of "tracks" that contain various actions and events that occur to those objects over time. The bar along the top of the timeline shows the location of those events in time, and a marker (or "scrubber") with a vertical line running through the tracks shows what moment in time is currently being displayed in the viewports.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial timeline.png]]

=== Tool Buttons ===

*Selection Tool - This tool allows you to select the objects, events, and their respective tracks.
*Hand Tool - Left-clicking and dragging in the Track Pane with this tool will allow you to scroll rapidly through the Timeline. If you have the Selection Tool selected, you can temporarily switch to the Hand Tool by simply holding the SHIFT key.
* Units Indicator - This indicates what the numbers on the timeline mean. The default is “frames”. To change the units, open the properties of the timeline window by right-clicking anywhere in the timeline area and selecting "properties". The options under the "Time Scale" property are seconds (100 FPS) or frames (30 FPS).
* Timeline Bar - An indication of the cutscene’s progression in linear temporal units. To stretch or shrink the timeline place the mouse cursor over it and use the mouse wheel (you may need to click it once to give the timeline focus).
* Timeline Marker - This shows the precise point in the timeline that the scene is at. Left-clicking and dragging it will allow you to cycle back and forth through the Timeline, as the actions play out in the viewports. Any keys or actions you place will appear at the point in time occupied by the Time Marker.
* Track List - This section lists all of the objects in the scene. When the + sign beside the object is clicked it will expand and list all of the tracks associated with that object.

There is always a "MASTER" object. Global actions are assigned to a track on the MASTER object. This would include things like fades and other frame buffer effects. The MASTER object cannot be deleted. All other objects can be added and deleted at will.

Each object has Position and Orientation track sets with each set having three sub-tracks (X, Y and Z, and roll, pitch, and yaw). In addition, there are the following special tracks:

* Cameras have a "FOV" (field of view) track.
* Lights have "radius", "intensity", and "color" tracks (the latter having one sub-track each for red, green, and blue).
* MASTER lacks an Orientation track set.
* Sounds have a "Sound" track

To add a new generic track right-click an object and select “Add Track”. All actions not covered by the Position, Orientation, or FOV tracks (like animations) are placed on generic tracks.

For a complete list of the actions and effects that can be added to generic tracks, see:
*[[cutscene action]]s - these affect how objects in the cutscene behave.
*[[cutscene effect]]s - these modify the view through the camera, for example adding motion blur.

To rename an object select it and change the “Name” field in the Object Inspector. The same can be done for generic tracks (but not the Position, Orientation, or other special tracks).

Objects can be re-ordered by dragging the name up and down in the list.

*Track Pane - This pane displays all the actions (keys, curves, other actions) that are occurring within the scene, in their related points in Time.

Actions can be shuffled around by left-clicking and dragging while using the Selection Tool. They can also be cut/copied from one track and pasted to another track.

Objects can be multi-selected by left-click dragging in an open area of the pane. Another method is to use CTRL-click on multiple objects to select them.

* Keys and Curves - To make objects move around during the cutscene they need to have keys assigned to them on the timeline. For example, if a creature is supposed to be at a specific point at a specific time he will have a position key placed at the appropriate time on the timeline.

A single key will immediately snap the object when that point in time is reached. For a position key this means the object will jump to that point. For an orientation key the object will snap to the new orientation. For a FOV key the camera will snap to the new FOV.

Keys can also be combined to create a curve. When this is done a Bezier curve or linear curve is generated to fill the gaps between the keys. The curve can then be adjusted in different ways to create the exact movement the user needs.

Creating keys and curves is pretty much the same for all types (position, movement, FOV) though there are differences in how to work with them once they are created.

==== Creating a Key ====

*Position the time marker to the point on the timeline where the key should be created.
* Adjust the object to the desired setting.
** Position: Move the object to the proper place in the level.
** Orientation: Rotate the object.
** FOV: Change the FOV field in the Object Inspector.
* Right-click the object name in the timeline and select either “Add Position Key”, “Add Orientation Key”, or “Add Camera FOV Key”.
* The keyboard shortcuts "P", "O", and "F" can also be used.
* The shortcut "K" creates a key on all three sets of tracks simultaneously.

== Position Keys and Curves ==

Once placed, position keys and curves are visible in User viewports. Moving keys and curves around the layout works the same as moving any other object.

Individual keys are shown in viewports as white squares (yellow when selected). To change the position of a key simply drag it around the layout.

Curves can also be adjusted in the curve editor. See [[curve editor]] for more details.

=== Orientation and FOV keys/curves ===

Orientation and FOV keys/curves cannot be easily represented in the viewport. The result will be displayed (for example, a creature will turn), but the keys and curves themselves will not be visible.

To adjust them the Curve Editor must be used. Refer to [[curve editor]] for more information.

== VFX ==

See [[VFX list]] for a list of visual effects available in Dragon Age's library.

To use a VFX object in the cutscene editor, right-click in the user viewport and select "insert/VFX". Find the desired VFX in the popup browser window. If you know the exact VFX you need, filter for it by copying the name over. Use " * " as wildcard if needed. Filtering by entering "*x*" in the "name" field and hitting "enter" should eliminate most other animations from the list. You can also filter by type of VFX, using the prefixes listed above. Select the VFX you want and hit "ok".

Now left-click in the scene to place the VFX. You will see a new "VFX" item added to your timeline.
*If the VFX is a crust effect, select it and designate a crust target in the "actor" field of the object inspector.
*If the VFX is a placeable effect, use the 3 Axis Movement tool to place it at the desired coordinates.
You can click on the "+" next to the VFX on the timeline to view its info, including assigned animations.

VFX animations can be chopped and looped if needed.

Most VFX are made up of 3 separate stages: Impact, Duration, and cessation. These are indicated using a ".impa", ".dura" or ".cess" extension in the animation name on the timeline.

If you want a VFX to play for a specific time, manipulate the "Duration" stage of the animation in the timeline.

Previewing in editor:

To get a frame-accurate preview of the VFX at any given frame when scrubbing the timeline, click the "Simulate Cutscene" button at the top of the screen.

== Titles and text ==

Since all text comes from conversations, this is how we add a title for DA:
# Create a conversation line (the way we do thing is: some stand alone cutscenes have their own conversation; you could also create one conversation with all your area titles or whatever)
# Flag the line in the conversation as “No VO In Game” – this will cause the subtitle to always show and it won’t try to play or generate VO
# Add the conversation line to the cutscene via a Speak Line action. It is usually most convenient to add this to the MASTER object.

This will create a title which works just like a subtitled VO line. There is no way to change the font or have any kind of title other than a VO subtitle (with or without actual VO).

Note that subtitles have a different appearance in the toolset editor than in the game.

== Cutscene properties ==

{{inspector start}}
{{inspector section|General}}
{{inspector row|Cutscene Length| How long the cutscene plays for. }}
{{inspector row|End Script| The script that will be fired when the cutscene completes. This field is only considered during stand-alone cutscenes. Cutscenes that are part of a conversation ignore this field.}}
{{inspector row|Play Until VO Completes| If true the cutscene will continue playing past the end if non-english VO extends beyond the end of the scene. If false the cutscene always ends at the end of its runtime. This flag only applies to cutscenes played as part of a conversation. }}
{{inspector row|Resource Name| A unique string identifier the toolset and the game both use to refer to this resource }}
{{inspector row|Time Scale| The time scale that the cutscene uses. }}

{{inspector section|Debug}}
{{inspector row|Animatic| A temporary bink movie that will be played instead of this cutscene. This field is intended to allow hookup of cutscenes before they are ready. It should never be used in the final game. }}

{{inspector section|Game}}
{{inspector row|Play Sound Events| If true any sound events associated with animations will be played. If false these events will not be played. Sound events can only be played in the game, you will not hear them in the toolset. }}
{{inspector row|Use Master For LOD| If true the master object will be used to determine the center of level LOD for the cutscene. If false the LOD is centered around the mid point of the scene and never moves. }}

{{inspector section|Setting}}
{{inspector row|Area| The area in which the cutscene takes place. }}
{{inspector row|Enable Level Effects| If true the effects from the level will be applied. If false only those effects defined in the cutscene will be applied. }}
{{inspector row|Stage| The stage on which the cutscene will be played. If set, stage actions are allowed. }}
{{inspector row|Stage Orientation| The orientation of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector row|Stage Position| The position of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector end}}

[[Category:Cutscenes]]

Cutscene/ru

2011-09-06T17:03:38Z

Warslav: Created page with "{| align="right" |- | {{Resource palette}} |- | {{Infobox cutscenes}} |} A cutscene is a pre-scripted cinematic sequence that is performed using the game engine and game objects..."

{| align="right"
|-
| {{Resource palette}}
|-
| {{Infobox cutscenes}}
|}

A cutscene is a pre-scripted cinematic sequence that is performed using the game engine and game objects.

== Getting Started ==

There are two things that need to be done before work can begin on a cutscene.
* A new cutscene resource needs to be created.
* An art layout needs to be assigned to the cutscene.

To create a new cutscene resource go the the File menu and select New -> Cutscene. Enter in a unique name for the cutscene. Hit OK. The new cutscene resource will appear in the cutscene tab of the Palette Window.

[[Image:New resource.png|thumb|New resource]]

Alternately, cutscenes can be created from an existing line cinematic in a [[conversation]]. This allows the cinematics of conversations to be edited in more elaborate ways.

When you first open the cutscene resource the Object Inspector window will list a few different data fields. One of them is called “Area”. Click on the line and then click on the “…” button. This will open a window listing all of the game’s available areas. Select one, hit OK, and you should see it in the viewport windows.

You can also assign a [[stage]] to a cutscene. This will enable "jump to stage" actions that allow you to snap cameras and objects to places in the stage, possibly simplifying cutscene setup if you already have a good stage for the work you intend to do. A stage is not strictly necessary for creating a cutscene, but in some cases it can help make things more convenient by establishing reference points to work from.

The cutscene editor has two major sections: the viewports (top) and the timeline (bottom). There is also a [[curve editor]] that can be shown below the timeline when the "show curve editor" button is enabled in the toolbar.

{|
|-
| [[Image:Cutscene new.png|center|thumb|300px|New blank cutscene]]
| [[File:Cutscene editor overview.png|thumb|300px|Cutscene editor components:
A. Viewports
B. Timeline
C. Curve Editor
D. Toolbar
E. Palette Window
F. Object Inspector]]
|}

== Toolbar ==

[[Image:Cutscene toolbar labeled.png]]

*"Show trajectories" shows the path that objects with position keys will move along. Keyframe positions are indicated with small white squares along the line.
* When "Curve mode" is enabled, key curves are bezier by default. When not selected, key curves are stepped by default.
* See [[3D control]] for information on standard selection, 3-axis movement, 3-axis rotation and local coordinates
* Objects follow surface: selected objects snap to walkmesh when they're moved.
* "Update keys" update position and orientation keys when you rotate/translate cutscene objects
* The "add keys for selected object" (position, orientation, and other) command has the keyboard shortcut "K"
* "Simulate cutscene" Causes the cutscene engine to fully simulate the cutscene up to the point currently selected by the timeline scrubber and update the view to that state. This is useful to ensure that all visual effect elements are in the state they would be in if you played the cutscene normally to that point. For efficiency reasons some complex visual effects aren't updated in this way when you move the scrubber around.

== Viewports ==

The viewports are where the scene can be viewed, and where objects in the scene can be manipulated.

See [[3D control]] for information on how to control the view within a viewport.

=== View types ===

To change the type of view for a viewport right-click on the line above the viewport. This will show a context menu that allows the viewport type to be changed.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport properties.png]]

The top portion of the context menu lists the following options: Front, Back, Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Perspective. These are predefined user views, and will move the camera to those positions. The bottom portion of the context menu allows the viewport to be attached to a camera.

*User — This is the default view type. The camera can be moved around to view the scene from any angle. This is the most useful view type for manipulating objects in the scene.
*Active Camera — This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that is currently active. This view is the one to use to preview how the scene will look in the game.
*Selected Camera - This view type will attach the viewport camera to the camera that's currently selected in the timeline window.
*Camera(s) — This view type will attach the viewport to a specific camera. In the context menu move the mouse over the Camera option, and a sub-menu will open listing all the available cameras in the scene. This view will preview how the scene will look from that camera. Also, if the viewport camera is moved via camera controls the actual camera will also be moved.

There is one more option of note in the context menu: Detach Camera. If a viewport is attached to a camera (either a specific camera or the active camera) this option will switch the viewport back to the User mode, but the viewport camera will remain where it is.

Other options here include:
* Toggle Orthographic — Turns on or off perspective view.
*Toggle Wireframe — Turns on or off the display of textures and shading. Can be useful when the topography of an area is obscured by complex texturing.
*Safe Frame — Restricts the camera's view to a frame that shows what will be visible when the cutscene is viewed in-game. Useful for previewing.

=== Viewport layout ===

By default there are four viewport windows, allowing the user to view the scene from many different angles at once. However this can be customized to suit the user's needs.

All of the viewports can be resized by dragging the separating lines between the viewports.

Also, the number of viewports can be changed. Between one and four viewports can be visible at once, in a variety of different configurations. This can be changed using the View -> Viewports menu or by right-clicking on the title bar of the active viewport.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial viewport layout.png]]

=== Working with objects in viewports ===

For a complete list of the types of objects that can be placed in a cutscene, and their properties, see [[cutscene object]]s.

==== Placing a creature or placeable ====

To place a creature or placeable object in the cutscene you simply need to select the object in the palette window and then click in the viewport to place the object.

* Go to the Creatures or Placeables portion of the Palette Window.
* Find the creature or placeable that you wish to use in the cutscene, and select it.
* Once selected when you move the cursor over a viewport window it will change to a crosshair.
* Select a spot to place the object, and click.

The object will then be placed in the scene, and it will also be listed in the timeline.

==== Placing a camera or light ====

Go to the Edit menu -> Insert -> Camera/Light. From here it is the same as placing a creature or placeable — the cursor will change to a crosshair and clicking will place the camera or light.

An alternate method is to right-click anywhere in a viewport. This will show a context menu that has the same Insert menu option.

Proxies and visual effect objects can be placed in the same manner.

==== Editing object properties ====

Select the object — either in the viewport, or click its name in the timeline — and the Object Inspector will display the valid editable properties for the object.

All timeline objects have a Name field. This simply changes the name as it is displayed in the timeline, which is useful to keep things organized.

You can also type in the Orientation and Position values, though most of the time it isn't necessary to enter the values in directly.

Some objects have special fields that can be keyed and edited with the [[curve editor]]. Cameras have a FOV (field of view) field, which sets the default FOV for that camera. Lights have a Color and a Radius field.

==== Activating pre-placed area objects ====

Objects that are pre-placed in the area (via the area editor) are inactive by default, meaning they can't be controlled by the cutscene engine and will carry on doing whatever ambient behaviour they would normally do. They can be selected in standard mode, however, and activated by right-clicking the selected object and selecting "Activate Area Objects". The object will then get an entry in the timeline.

[[Image:Cutscene activate object.png]]

To deactivate an area object, simply delete it. The timeline entry for the object will be removed and it will go back to its original position and inactive state.

If you want to hide an area object during the cutscene, activate it and then give it a "Change Visibility" [[cutscene action]] to make it disappear.

== Timeline ==

The timeline consists of a list of all the active objects in the cutscene, each with a set of "tracks" that contain various actions and events that occur to those objects over time. The bar along the top of the timeline shows the location of those events in time, and a marker (or "scrubber") with a vertical line running through the tracks shows what moment in time is currently being displayed in the viewports.

[[Image:Cutscene tutorial timeline.png]]

=== Tool Buttons ===

*Selection Tool - This tool allows you to select the objects, events, and their respective tracks.
*Hand Tool - Left-clicking and dragging in the Track Pane with this tool will allow you to scroll rapidly through the Timeline. If you have the Selection Tool selected, you can temporarily switch to the Hand Tool by simply holding the SHIFT key.
* Units Indicator - This indicates what the numbers on the timeline mean. The default is “frames”. To change the units, open the properties of the timeline window by right-clicking anywhere in the timeline area and selecting "properties". The options under the "Time Scale" property are seconds (100 FPS) or frames (30 FPS).
* Timeline Bar - An indication of the cutscene’s progression in linear temporal units. To stretch or shrink the timeline place the mouse cursor over it and use the mouse wheel (you may need to click it once to give the timeline focus).
* Timeline Marker - This shows the precise point in the timeline that the scene is at. Left-clicking and dragging it will allow you to cycle back and forth through the Timeline, as the actions play out in the viewports. Any keys or actions you place will appear at the point in time occupied by the Time Marker.
* Track List - This section lists all of the objects in the scene. When the + sign beside the object is clicked it will expand and list all of the tracks associated with that object.

There is always a "MASTER" object. Global actions are assigned to a track on the MASTER object. This would include things like fades and other frame buffer effects. The MASTER object cannot be deleted. All other objects can be added and deleted at will.

Each object has Position and Orientation track sets with each set having three sub-tracks (X, Y and Z, and roll, pitch, and yaw). In addition, there are the following special tracks:

* Cameras have a "FOV" (field of view) track.
* Lights have "radius", "intensity", and "color" tracks (the latter having one sub-track each for red, green, and blue).
* MASTER lacks an Orientation track set.
* Sounds have a "Sound" track

To add a new generic track right-click an object and select “Add Track”. All actions not covered by the Position, Orientation, or FOV tracks (like animations) are placed on generic tracks.

For a complete list of the actions and effects that can be added to generic tracks, see:
*[[cutscene action]]s - these affect how objects in the cutscene behave.
*[[cutscene effect]]s - these modify the view through the camera, for example adding motion blur.

To rename an object select it and change the “Name” field in the Object Inspector. The same can be done for generic tracks (but not the Position, Orientation, or other special tracks).

Objects can be re-ordered by dragging the name up and down in the list.

*Track Pane - This pane displays all the actions (keys, curves, other actions) that are occurring within the scene, in their related points in Time.

Actions can be shuffled around by left-clicking and dragging while using the Selection Tool. They can also be cut/copied from one track and pasted to another track.

Objects can be multi-selected by left-click dragging in an open area of the pane. Another method is to use CTRL-click on multiple objects to select them.

* Keys and Curves - To make objects move around during the cutscene they need to have keys assigned to them on the timeline. For example, if a creature is supposed to be at a specific point at a specific time he will have a position key placed at the appropriate time on the timeline.

A single key will immediately snap the object when that point in time is reached. For a position key this means the object will jump to that point. For an orientation key the object will snap to the new orientation. For a FOV key the camera will snap to the new FOV.

Keys can also be combined to create a curve. When this is done a Bezier curve or linear curve is generated to fill the gaps between the keys. The curve can then be adjusted in different ways to create the exact movement the user needs.

Creating keys and curves is pretty much the same for all types (position, movement, FOV) though there are differences in how to work with them once they are created.

==== Creating a Key ====

*Position the time marker to the point on the timeline where the key should be created.
* Adjust the object to the desired setting.
** Position: Move the object to the proper place in the level.
** Orientation: Rotate the object.
** FOV: Change the FOV field in the Object Inspector.
* Right-click the object name in the timeline and select either “Add Position Key”, “Add Orientation Key”, or “Add Camera FOV Key”.
* The keyboard shortcuts "P", "O", and "F" can also be used.
* The shortcut "K" creates a key on all three sets of tracks simultaneously.

== Position Keys and Curves ==

Once placed, position keys and curves are visible in User viewports. Moving keys and curves around the layout works the same as moving any other object.

Individual keys are shown in viewports as white squares (yellow when selected). To change the position of a key simply drag it around the layout.

Curves can also be adjusted in the curve editor. See [[curve editor]] for more details.

=== Orientation and FOV keys/curves ===

Orientation and FOV keys/curves cannot be easily represented in the viewport. The result will be displayed (for example, a creature will turn), but the keys and curves themselves will not be visible.

To adjust them the Curve Editor must be used. Refer to [[curve editor]] for more information.

== VFX ==

See [[VFX list]] for a list of visual effects available in Dragon Age's library.

To use a VFX object in the cutscene editor, right-click in the user viewport and select "insert/VFX". Find the desired VFX in the popup browser window. If you know the exact VFX you need, filter for it by copying the name over. Use " * " as wildcard if needed. Filtering by entering "*x*" in the "name" field and hitting "enter" should eliminate most other animations from the list. You can also filter by type of VFX, using the prefixes listed above. Select the VFX you want and hit "ok".

Now left-click in the scene to place the VFX. You will see a new "VFX" item added to your timeline.
*If the VFX is a crust effect, select it and designate a crust target in the "actor" field of the object inspector.
*If the VFX is a placeable effect, use the 3 Axis Movement tool to place it at the desired coordinates.
You can click on the "+" next to the VFX on the timeline to view its info, including assigned animations.

VFX animations can be chopped and looped if needed.

Most VFX are made up of 3 separate stages: Impact, Duration, and cessation. These are indicated using a ".impa", ".dura" or ".cess" extension in the animation name on the timeline.

If you want a VFX to play for a specific time, manipulate the "Duration" stage of the animation in the timeline.

Previewing in editor:

To get a frame-accurate preview of the VFX at any given frame when scrubbing the timeline, click the "Simulate Cutscene" button at the top of the screen.

== Titles and text ==

Since all text comes from conversations, this is how we add a title for DA:
# Create a conversation line (the way we do thing is: some stand alone cutscenes have their own conversation; you could also create one conversation with all your area titles or whatever)
# Flag the line in the conversation as “No VO In Game” – this will cause the subtitle to always show and it won’t try to play or generate VO
# Add the conversation line to the cutscene via a Speak Line action. It is usually most convenient to add this to the MASTER object.

This will create a title which works just like a subtitled VO line. There is no way to change the font or have any kind of title other than a VO subtitle (with or without actual VO).

Note that subtitles have a different appearance in the toolset editor than in the game.

== Cutscene properties ==

{{inspector start}}
{{inspector section|General}}
{{inspector row|Cutscene Length| How long the cutscene plays for. }}
{{inspector row|End Script| The script that will be fired when the cutscene completes. This field is only considered during stand-alone cutscenes. Cutscenes that are part of a conversation ignore this field.}}
{{inspector row|Play Until VO Completes| If true the cutscene will continue playing past the end if non-english VO extends beyond the end of the scene. If false the cutscene always ends at the end of its runtime. This flag only applies to cutscenes played as part of a conversation. }}
{{inspector row|Resource Name| A unique string identifier the toolset and the game both use to refer to this resource }}
{{inspector row|Time Scale| The time scale that the cutscene uses. }}

{{inspector section|Debug}}
{{inspector row|Animatic| A temporary bink movie that will be played instead of this cutscene. This field is intended to allow hookup of cutscenes before they are ready. It should never be used in the final game. }}

{{inspector section|Game}}
{{inspector row|Play Sound Events| If true any sound events associated with animations will be played. If false these events will not be played. Sound events can only be played in the game, you will not hear them in the toolset. }}
{{inspector row|Use Master For LOD| If true the master object will be used to determine the center of level LOD for the cutscene. If false the LOD is centered around the mid point of the scene and never moves. }}

{{inspector section|Setting}}
{{inspector row|Area| The area in which the cutscene takes place. }}
{{inspector row|Enable Level Effects| If true the effects from the level will be applied. If false only those effects defined in the cutscene will be applied. }}
{{inspector row|Stage| The stage on which the cutscene will be played. If set, stage actions are allowed. }}
{{inspector row|Stage Orientation| The orientation of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector row|Stage Position| The position of the stage within the area. Only shown when a stage is selected.}}
{{inspector end}}

[[Category:Cutscenes]]

String editor/ru

2011-03-23T19:29:14Z

Warslav: /* Работа с редактором строк */

== Основная информация ==

Редактор строк находится в нижней части меню "Tools".

В Dragon Age все строки текста, которые видны игроку, хранятся в отдельной таблице. Для ссылки на строку из какого-либо ресурса используется {{ulink|string ID|идентификационный номер строки}}. Использование отдельной таблицы позволяет упростить такие задачи, как проверка орфографии, перевод на другие языки, и т.д., ведь весь текст хранится в одном месте.

Встроенный редактор строк является одним из основных средств доступа к этой коллекции строк.
Строки, связанные с ресурсами, могут быть отредактированы и в инспекторе объектов, но чтобы увидеть последние изменения текста необходимо сделать чекин объекта.

== Работа с редактором строк ==

[[Image:String editor main screen.png]]

В верхней части основного экрана есть два поля, которые позволяют настроить отображение конкретных строк. Для начала надо определить таблицу (String Table), строки которой необходимо вывести для редактирования. Эта таблица формируется отдельно для каждого модуля, поэтому выберите таблицу, которая была создана для вашего модуля.

Если вы хотите отредактировать конкретную строку и вам известен её ID, например реплика диалога, то вы можете ввести этот ID в "String ID".

Если вы хотите вывести в редакторе всю таблицу модуля, то убедитесь, что кнопка '''Filter''' имеет надпись "''Filter: Off''", и установите флажок '''Do NOT use Filter'''.

Но и это ещё не всё! Нажатие кнопки '''Filter''' вызовет окно настройки фильтра, который позволит использовать широкий спектр критериев отбора!

[[Image:String editor filters.png]]

В случае использования нескольких условий для их связки применяется оператор "AND".

'''Нужна помощь в переводе:'''
''There seems to be a bug - both "Contains" and "Is Exactly" sometimes only return a match if you enter the entire string you're searching for. The workaround seems to be to do a successful "Is Exactly" search, after which "Contains" works as expected.''

'''Вариант перевода:'''
''Похоже, что здесь есть баг - оба параметра поиска ("искать любое, содержащее часть введенной в поиск строки" и "искать точное совпадение строк") иногда показывает только "точное совпадение" при вводе искомой строки в поиск. Успешный обходной путь, как предпологается - искать по запросу "искать точное совпадение строк", после чего запрос "искать любое, содержащее часть строки" работает так, как и положено. (перевел Warslav)''

Как только вы нашли строку, которую необходимо отредактировать, дважды кликните на ней мышкой.

[[Image:String editor edit string.png]]

Когда вы закончите редактирование, используйте пункт меню Tools > Export > Export String Table, потом Tools > Export > Export Talk Table, чтобы в игре отображался отредактированный вами текст.

'''Внимание:'''

В Export Talk Table есть известная {{ulink|Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override|ошибка}}.

== Generated string IDs ==

It is important to eventually check resources back in so that the toolset will automatically update or assign string IDs to certain text entries you've written - such as conversation entries, or the names and descriptions of placeables or creatures. Once available, they'll show in the string table as string type "Exported <type> text". Even though it may seem unnecessary as the tlkstring contains the original text, some strings are referenced in the game by their string ID alone, such as the conversation history in the player's journal.

== Creating a string with a specific ID ==

When a string is created, its id is determined automatically by incrementing the String ID Last Used field in the [[Module#Properties | module properties]].

Occasionally, it is necessary to use a different range (for example, owing to a [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | bug]], smaller numbers are required for some GUI functions).

This can be achieved by temporarily changing the String ID Begin and String ID Last Used module properties to one less than the required number.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

== Editing a checked-out string ==

The string editor will not allow a string to be edited if it is checked out.

For strings associated with campaign resources, this is easily resolved, by checking in the resource.

Doing this for core resources is [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bugged]] and should be avoided. Such changes affect all campaigns, which is not helpful to players or other builders. For some reason, the toolset does not allow string changes to be local to the module if they belong to a core resource. A safer technique is to duplicate the core resource into the module (with a new resource name) then edit it. There can be repercussions - some systems (e.g. treasure, recipes) refer to core resource names explicitly, so 2DA files have to be changed. Other aspects (e.g. recipe ingredients) are tag-based, so they will work with the new item as long as you don't change the tag.

Certain core strings are associated with system components (e.g. GUI) which cannot be duplicated or checked in. The normal procedure in such cases is to create a new string, then change the corresponding 2DA to use the new string id (for an example, see [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | Background Tutorial]]). Don't be tempted to edit the core string, because the same [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]] applies.

There are rare instances in which even this cannot be done, because the string id is hard-coded in the game (for example, the gender description used in Character Generation). See next section for a solution.

== Editing a string with a specific ID ==

To edit a string whose id is outside of the normal range for the module, change the String ID Begin module property temporarily to a value which is less than the string id in question (but not zero).

The string will no longer be regarded as checked out, and can be edited.

Normally, this technique should not be used for core strings - see above. A known exception is the gender descriptions, whose string id is hard-coded. It's OK to change them - by a happy coincidence, they are not affected by the [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]].

When customising a core string, change the Owner Module to the current module, and the Table to the current module's talk table. Otherwise, the custom string will override all campaigns.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

As previously noted, while the toolset allows this technique on core gameplay strings, including the GUI, it will not permit the current module to have a local version of a core resource description.

== Переводчики ==
kelamor / [[User:Kelamor|Страница]] / [mailto:kelamor@inbox.ru Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]

{{languages|String editor}}

[[Category:Translations_ru]]
[[Category:Designer resources]]

String editor/ru

2011-03-23T19:28:36Z

Warslav: /* Работа с редактором строк */

== Основная информация ==

Редактор строк находится в нижней части меню "Tools".

В Dragon Age все строки текста, которые видны игроку, хранятся в отдельной таблице. Для ссылки на строку из какого-либо ресурса используется {{ulink|string ID|идентификационный номер строки}}. Использование отдельной таблицы позволяет упростить такие задачи, как проверка орфографии, перевод на другие языки, и т.д., ведь весь текст хранится в одном месте.

Встроенный редактор строк является одним из основных средств доступа к этой коллекции строк.
Строки, связанные с ресурсами, могут быть отредактированы и в инспекторе объектов, но чтобы увидеть последние изменения текста необходимо сделать чекин объекта.

== Работа с редактором строк ==

[[Image:String editor main screen.png]]

В верхней части основного экрана есть два поля, которые позволяют настроить отображение конкретных строк. Для начала надо определить таблицу (String Table), строки которой необходимо вывести для редактирования. Эта таблица формируется отдельно для каждого модуля, поэтому выберите таблицу, которая была создана для вашего модуля.

Если вы хотите отредактировать конкретную строку и вам известен её ID, например реплика диалога, то вы можете ввести этот ID в "String ID".

Если вы хотите вывести в редакторе всю таблицу модуля, то убедитесь, что кнопка '''Filter''' имеет надпись "''Filter: Off''", и установите флажок '''Do NOT use Filter'''.

Но и это ещё не всё! Нажатие кнопки '''Filter''' вызовет окно настройки фильтра, который позволит использовать широкий спектр критериев отбора!

[[Image:String editor filters.png]]

В случае использования нескольких условий для их связки применяется оператор "AND".

'''Нужна помощь в переводе:'''
''There seems to be a bug - both "Contains" and "Is Exactly" sometimes only return a match if you enter the entire string you're searching for. The workaround seems to be to do a successful "Is Exactly" search, after which "Contains" works as expected.''

'''Вариант перевода:'''
''(Похоже, что здесь есть баг - оба параметра поиска ("искать любое, содержащее часть введенной в поиск строки" и "искать точное совпадение строк") иногда показывает только "точное совпадение" при вводе искомой строки в поиск. Успешный обходной путь, как предпологается - искать по запросу
"искать точное совпадение строк", после чего запрос "искать любое, содержащее часть
строки" работает так, как и положено. (перевел Warslav))''

Как только вы нашли строку, которую необходимо отредактировать, дважды кликните на ней мышкой.

[[Image:String editor edit string.png]]

Когда вы закончите редактирование, используйте пункт меню Tools > Export > Export String Table, потом Tools > Export > Export Talk Table, чтобы в игре отображался отредактированный вами текст.

'''Внимание:'''

В Export Talk Table есть известная {{ulink|Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override|ошибка}}.

== Generated string IDs ==

It is important to eventually check resources back in so that the toolset will automatically update or assign string IDs to certain text entries you've written - such as conversation entries, or the names and descriptions of placeables or creatures. Once available, they'll show in the string table as string type "Exported <type> text". Even though it may seem unnecessary as the tlkstring contains the original text, some strings are referenced in the game by their string ID alone, such as the conversation history in the player's journal.

== Creating a string with a specific ID ==

When a string is created, its id is determined automatically by incrementing the String ID Last Used field in the [[Module#Properties | module properties]].

Occasionally, it is necessary to use a different range (for example, owing to a [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | bug]], smaller numbers are required for some GUI functions).

This can be achieved by temporarily changing the String ID Begin and String ID Last Used module properties to one less than the required number.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

== Editing a checked-out string ==

The string editor will not allow a string to be edited if it is checked out.

For strings associated with campaign resources, this is easily resolved, by checking in the resource.

Doing this for core resources is [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bugged]] and should be avoided. Such changes affect all campaigns, which is not helpful to players or other builders. For some reason, the toolset does not allow string changes to be local to the module if they belong to a core resource. A safer technique is to duplicate the core resource into the module (with a new resource name) then edit it. There can be repercussions - some systems (e.g. treasure, recipes) refer to core resource names explicitly, so 2DA files have to be changed. Other aspects (e.g. recipe ingredients) are tag-based, so they will work with the new item as long as you don't change the tag.

Certain core strings are associated with system components (e.g. GUI) which cannot be duplicated or checked in. The normal procedure in such cases is to create a new string, then change the corresponding 2DA to use the new string id (for an example, see [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | Background Tutorial]]). Don't be tempted to edit the core string, because the same [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]] applies.

There are rare instances in which even this cannot be done, because the string id is hard-coded in the game (for example, the gender description used in Character Generation). See next section for a solution.

== Editing a string with a specific ID ==

To edit a string whose id is outside of the normal range for the module, change the String ID Begin module property temporarily to a value which is less than the string id in question (but not zero).

The string will no longer be regarded as checked out, and can be edited.

Normally, this technique should not be used for core strings - see above. A known exception is the gender descriptions, whose string id is hard-coded. It's OK to change them - by a happy coincidence, they are not affected by the [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]].

When customising a core string, change the Owner Module to the current module, and the Table to the current module's talk table. Otherwise, the custom string will override all campaigns.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

As previously noted, while the toolset allows this technique on core gameplay strings, including the GUI, it will not permit the current module to have a local version of a core resource description.

== Переводчики ==
kelamor / [[User:Kelamor|Страница]] / [mailto:kelamor@inbox.ru Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]

{{languages|String editor}}

[[Category:Translations_ru]]
[[Category:Designer resources]]

String editor/ru

2011-03-23T19:27:58Z

Warslav: /* Работа с редактором строк */

== Основная информация ==

Редактор строк находится в нижней части меню "Tools".

В Dragon Age все строки текста, которые видны игроку, хранятся в отдельной таблице. Для ссылки на строку из какого-либо ресурса используется {{ulink|string ID|идентификационный номер строки}}. Использование отдельной таблицы позволяет упростить такие задачи, как проверка орфографии, перевод на другие языки, и т.д., ведь весь текст хранится в одном месте.

Встроенный редактор строк является одним из основных средств доступа к этой коллекции строк.
Строки, связанные с ресурсами, могут быть отредактированы и в инспекторе объектов, но чтобы увидеть последние изменения текста необходимо сделать чекин объекта.

== Работа с редактором строк ==

[[Image:String editor main screen.png]]

В верхней части основного экрана есть два поля, которые позволяют настроить отображение конкретных строк. Для начала надо определить таблицу (String Table), строки которой необходимо вывести для редактирования. Эта таблица формируется отдельно для каждого модуля, поэтому выберите таблицу, которая была создана для вашего модуля.

Если вы хотите отредактировать конкретную строку и вам известен её ID, например реплика диалога, то вы можете ввести этот ID в "String ID".

Если вы хотите вывести в редакторе всю таблицу модуля, то убедитесь, что кнопка '''Filter''' имеет надпись "''Filter: Off''", и установите флажок '''Do NOT use Filter'''.

Но и это ещё не всё! Нажатие кнопки '''Filter''' вызовет окно настройки фильтра, который позволит использовать широкий спектр критериев отбора!

[[Image:String editor filters.png]]

В случае использования нескольких условий для их связки применяется оператор "AND".

'''Нужна помощь в переводе:'''
''There seems to be a bug - both "Contains" and "Is Exactly" sometimes only return a match if you enter the entire string you're searching for. The workaround seems to be to do a successful "Is Exactly" search, after which "Contains" works as expected.''

'''Вариант перевода:'''
''Похоже, что здесь есть баг - оба параметра поиска ("искать любое, содержащее часть введенной в поиск строки" и "искать точное совпадение строк") иногда показывает только "точное совпадение" при вводе искомой строки в поиск. Успешный обходной путь, как предпологается - искать по запросу
"искать точное совпадение строк", после чего запрос "искать любое, содержащее часть
строки" работает так, как и положено. (перевел Warslav)''

Как только вы нашли строку, которую необходимо отредактировать, дважды кликните на ней мышкой.

[[Image:String editor edit string.png]]

Когда вы закончите редактирование, используйте пункт меню Tools > Export > Export String Table, потом Tools > Export > Export Talk Table, чтобы в игре отображался отредактированный вами текст.

'''Внимание:'''

В Export Talk Table есть известная {{ulink|Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override|ошибка}}.

== Generated string IDs ==

It is important to eventually check resources back in so that the toolset will automatically update or assign string IDs to certain text entries you've written - such as conversation entries, or the names and descriptions of placeables or creatures. Once available, they'll show in the string table as string type "Exported <type> text". Even though it may seem unnecessary as the tlkstring contains the original text, some strings are referenced in the game by their string ID alone, such as the conversation history in the player's journal.

== Creating a string with a specific ID ==

When a string is created, its id is determined automatically by incrementing the String ID Last Used field in the [[Module#Properties | module properties]].

Occasionally, it is necessary to use a different range (for example, owing to a [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | bug]], smaller numbers are required for some GUI functions).

This can be achieved by temporarily changing the String ID Begin and String ID Last Used module properties to one less than the required number.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

== Editing a checked-out string ==

The string editor will not allow a string to be edited if it is checked out.

For strings associated with campaign resources, this is easily resolved, by checking in the resource.

Doing this for core resources is [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bugged]] and should be avoided. Such changes affect all campaigns, which is not helpful to players or other builders. For some reason, the toolset does not allow string changes to be local to the module if they belong to a core resource. A safer technique is to duplicate the core resource into the module (with a new resource name) then edit it. There can be repercussions - some systems (e.g. treasure, recipes) refer to core resource names explicitly, so 2DA files have to be changed. Other aspects (e.g. recipe ingredients) are tag-based, so they will work with the new item as long as you don't change the tag.

Certain core strings are associated with system components (e.g. GUI) which cannot be duplicated or checked in. The normal procedure in such cases is to create a new string, then change the corresponding 2DA to use the new string id (for an example, see [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | Background Tutorial]]). Don't be tempted to edit the core string, because the same [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]] applies.

There are rare instances in which even this cannot be done, because the string id is hard-coded in the game (for example, the gender description used in Character Generation). See next section for a solution.

== Editing a string with a specific ID ==

To edit a string whose id is outside of the normal range for the module, change the String ID Begin module property temporarily to a value which is less than the string id in question (but not zero).

The string will no longer be regarded as checked out, and can be edited.

Normally, this technique should not be used for core strings - see above. A known exception is the gender descriptions, whose string id is hard-coded. It's OK to change them - by a happy coincidence, they are not affected by the [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]].

When customising a core string, change the Owner Module to the current module, and the Table to the current module's talk table. Otherwise, the custom string will override all campaigns.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

As previously noted, while the toolset allows this technique on core gameplay strings, including the GUI, it will not permit the current module to have a local version of a core resource description.

== Переводчики ==
kelamor / [[User:Kelamor|Страница]] / [mailto:kelamor@inbox.ru Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]

{{languages|String editor}}

[[Category:Translations_ru]]
[[Category:Designer resources]]

String editor/ru

2011-03-23T19:27:04Z

Warslav: /* Работа с редактором строк */

== Основная информация ==

Редактор строк находится в нижней части меню "Tools".

В Dragon Age все строки текста, которые видны игроку, хранятся в отдельной таблице. Для ссылки на строку из какого-либо ресурса используется {{ulink|string ID|идентификационный номер строки}}. Использование отдельной таблицы позволяет упростить такие задачи, как проверка орфографии, перевод на другие языки, и т.д., ведь весь текст хранится в одном месте.

Встроенный редактор строк является одним из основных средств доступа к этой коллекции строк.
Строки, связанные с ресурсами, могут быть отредактированы и в инспекторе объектов, но чтобы увидеть последние изменения текста необходимо сделать чекин объекта.

== Работа с редактором строк ==

[[Image:String editor main screen.png]]

В верхней части основного экрана есть два поля, которые позволяют настроить отображение конкретных строк. Для начала надо определить таблицу (String Table), строки которой необходимо вывести для редактирования. Эта таблица формируется отдельно для каждого модуля, поэтому выберите таблицу, которая была создана для вашего модуля.

Если вы хотите отредактировать конкретную строку и вам известен её ID, например реплика диалога, то вы можете ввести этот ID в "String ID".

Если вы хотите вывести в редакторе всю таблицу модуля, то убедитесь, что кнопка '''Filter''' имеет надпись "''Filter: Off''", и установите флажок '''Do NOT use Filter'''.

Но и это ещё не всё! Нажатие кнопки '''Filter''' вызовет окно настройки фильтра, который позволит использовать широкий спектр критериев отбора!

[[Image:String editor filters.png]]

В случае использования нескольких условий для их связки применяется оператор "AND".

'''Нужна помощь в переводе:'''
''There seems to be a bug - both "Contains" and "Is Exactly" sometimes only return a match if you enter the entire string you're searching for. The workaround seems to be to do a successful "Is Exactly" search, after which "Contains" works as expected.''

'''Вариант перевода:'''
''Похоже, что здесь есть баг - оба параметра поиска ("искать любое, содержащее часть введенной в поиск строки" и "искать точное совпадение строк") иногда показывает только "точное совпадение"
при вводе искомой строки в поиск. Успешный обходной путь, как предпологается - искать по запросу
"искать точное совпадение строк", после чего запрос "искать любое, содержащее часть
строки" работает так, как и положено. (перевел Warslav)''

Как только вы нашли строку, которую необходимо отредактировать, дважды кликните на ней мышкой.

[[Image:String editor edit string.png]]

Когда вы закончите редактирование, используйте пункт меню Tools > Export > Export String Table, потом Tools > Export > Export Talk Table, чтобы в игре отображался отредактированный вами текст.

'''Внимание:'''

В Export Talk Table есть известная {{ulink|Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override|ошибка}}.

== Generated string IDs ==

It is important to eventually check resources back in so that the toolset will automatically update or assign string IDs to certain text entries you've written - such as conversation entries, or the names and descriptions of placeables or creatures. Once available, they'll show in the string table as string type "Exported <type> text". Even though it may seem unnecessary as the tlkstring contains the original text, some strings are referenced in the game by their string ID alone, such as the conversation history in the player's journal.

== Creating a string with a specific ID ==

When a string is created, its id is determined automatically by incrementing the String ID Last Used field in the [[Module#Properties | module properties]].

Occasionally, it is necessary to use a different range (for example, owing to a [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | bug]], smaller numbers are required for some GUI functions).

This can be achieved by temporarily changing the String ID Begin and String ID Last Used module properties to one less than the required number.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

== Editing a checked-out string ==

The string editor will not allow a string to be edited if it is checked out.

For strings associated with campaign resources, this is easily resolved, by checking in the resource.

Doing this for core resources is [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bugged]] and should be avoided. Such changes affect all campaigns, which is not helpful to players or other builders. For some reason, the toolset does not allow string changes to be local to the module if they belong to a core resource. A safer technique is to duplicate the core resource into the module (with a new resource name) then edit it. There can be repercussions - some systems (e.g. treasure, recipes) refer to core resource names explicitly, so 2DA files have to be changed. Other aspects (e.g. recipe ingredients) are tag-based, so they will work with the new item as long as you don't change the tag.

Certain core strings are associated with system components (e.g. GUI) which cannot be duplicated or checked in. The normal procedure in such cases is to create a new string, then change the corresponding 2DA to use the new string id (for an example, see [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | Background Tutorial]]). Don't be tempted to edit the core string, because the same [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]] applies.

There are rare instances in which even this cannot be done, because the string id is hard-coded in the game (for example, the gender description used in Character Generation). See next section for a solution.

== Editing a string with a specific ID ==

To edit a string whose id is outside of the normal range for the module, change the String ID Begin module property temporarily to a value which is less than the string id in question (but not zero).

The string will no longer be regarded as checked out, and can be edited.

Normally, this technique should not be used for core strings - see above. A known exception is the gender descriptions, whose string id is hard-coded. It's OK to change them - by a happy coincidence, they are not affected by the [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]].

When customising a core string, change the Owner Module to the current module, and the Table to the current module's talk table. Otherwise, the custom string will override all campaigns.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

As previously noted, while the toolset allows this technique on core gameplay strings, including the GUI, it will not permit the current module to have a local version of a core resource description.

== Переводчики ==
kelamor / [[User:Kelamor|Страница]] / [mailto:kelamor@inbox.ru Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]

{{languages|String editor}}

[[Category:Translations_ru]]
[[Category:Designer resources]]

String editor/ru

2011-03-23T19:26:11Z

Warslav: /* Работа с редактором строк */

== Основная информация ==

Редактор строк находится в нижней части меню "Tools".

В Dragon Age все строки текста, которые видны игроку, хранятся в отдельной таблице. Для ссылки на строку из какого-либо ресурса используется {{ulink|string ID|идентификационный номер строки}}. Использование отдельной таблицы позволяет упростить такие задачи, как проверка орфографии, перевод на другие языки, и т.д., ведь весь текст хранится в одном месте.

Встроенный редактор строк является одним из основных средств доступа к этой коллекции строк.
Строки, связанные с ресурсами, могут быть отредактированы и в инспекторе объектов, но чтобы увидеть последние изменения текста необходимо сделать чекин объекта.

== Работа с редактором строк ==

[[Image:String editor main screen.png]]

В верхней части основного экрана есть два поля, которые позволяют настроить отображение конкретных строк. Для начала надо определить таблицу (String Table), строки которой необходимо вывести для редактирования. Эта таблица формируется отдельно для каждого модуля, поэтому выберите таблицу, которая была создана для вашего модуля.

Если вы хотите отредактировать конкретную строку и вам известен её ID, например реплика диалога, то вы можете ввести этот ID в "String ID".

Если вы хотите вывести в редакторе всю таблицу модуля, то убедитесь, что кнопка '''Filter''' имеет надпись "''Filter: Off''", и установите флажок '''Do NOT use Filter'''.

Но и это ещё не всё! Нажатие кнопки '''Filter''' вызовет окно настройки фильтра, который позволит использовать широкий спектр критериев отбора!

[[Image:String editor filters.png]]

В случае использования нескольких условий для их связки применяется оператор "AND".

'''Нужна помощь в переводе:'''
''There seems to be a bug - both "Contains" and "Is Exactly" sometimes only return a match if you enter the entire string you're searching for. The workaround seems to be to do a successful "Is Exactly" search, after which "Contains" works as expected.''

'''Вариант перевода:'''
''Похоже, что здесь есть баг - оба параметра поиска ("искать любое, содержащее часть введенной в
поиск строки" и "искать точное совпадение строк") иногда показывает только "точное совпадение"
при вводе искомой строки в поиск. Успешный обходной путь, как предпологается - искать по запросу
"искать точное совпадение строк", после чего запрос "искать любое, содержащее часть
строки" работает так, как и положено. (перевел Warslav)''

Как только вы нашли строку, которую необходимо отредактировать, дважды кликните на ней мышкой.

[[Image:String editor edit string.png]]

Когда вы закончите редактирование, используйте пункт меню Tools > Export > Export String Table, потом Tools > Export > Export Talk Table, чтобы в игре отображался отредактированный вами текст.

'''Внимание:'''

В Export Talk Table есть известная {{ulink|Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override|ошибка}}.

== Generated string IDs ==

It is important to eventually check resources back in so that the toolset will automatically update or assign string IDs to certain text entries you've written - such as conversation entries, or the names and descriptions of placeables or creatures. Once available, they'll show in the string table as string type "Exported <type> text". Even though it may seem unnecessary as the tlkstring contains the original text, some strings are referenced in the game by their string ID alone, such as the conversation history in the player's journal.

== Creating a string with a specific ID ==

When a string is created, its id is determined automatically by incrementing the String ID Last Used field in the [[Module#Properties | module properties]].

Occasionally, it is necessary to use a different range (for example, owing to a [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | bug]], smaller numbers are required for some GUI functions).

This can be achieved by temporarily changing the String ID Begin and String ID Last Used module properties to one less than the required number.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

== Editing a checked-out string ==

The string editor will not allow a string to be edited if it is checked out.

For strings associated with campaign resources, this is easily resolved, by checking in the resource.

Doing this for core resources is [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bugged]] and should be avoided. Such changes affect all campaigns, which is not helpful to players or other builders. For some reason, the toolset does not allow string changes to be local to the module if they belong to a core resource. A safer technique is to duplicate the core resource into the module (with a new resource name) then edit it. There can be repercussions - some systems (e.g. treasure, recipes) refer to core resource names explicitly, so 2DA files have to be changed. Other aspects (e.g. recipe ingredients) are tag-based, so they will work with the new item as long as you don't change the tag.

Certain core strings are associated with system components (e.g. GUI) which cannot be duplicated or checked in. The normal procedure in such cases is to create a new string, then change the corresponding 2DA to use the new string id (for an example, see [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | Background Tutorial]]). Don't be tempted to edit the core string, because the same [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]] applies.

There are rare instances in which even this cannot be done, because the string id is hard-coded in the game (for example, the gender description used in Character Generation). See next section for a solution.

== Editing a string with a specific ID ==

To edit a string whose id is outside of the normal range for the module, change the String ID Begin module property temporarily to a value which is less than the string id in question (but not zero).

The string will no longer be regarded as checked out, and can be edited.

Normally, this technique should not be used for core strings - see above. A known exception is the gender descriptions, whose string id is hard-coded. It's OK to change them - by a happy coincidence, they are not affected by the [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]].

When customising a core string, change the Owner Module to the current module, and the Table to the current module's talk table. Otherwise, the custom string will override all campaigns.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

As previously noted, while the toolset allows this technique on core gameplay strings, including the GUI, it will not permit the current module to have a local version of a core resource description.

== Переводчики ==
kelamor / [[User:Kelamor|Страница]] / [mailto:kelamor@inbox.ru Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]

{{languages|String editor}}

[[Category:Translations_ru]]
[[Category:Designer resources]]

String editor/ru

2011-03-23T19:24:19Z

Warslav: /* Работа с редактором строк */

== Основная информация ==

Редактор строк находится в нижней части меню "Tools".

В Dragon Age все строки текста, которые видны игроку, хранятся в отдельной таблице. Для ссылки на строку из какого-либо ресурса используется {{ulink|string ID|идентификационный номер строки}}. Использование отдельной таблицы позволяет упростить такие задачи, как проверка орфографии, перевод на другие языки, и т.д., ведь весь текст хранится в одном месте.

Встроенный редактор строк является одним из основных средств доступа к этой коллекции строк.
Строки, связанные с ресурсами, могут быть отредактированы и в инспекторе объектов, но чтобы увидеть последние изменения текста необходимо сделать чекин объекта.

== Работа с редактором строк ==

[[Image:String editor main screen.png]]

В верхней части основного экрана есть два поля, которые позволяют настроить отображение конкретных строк. Для начала надо определить таблицу (String Table), строки которой необходимо вывести для редактирования. Эта таблица формируется отдельно для каждого модуля, поэтому выберите таблицу, которая была создана для вашего модуля.

Если вы хотите отредактировать конкретную строку и вам известен её ID, например реплика диалога, то вы можете ввести этот ID в "String ID".

Если вы хотите вывести в редакторе всю таблицу модуля, то убедитесь, что кнопка '''Filter''' имеет надпись "''Filter: Off''", и установите флажок '''Do NOT use Filter'''.

Но и это ещё не всё! Нажатие кнопки '''Filter''' вызовет окно настройки фильтра, который позволит использовать широкий спектр критериев отбора!

[[Image:String editor filters.png]]

В случае использования нескольких условий для их связки применяется оператор "AND".

'''Нужна помощь в переводе:'''
''There seems to be a bug - both "Contains" and "Is Exactly" sometimes only return a match if you enter the entire string you're searching for. The workaround seems to be to do a successful "Is Exactly" search, after which "Contains" works as expected.''
'''Вариант перевода:'''
''Похоже, что здесь есть баг - оба параметра поиска ("искать любое, содержащее часть введенной в
поиск строки " и "искать точное совпадение строк ") иногда показывает только "точное совпадение"
при вводе искомой строки в поиск. Успешный обходной путь, как предпологается - искать по запросу
"искать точное совпадение строк", после чего запрос "искать любое, содержащее часть
строки" работает так, как и положено. (перевел Warslav)''

Как только вы нашли строку, которую необходимо отредактировать, дважды кликните на ней мышкой.

[[Image:String editor edit string.png]]

Когда вы закончите редактирование, используйте пункт меню Tools > Export > Export String Table, потом Tools > Export > Export Talk Table, чтобы в игре отображался отредактированный вами текст.

'''Внимание:'''

В Export Talk Table есть известная {{ulink|Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override|ошибка}}.

== Generated string IDs ==

It is important to eventually check resources back in so that the toolset will automatically update or assign string IDs to certain text entries you've written - such as conversation entries, or the names and descriptions of placeables or creatures. Once available, they'll show in the string table as string type "Exported <type> text". Even though it may seem unnecessary as the tlkstring contains the original text, some strings are referenced in the game by their string ID alone, such as the conversation history in the player's journal.

== Creating a string with a specific ID ==

When a string is created, its id is determined automatically by incrementing the String ID Last Used field in the [[Module#Properties | module properties]].

Occasionally, it is necessary to use a different range (for example, owing to a [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | bug]], smaller numbers are required for some GUI functions).

This can be achieved by temporarily changing the String ID Begin and String ID Last Used module properties to one less than the required number.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

== Editing a checked-out string ==

The string editor will not allow a string to be edited if it is checked out.

For strings associated with campaign resources, this is easily resolved, by checking in the resource.

Doing this for core resources is [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bugged]] and should be avoided. Such changes affect all campaigns, which is not helpful to players or other builders. For some reason, the toolset does not allow string changes to be local to the module if they belong to a core resource. A safer technique is to duplicate the core resource into the module (with a new resource name) then edit it. There can be repercussions - some systems (e.g. treasure, recipes) refer to core resource names explicitly, so 2DA files have to be changed. Other aspects (e.g. recipe ingredients) are tag-based, so they will work with the new item as long as you don't change the tag.

Certain core strings are associated with system components (e.g. GUI) which cannot be duplicated or checked in. The normal procedure in such cases is to create a new string, then change the corresponding 2DA to use the new string id (for an example, see [[Backgrounds_tutorial#Creating_the_background_strings | Background Tutorial]]). Don't be tempted to edit the core string, because the same [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]] applies.

There are rare instances in which even this cannot be done, because the string id is hard-coded in the game (for example, the gender description used in Character Generation). See next section for a solution.

== Editing a string with a specific ID ==

To edit a string whose id is outside of the normal range for the module, change the String ID Begin module property temporarily to a value which is less than the string id in question (but not zero).

The string will no longer be regarded as checked out, and can be edited.

Normally, this technique should not be used for core strings - see above. A known exception is the gender descriptions, whose string id is hard-coded. It's OK to change them - by a happy coincidence, they are not affected by the [[Bug:_Talk_table_exported_to_packages_override | bug]].

When customising a core string, change the Owner Module to the current module, and the Table to the current module's talk table. Otherwise, the custom string will override all campaigns.

It's wise to back up the data base and make a careful note of the original module properties before attempting this!

As previously noted, while the toolset allows this technique on core gameplay strings, including the GUI, it will not permit the current module to have a local version of a core resource description.

== Переводчики ==
kelamor / [[User:Kelamor|Страница]] / [mailto:kelamor@inbox.ru Почта] / [[Translation/ru|Как переводить DA Builder Wiki]]

{{languages|String editor}}

[[Category:Translations_ru]]
[[Category:Designer resources]]

VFX Tutorial/ru

2011-03-09T19:18:03Z

Warslav: /* Добавление излучателя (Adding an emitter). */

{{Infobox vfx}}

PDF Version Part 1 [[File:VFX_Tut_p1.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 2 [[File:VFX_Tut_p2.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 3 [[File:VFX_Tut_p3.pdf]]

----

== VFX Учебник Часть 1 ==

Этот учебник поможет вам в ваших начинаниях по созданию ваших собственных визуальных эффектов для использования их в DA toolset. Учебник часть 1 охватит основы создания, монтажа и реализации визуального эффекта.

=== Создание нового визуального эффекта (визуализации). ===

Для создания нового VFX, щелкните правой кнопкой в окне палитры и выберите «NEW > VFX».

[[File:new VFX.jpg|250px]]

Редактор VFX откроется, отобразив квадратную сетку и окно «Выберите VFX» по центру. Для данного учебника, мы будем разрабатывать эффект для размещаемого предмета, поэтому выберите «Plaseable» и нажмите «OK».

В верху слева вы увидите маленький глобус, с названием “VFXRoot” , а в «Object Inspector» вы увидите свойства для VFXRoot.
Теперь сохраните вашу работу, выбрав «“File > Save As”», либо нажав на иконку Save (сохранить) вверху слева. Вам будет предложено ввести имя файла. Мне нравится сохранять все мои VFX файлы в одном месте, поэтому в папке My Documents/Bioware/Dragon Age я создал папку VFX для сохранения моих файлов.

Для этого учебника, мы создадим тип эффекта Костер и, оставаясь верными соглашению о наименовании файлов в Dragon Age ([[Naming conventions]]) , мы используем трех буквенный префикс, подчеркивание, и затем дадим файлу наименование. Назовем файл «fxp_bonfire_jp».
«Fxp» для «Визуализации Размещаемого Объекта» (все имена VFX файлов начинаются с «fx»), «bonfire» сообщает мне, что это за эффект, а «jp» в конце дает мне информацию о том, что это именно мой эффект, а не чей либо еще. Вы можете добавить любой суффикс, на ваше усмотрение. Когда закончите, нажмите «Save».

Вы можете закрыть Toolset в любое время и вернуться к этому учебнику. Вы можете открыть ваш эффект потом снова, через “File > Open” и затем выбрав тот файл, который вы только что сохранили.

=== Свойства VFXRoot: ===

[[File:t1_root_obj_inspector.jpg|250px]]

'''VFXRoot Properties:'''
пройдусь только по тем, которые буду использовать.

'''Name (Имя) :''' Это название ресурса, который будет использоваться (того, который мы сохранили на локальный диск). Измените название так, чтобы оно совпадало с именем файла.

'''Impact Length (Длительность импульса):''' Время в секундах, для начальной стадии действия эффекта. Например, Бегун, стартуя со стартовой линии, достигает максимальной скорости.

'''Duration Length (Продолжительность действия):''' Время в секундах длительности действия эффекта. Например, время, которое уйдет у бегуна ,чтобы добежать до финишной прямой после достижения максимальной скорости.

'''Cessation Length (Длительность процесса остановки):''' Время в секундах для завершения эффекта. Например, бегун замедляется после пересечения финишной прямой.

Мы создаем эффект «костер», поэтому мы хотим, чтобы огонь стартовал маленьким, затем увеличился в размере, и затем погас. Установите Duration Length на 3 секунды. Это даст нам достаточно времени для изменения окраски пламени. Установите Cessation Length также на 3 секунды, чтобы огонь погас.

Вам может показаться, что 9 секунд это очень коротко для огня. Когда эффект задан в скрипте, продолжительность времени задается внутри функции «ApplyEffect». Данное время продолжительности заставляет время продолжительности анимации повторяться снова и снова (зацикливаться ). Так, например, Если этот эффект костра применен к объекту на 6 минут, продолжительная часть эффекта повторится 120 раз: 3 секунды продолжительности умножить на 120 повторения (3*120=360с=6мин). Затем наступит время окончания эффекта и эффект завершен.

После установки промежутков времени, вы можете увидеть временную шкалу, такую как здесь. Больше информации – во второй части учебника.

[[File:T1_time_line.jpg|640px]]

=== Добавление излучателя (Adding an emitter). ===

Далее, нам нужен излучатель. Правой кнопкой щелкните в левом окне на объекте VFXRoot и выберите “Insert > Insert Emitter”. Вы должны получить пульсирующие белые капсулы в центре сетки, а объект “NewEmitter” добавится в список слева.

[[File:T1_emitter.jpg|640px]]

Выделите объект NewEmiter и вы увидите его свойства в окне Object inspector.

[[File:T1_op_properties.jpg|250px]]

'''Окно свойств (Properties Window):'''

'''Name (имя): ''' Измените имя эмиттера на «Base», он будет главной основой огня. Присвоение имени эмиттеру поможет отличить его от других, при разработке эффекта с несколькими эмиттерами.

'''Material Library (Библиотека материалов):''' Это библиотека, где мы будем выбирать наши материалы частиц. DA Effect Libraries (библиотека эффектов). DA Effect Libraries (библиотека DA) начинается с префикса fx_* . Нажмите на кнопку Material Library чтобы открыть окно ресурсов. Выберите fx_firelibrary и нажмите ОК.

'''Material Object: ''' Это материал из выбранной нами библиотека, который мы будем использовать. Для этого выберите «FireFlipBook».
Перед тем, как продолжить, сохраните вашу работу и давайте поговорим о Flipbooks.

Flipbook – это статья, которая состоит из строк и колонок с разними изображениями. Анимация создается с помощью эффекта быстрого перелистывания каждого изображения, так же, как и в мультипликационной анимации. В данном случае вы видите 4 колонки мерцающего огня. Отметьте себе, что не все статьи содержатся в формате flipbook, некоторые – как статическое изображение. Самый простой способ, увидеть, является ли текущая статья flipbook и сколько в ней строк и колонок – это задать для Birth Rate (рождаемость) значение «1». Нажмите на вкладку «Emission» (выброс) в Object Properties и измените верхний параметр «Birth Rate» на 1. Вы теперь можете увидеть картинку, которай состоит из 4 строк и 4 колонок маленьких изображений пламени. Это простая статья, 4х4 flipbook. Задайте Birth Rate снова значение 10, и вернитесь к вкладке «Properties» в Object Inspector. Подробнее о Birth Rate рассмотрим позднее.

[[File:T1_flip.jpg]]

'''Flipbook Type:''' Select “ContactSheet”.

'''Flipbook Random Start Frame:''' This selects a random frame within the flipbook to start with on each emission. Set this to TRUE. This will help give us diversity and make the flame look more “real”.

'''Flipbook Rows:''' This is how many Rows there are in the flipbook, set this number to 4.

'''Flipbook Columns:''' This is the number of Columns in the flipbook, set this to 4 also.

'''Flipbook Frames per Second:''' The particle image has 4 rows and 4 colunms, there are 16 total images to flip through. This value should be a factor of Rows and Columns, so 4 x 4 = 16. Set this value to at least 16 flips per second.

You should now see a single column of what nearly looks like fire.
Right now the flames flicker a bit too slow for me, so set the Flipbook Frames per Second to 32. This makes the flames flicker twice as fast because it is now flipping through all 16 images twice per second instead of once.
Save your work.

[[File:T1_fire.jpg]]

'''Age Map:'''

[[File:T1_agemap.jpg]]

In the Object Inspector click the “Age Map” Tab.

Here we can manipulate the color and the scale of the effect.

Color values are in percentage of 0 to 100% on a scale of 0 to 1, so 50% Blue would be 0.5.

Most normal fires aren’t white, so set Color B (blue) to 0. Your flame should now be yellow. Set Color G (green) to 0.4. We now have a orangey-red color.

Color A (alph) is the flames color intensity setting this to 0.5, the fire is half as intense. Set it where you like.

The scale X and Y values can be any number from 0 to infinity. Setting the scale to 1 is the particles normal size. Because the particle image is a 2d image, there is no Z scale. Changing Scale X will affect the X (width) direction of the flame and Scale Y will affect the Y (Height) direction of the particle. For now we will leave them alone.

The corresponding multipliers simply multiply the values in the general section. For example, if you set Color G back to 1, then set Green Color Multiplier to 0.4 you will have the same result. 1 * 0.4 = 0.4

There is a notable difference between the 2 however, the General settings affect the particles over the lifetime of each particle while the Multipliers affect all the particles over the length of the animation. This will be explored further in Part 2. Go ahead and play with the color settings until you have it the way you want it, and then save your work.

'''Emissions'''

[[File:T1_emissions.jpg]]

Now click on the “Emission” tab these settings control the particle emissions.

'''Birth Rate:''' This is how many particle emit per second. The default is 10, which works out for the fire pretty good. However the flicker is pretty static. So we will change that in a minute.

'''Birth Rate +/-:''' This setting will cause the particle Birth Rate to randomly vary by a positive number or a negative number. If we set this value to 1, the Birth Rate then will vary between 9 and 11 particles per second. Since a 10 Birth Rate seems to be a good number for the most particles per second, set the +/- value to 2, and change the Birth Rate to 8. This will make the max 10 and the min 6 particles per second.

'''Initial Speed:''' This is how fast the particles travel when emitted from the emitter. Changing this value appears to change how long the particles last. However this is not the case, they simple move further before the particle life has expired.

'''Initial Speed +/-:''' This setting works the same as the Birth Rate +/- setting but instead affects the Initial Speed. Set this value to 0.5 which will now give the particles a varying speed between 0.5 and 1.5.

'''Life Expectancy (s):''' This is how long each particle last, in seconds, before vanishing.

'''Life Expectancy +/-''': Again is a random variance to the value set in Life Expectancy. Set this value to 0.5, making the particle last longer and shorter as the fire burns.

'''Scale Range:''' This adds a random variance to the size of the particle much like the other +/- settings. Set this to 0. 6. You should now see the flame vary in size as it emits from the base emitter.

Play with these settings a bit to get familiar with them. In the end you should have a raging fire animation. When you are happy, save your work.

[[File:T1_fire_1.jpg]]

'''Getting the effect in game:''' Right click on the Root and select “Post to Local”. You'll find the new VFX under the model palette. It can be placed directly in the level editor or the cutscene editor but not the area editor. You can also add the effect dynamically to an area using a script.

'''Notes:''' Because an effect is Art work, at present will not be included with a Builder to Builder Create and must be sent separately. Scripting examples to come later once there is a client to test for accuracy.

[[File:T1_ptl.jpg]]

So now you have a raging fire. In part 2 of this tutorial, we will make this fire dance and sing. Part 2 will introduce using the time line settings to very coloration, scale, size and other more advanced settings as well as explore some of the settings introduce here a bit deeper. Keep the bonfire effect you created with this tutorial, we will need it in the second part. The bonfire effect can also be downloaded from the social site.

== VFX Tutorial Part 2 ==

In tutorial #1 we created a good bonfire as a base and up until now we only changed the values directly in the properties on the effect. As we can see this works well for simple effects. Changing the values in this manner alters the effect over its entire life time.
We have seen how to change the color and scale of the effect by changing the values in the properties age map. This is great for a basic flame but we want to add more life to it by making the flame vary in color and size over the length of the effect. To start, set all the Values back to default as shown in the 2 pictures below.
Note: This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 or are familiar with the basics of the VFX editor.

[[File:T2_agemap_01.jpg]][[File:T2_emission_01.jpg]]

Setting any of these values directly will affect the visual over the entire length of the effect. Instead we want to vary these values so the flame will change from reds, yellows, and orange. We also want to change its size during the impact, duration, and cessation phases of the effect. To do this, we will use the time line to set colors and scale so they change over the course of the effect.

Before we continue, we need to make a small change. Select the Root of the effect and in the Object Inspector, change the Impact time to 5 sec and the Cessation time to 8 sec. The 5 sec impact will allow us enough time to see the changes in the flame as it grows and the longer cessation time is for the smoke we will be adding later on.

[[File:T2_root_01.png]]

Select the “Base” object, at the top right corner there is a drop down window, select “Color” from the list. Note, when using the time lines, make sure you have the correct emitter object selected. In this case it is the Base emitter. You should then see a time line like the one below.

[[File:T2_color_01.jpg|680px]]

Notice at the top of the time line is reads “Particle Lifetime”. This means that the changes we make here will affect each partial over the lifetime of each particle. The lifetime of the particle is directly related to the “Lifetime” value setting in the Emissions Tab, which currently is set to 1 sec.

=== Parts of the Time line ===

[[File:T2_timeparts_01.jpg|680px]]

'''Control Point:''' The round dots allow you move the value up, down, left, or right within the time line.

'''Value Rang:''' The left side of the time line shows the value range. At this current control point, the value is 1, which is the current value for all 4 colors in the Age map.

'''Current Value:''' The dotted line shows the current value any place on the time line. Currently it is set to 1 over the entire length of the particle lifetime. When a control point is added, the line between the 2 control points will become solid.

'''Visible:''' This box shows which time lines are visible, the dotted or solid line. You can select or unselect these time lines. Currently all 4 are selected and visible. All 4 also are set at the same value so you only see one control point as all 4 are stacked from top to bottom, Color A being the one on top.

Click inside the time line and you will get a vertical bar. Drag the bar to the far right until the end of the timeline is reached. This bar represents that point in time and I will refer to this bar as the Point bar. Clicking anywhere on the time line will move the point bar to that point in time.

[[File:T1_v_bar.jpg]]

Right click on the time line and select “Add Control Point”. This adds a node at the point in which the point bar and the time line intersects. Also note that the Colors in the age map turn red, this indicates that the values are now controlled by the time line and can vary in value depending on the point in time. Also note that this adds a Control Point to each time line that is visible, so all 4 colors get an added node.
Before we continue, save your work. Next turn the Loop Animation Off by clicking on it at the top right so it is no longer highlighted.

[[File:T2_timeparts_02.jpg]]

There are 2 ways that we can set the values on the time line, directly in the value box of the Age Map, or by dragging the control points on the time line. To see how it affects the animation, first make sure the point bar is to the far right at 100. Change the value Color B to 0 directly in the Age Map properties, just as we did in Tutorial 1. You should now see a blue line starting at 1 and dropping to 0 at the end of the time line. By changing the value on the Age Map, you affect the control point that intersects with the Point Bar. The Flame should now be white at the bottom and Yellow at the top.

[[File:T2_cb.jpg|680px]]

To see what happens to each particle, go to the Emission tab and change the birth rate to 1. You will see the particle start from the emitter as white, and then gradually change to yellow. Set the Birth rate back to 10 and return to the Age Map.

Now move the point bar to the far left on 0. Notice that the value in Color B on the Age Map is again 1. Change this to 0 also and the left most control point will drop to 0 and you time line should now look like this.

[[File:T2_cb_2.jpg|680px]]

The small box in the lower right corner in the above image indicates which time lines are visible. Right now all 4 colors are visible on the time line. Next we will affect the green color by dragging the control points instead of changing the value directly in the Age Map. However the green time line in underneath the Alpha time line. So to make it visible, click the check mark to unselect the Alpha Color. The Alpha line goes away and we can now see the Green time line. Also uncheck the Red and Blue color time lines so only the Green is visible.

Next Click and hold on the far left (0) control point of the Green time line and drag it down a bit, about half way between 1 and 0, you should see the flame change colors as you drag it down. Grab the right most control point and drag it down to 0. You should now have a flame that is brighter red at the bottom and darker at the top.

[[File:T2_cg.jpg|680px]]

Now we are going to add 2 more control points to the Green time line. Move the Point Bar to 5 on the Particle Lifetime line, right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now move the Point Bar to 10 on the timeline and add a second control point. Grab the first control point we just added, the one at 5, and drag it up to about 0.7. This will create a bright flicker at the base of the fire.

[[File:T2_cg_2.jpg|680px]]

Now we just need to fade out the top of the flame a bit so the bottom is more intense than the top. Uncheck the green timeline and check the Color A (Alpha). Color A is a transparency color and can be use to alter the intensity of the particle. Grab the Right most control point and drag it down to about 40% (0.4). You will see that the top is less visible than the bottom of the flame. Save your work.

=== Changing its size ===

Right now the flame is a single column that is the same size at the top as it is at the base, this is not very realistic so we will remedy that by changing the scale of the particle.

In the drop down menu at the top right, select “Scale”. Again you will see a time line labeled “Particle Lifetime” a Control point, and a box showing the “Scale Y” and “Scale X” time lines. As we did before, move the Point Bar to the far right at 100 and right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now uncheck the Scale X time line so only the Scale Y line is visible. Move the Left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to about 1.75. Check the Scale X timeline to make it visible and move the left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to 0.5. This will widen the base and stretch the top to a point much like a real fire.

[[File:T2_scale.jpg|680px]]

Now the fun begins. Up until now we have been changing values over the lifetime of the particles. Now we will start changing values over the Impact, Duration, and Cessation time of the effect, but first save your work.

Select the “Emissions” Tab in the Object Properties. In the drop down menu, select “Birth Rate”. This time you will see a bit different looking time line. At the top you will see 3 sections, Impact which starts at 0 and ends at 5000, Duration starting at 5001 and ending at 8000, and the Cessation which starts at 8001 and ends at 1600. These times correlate to the 5 sec Impact, 3 second Duration, and the 8 second Cessation times specified in the VFX root.

'''TIP:''' You can Zoom Extents by double clicking inside the time graph, or zoom in/out by using the mouse scroll wheel.

When an effect is used in game, the Impact time plays, then the Duration time is looped for the length of the applied effect, then the Cessation time plays. For example, if the fire effect is applied to a wood pile for 3 min, the Impact time plays then the 2 second duration is looped for 3 min then the cessation time plays. With this in mind, we want the fire to build up to the a full blown fire, then taper off and go out.

In the Birth Rate time line, add 3 more control points, one at the Duration start, one at the duration end, and one at about 12000. Starting from the left move the left most control point to 0, move the second Control Point to 10, the third Control Point to 10 and the fourth to 0.

[[File:T2_br_2.jpg|680px]]

Notice that the flame stops burning like it was before. This is because now the total effect length is a factor. Slide the Point Bar back and forth on the time line, you can see what happens to the fire at any point in time. Now to view the animation of the effect, you must click the Play button in the upper right corner. The Point Bar will scroll across the time line and the results can be viewed in the effect window.

The fire should now start out slow and build up then taper off and go out at around 12 seconds. You can click on the Loop Animation if you want and the effect will continue to loop until paused by the Pause Animation button or by clicking in the time line.

Now select Life in the drop down menu. Right now each point in time the flame last 1 second. We want to change this so the flame when first starting out or ending doesn’t last that long. Keep the tip I gave above in mind, and make the Life time line look like the one in the picture. The Control Point times from left to right are 0, 1, 1.4, 1, 0 then save your work.

[[File:T2_life.jpg|680px]]

'''Let’s Dance:'''

Right now we have our fire looking pretty good, but there is one element still missing, the wavering and dancing of a real fire. On the Emission table item 12 and 13 are “Spawn Spread X (Deg)” and “Spawn Spread Y (Deg)”. These settings affect the spread of the particles in the X and Y directions, that is the particles can emit in varying directions in degrees from the emitter. Set both of these to 20 degrees.

Now our fire dances. Note that these settings could be set using the time line “Spawn Spread” as well, feel free to play with that if you wish.

We can get a better Idea of what our effect will look like in game by adding a reference model. Right click on the Root and select “Insert > Insert Reference Model”. In the Resource window Name field we can filter the list to make it easier to find what we are looking for, so enter *fire* and press enter. Now your resource list will only show those items with the word fire in it.

[[File:T2_resource.jpg]]

Choose the resource “plc_firepit_01_1”. Turn Bounding box Off by clicking it at the top to un-highlight it. This gets rid of the yellow square around the objects. Turn the Collision Plane on by clicking on it to highlight it. This will simulate a stone floor at the walk mesh level.

Now play you animation. You can also select the Base object and click anywhere in the time line, for example if you place the Point Bar anyplace in the Duration time you can watch your fire burn at it’s full potential.

'''Challenge:''' Replace the plc_firepit_01_1 with the plc_bonfire01_1 reference model. Scale your fire up, and increase it’s life time to engulf the wood pile in flames.
Don’t forget to save your work.

[[File:T2_fin.jpg|680px]]

This concludes Part 2 of the tutorial. In Part 3 we will be adding smoke and lighting to the flame and make the flickering flame reflect off of surrounding objects.

== VFX Tutorial Part 3 ==

This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 and #2 and are now familiar with using the time lines to adjust values over time. You can down load the final effect from Tutorial #2 from the social site if you need it to continue with Tutorial #3.

'''Where there’s smoke:'''

Our fire is missing 2 more elements to be complete, smoke and lighting.

First we will add the smoke.
Right click on the effect Root and select “Insert > Insert Emitter”. You will see a second emitter appear on top of the first one.
Select the new emitter and in the Object Inspector properties, change its name to Smoke. For Material Library, select fx_smoke_vol. For Material Object select fx_smoke_vol_blend.

In the First tutorial we talked about the Flipbook Type: Contact Sheet. For this effect we will be using the Flipbook Type: Volume. This works similar to the Contact Sheet type except that the Flipbook Rows is the number of layers, usually 2 or 4. The Flipbook Columns should always be 1 and the Frame per second is a factor of the 2, i.e. Rows x Columns. Set these to 2, 1, and 2 respectively.

In the Age map, set the colors R, G, B to 0.5 and Color A to 0.7. Our smoke should now look more like smoke, but we have a ways to go yet.
Smoke usually bellows upwards and spreads out as it rises. We can simulate this with a combination of the Scale and Scale Multiplier time lines.
Select the smoke emitter and the Scale time line from the top right drop down menu. We want the smoke to grow in size both in the X and Y directions, but more so in the X direction.

[[File:T3_scale.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Both X and Y should start at 1 and X should end around 5.5 and Y should end around 3.5 over the life of the particle. This will give us a funnel shape.

Now select the Scale Multiplier time line. We can use this line to make the smoke grow in proportion to the flame during it’s impact, duration, and cessation times.

Start out at a 0 multiplier and raise it to 1 at the start and during the duration time, then taper it back down to 0 during the Cessation time. Notice that at around 12000, the flame is gone and we are only left with smoke for the last 4 seconds of the effect.

[[File:T3_scale_mult.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now we need to change a few of the Emissions. Set the Birth rate to 3, Life Expectancy to 2.5 and Life Expectancy +/- to 0.5. If you recall from previous tutorials the +/- will give us a variance on how long the particle last. As we did with the flame, we want the smoke to also waver from left to right and forward and back, set the Spawn Spread X (Deg) and Spawn Spread Y (Deg) to 10.

'''Changing Position:'''

By now you may have noticed that when you play the effect in full, the smoke stays at ground level. Smoke naturally rises from the top of the flame, not from the base. This is OK during the Impact and cessation phase as the fire is small and near the ground level. However, we need the smoke to rise to the top of the flame during the Duration phase. To do this we will use the position time line to make the smoke rise, and lower as the flame grows.

With the smoke emitter selected, select the Position Time Line. Unselect the X and Y position time lines so only the Z line is visible. Add a control point at the start and end of the Duration time. Also add a control point at around 12000 and one at the end of the effect time.

Raise the control points at the start and end of the duration to about 1.2, so it looks like the pic below.

[[File:T3_position.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now when you play the effect, the smoke should rise and lower with the flame. Feel free to play with any of these settings to get the look you like best.

'''Fade it out:'''

If you zoom out and look at the Animation as a whole you will notice that the smoke just suddenly disappears at the top, looks a bit odd. Instead we will fade it out so this isn’t seen.

Select the Smoke emitter and then select the Color time line. Uncheck all the colors except the Alpha color. Add 2 or 3 control points towards the end of the time line and tapper the alpha down to 0 at the end of the particle life time. This makes the smoke fade out naturally. Save your work.

[[File:T3_colora.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Light My Fire:'''

Before we continue, let’s put our fire into a game scene. Select the VFX Root and in the Object Inspector, under “Layout Settings”. You can select a area and see what your effect will look like in game. In Layout, select the area resource. Your effect should be near the upper right corner.

[[File:T3_arena.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Play the VFX a few times, notice there is no light given off by the fire.

Right click the VFX root and select Insert > Insert Light. A new light object will be inserted on top of the fire emitter. It’s right where we need it to be, by default.

[[File:T3_light_2.jpg]]

Light Properties:
Affects Characters: Set this to true. This setting specifies if the light should reflect off nearby creatures and characters.
Affects Level: same as above but it applies to the surrounding terrain.
Name: Name your light, I called mine “Flicker”

First we need to give the light some color, a good yellowish – red should do. Set Color G to 0.5 and Color B 0. To make the fire flicker, we will change the intensity of the color to coincide with the flame.

Select the Flame object and then select the “Color Intensity” time line from the drop down list. Add several control points and adjust the intensity up and down so it climaxes during the duration, similar to the image shown.

[[File:T3_intens.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Be sure to drop the intensity to 0 at around 12000 as this is where the flame goes out.

TIP: You can manually slide the time bar left and right on the time line to get a visual check of the intensity control points.

Now we have a nice bon fire complete with smoke and lighting.

[[File:T3_flame.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Challenge:''' Using the Material Library “fx_distortionmatlib” add a third emitter and give your fire distortion.

This concludes the basic VFX Tutorials, Thanks for reading.
Author: Jassper

{{Languages|VFX_Tutorial}}
[[Category:Tutorials]]
[[Category:VFX]]

VFX Tutorial/ru

2011-03-09T19:14:27Z

Warslav: /* Adding an emitter */

{{Infobox vfx}}

PDF Version Part 1 [[File:VFX_Tut_p1.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 2 [[File:VFX_Tut_p2.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 3 [[File:VFX_Tut_p3.pdf]]

----

== VFX Учебник Часть 1 ==

Этот учебник поможет вам в ваших начинаниях по созданию ваших собственных визуальных эффектов для использования их в DA toolset. Учебник часть 1 охватит основы создания, монтажа и реализации визуального эффекта.

=== Создание нового визуального эффекта (визуализации). ===

Для создания нового VFX, щелкните правой кнопкой в окне палитры и выберите «NEW > VFX».

[[File:new VFX.jpg|250px]]

Редактор VFX откроется, отобразив квадратную сетку и окно «Выберите VFX» по центру. Для данного учебника, мы будем разрабатывать эффект для размещаемого предмета, поэтому выберите «Plaseable» и нажмите «OK».

В верху слева вы увидите маленький глобус, с названием “VFXRoot” , а в «Object Inspector» вы увидите свойства для VFXRoot.
Теперь сохраните вашу работу, выбрав «“File > Save As”», либо нажав на иконку Save (сохранить) вверху слева. Вам будет предложено ввести имя файла. Мне нравится сохранять все мои VFX файлы в одном месте, поэтому в папке My Documents/Bioware/Dragon Age я создал папку VFX для сохранения моих файлов.

Для этого учебника, мы создадим тип эффекта Костер и, оставаясь верными соглашению о наименовании файлов в Dragon Age ([[Naming conventions]]) , мы используем трех буквенный префикс, подчеркивание, и затем дадим файлу наименование. Назовем файл «fxp_bonfire_jp».
«Fxp» для «Визуализации Размещаемого Объекта» (все имена VFX файлов начинаются с «fx»), «bonfire» сообщает мне, что это за эффект, а «jp» в конце дает мне информацию о том, что это именно мой эффект, а не чей либо еще. Вы можете добавить любой суффикс, на ваше усмотрение. Когда закончите, нажмите «Save».

Вы можете закрыть Toolset в любое время и вернуться к этому учебнику. Вы можете открыть ваш эффект потом снова, через “File > Open” и затем выбрав тот файл, который вы только что сохранили.

=== Свойства VFXRoot: ===

[[File:t1_root_obj_inspector.jpg|250px]]

'''VFXRoot Properties:'''
пройдусь только по тем, которые буду использовать.

'''Name (Имя) :''' Это название ресурса, который будет использоваться (того, который мы сохранили на локальный диск). Измените название так, чтобы оно совпадало с именем файла.

'''Impact Length (Длительность импульса):''' Время в секундах, для начальной стадии действия эффекта. Например, Бегун, стартуя со стартовой линии, достигает максимальной скорости.

'''Duration Length (Продолжительность действия):''' Время в секундах длительности действия эффекта. Например, время, которое уйдет у бегуна ,чтобы добежать до финишной прямой после достижения максимальной скорости.

'''Cessation Length (Длительность процесса остановки):''' Время в секундах для завершения эффекта. Например, бегун замедляется после пересечения финишной прямой.

Мы создаем эффект «костер», поэтому мы хотим, чтобы огонь стартовал маленьким, затем увеличился в размере, и затем погас. Установите Duration Length на 3 секунды. Это даст нам достаточно времени для изменения окраски пламени. Установите Cessation Length также на 3 секунды, чтобы огонь погас.

Вам может показаться, что 9 секунд это очень коротко для огня. Когда эффект задан в скрипте, продолжительность времени задается внутри функции «ApplyEffect». Данное время продолжительности заставляет время продолжительности анимации повторяться снова и снова (зацикливаться ). Так, например, Если этот эффект костра применен к объекту на 6 минут, продолжительная часть эффекта повторится 120 раз: 3 секунды продолжительности умножить на 120 повторения (3*120=360с=6мин). Затем наступит время окончания эффекта и эффект завершен.

После установки промежутков времени, вы можете увидеть временную шкалу, такую как здесь. Больше информации – во второй части учебника.

[[File:T1_time_line.jpg|640px]]

=== Добавление излучателя (Adding an emitter). ===

Далее, нам нужен излучатель. Правой кнопкой щелкните в левом окне на объекте VFXRoot и выберите “Insert > Insert Emitter”. Вы должны получить пульсирующие белые капсулы в центре сетки, а объект “NewEmitter” добавится в список слева.

[[File:T1_emitter.jpg|640px]]

Выделите объект NewEmiter и вы увидите его свойства в окне Object inspector.

[[File:T1_op_properties.jpg|250px]]

'''Окно свойств (Properties Window):'''

'''Name:''' Change the name of the emitter to “Base” this will be the main base of the fire. Naming the emitter will help sort them out when building an effect with several emitters.

'''Material Library:''' This is the library that we will be selecting our particle material from. The DA Effect Libraries start with the prefix fx_*Click on the Material Library box to open the resource window. Select the fx_firelibrary and click OK.

'''Material Object:''' This is the martial that we will use from the above selected Library. For this select “FireFlipbook”.
Before we continue, save your work and let’s talk about Flipbooks.

A flipbook is a particle that consists of columns and rows of varying images. The animation is created by the effect rapidly flipping through each image, much like a cartoon animation. At this point you should see 4 columns of flickering flames. Note that not all particles are in flipbook form, some are a static image. A simple way to see if the particle is a flipbook, and to see how many columns and rows there are is to set the Birth Rate to 1. Click on the “Emission” tab in the Object Properties and change the top parameter “Birth Rate” to 1. You should now see an image that consists of 4 rows and 4 columns of small flame images. This is a single particle, 4x4 flipbook. Set the Birth Rate back to 10, and return to the “Properties” tab of the Object Inspector, more on Birth Rate later.

[[File:T1_flip.jpg]]

'''Flipbook Type:''' Select “ContactSheet”.

'''Flipbook Random Start Frame:''' This selects a random frame within the flipbook to start with on each emission. Set this to TRUE. This will help give us diversity and make the flame look more “real”.

'''Flipbook Rows:''' This is how many Rows there are in the flipbook, set this number to 4.

'''Flipbook Columns:''' This is the number of Columns in the flipbook, set this to 4 also.

'''Flipbook Frames per Second:''' The particle image has 4 rows and 4 colunms, there are 16 total images to flip through. This value should be a factor of Rows and Columns, so 4 x 4 = 16. Set this value to at least 16 flips per second.

You should now see a single column of what nearly looks like fire.
Right now the flames flicker a bit too slow for me, so set the Flipbook Frames per Second to 32. This makes the flames flicker twice as fast because it is now flipping through all 16 images twice per second instead of once.
Save your work.

[[File:T1_fire.jpg]]

'''Age Map:'''

[[File:T1_agemap.jpg]]

In the Object Inspector click the “Age Map” Tab.

Here we can manipulate the color and the scale of the effect.

Color values are in percentage of 0 to 100% on a scale of 0 to 1, so 50% Blue would be 0.5.

Most normal fires aren’t white, so set Color B (blue) to 0. Your flame should now be yellow. Set Color G (green) to 0.4. We now have a orangey-red color.

Color A (alph) is the flames color intensity setting this to 0.5, the fire is half as intense. Set it where you like.

The scale X and Y values can be any number from 0 to infinity. Setting the scale to 1 is the particles normal size. Because the particle image is a 2d image, there is no Z scale. Changing Scale X will affect the X (width) direction of the flame and Scale Y will affect the Y (Height) direction of the particle. For now we will leave them alone.

The corresponding multipliers simply multiply the values in the general section. For example, if you set Color G back to 1, then set Green Color Multiplier to 0.4 you will have the same result. 1 * 0.4 = 0.4

There is a notable difference between the 2 however, the General settings affect the particles over the lifetime of each particle while the Multipliers affect all the particles over the length of the animation. This will be explored further in Part 2. Go ahead and play with the color settings until you have it the way you want it, and then save your work.

'''Emissions'''

[[File:T1_emissions.jpg]]

Now click on the “Emission” tab these settings control the particle emissions.

'''Birth Rate:''' This is how many particle emit per second. The default is 10, which works out for the fire pretty good. However the flicker is pretty static. So we will change that in a minute.

'''Birth Rate +/-:''' This setting will cause the particle Birth Rate to randomly vary by a positive number or a negative number. If we set this value to 1, the Birth Rate then will vary between 9 and 11 particles per second. Since a 10 Birth Rate seems to be a good number for the most particles per second, set the +/- value to 2, and change the Birth Rate to 8. This will make the max 10 and the min 6 particles per second.

'''Initial Speed:''' This is how fast the particles travel when emitted from the emitter. Changing this value appears to change how long the particles last. However this is not the case, they simple move further before the particle life has expired.

'''Initial Speed +/-:''' This setting works the same as the Birth Rate +/- setting but instead affects the Initial Speed. Set this value to 0.5 which will now give the particles a varying speed between 0.5 and 1.5.

'''Life Expectancy (s):''' This is how long each particle last, in seconds, before vanishing.

'''Life Expectancy +/-''': Again is a random variance to the value set in Life Expectancy. Set this value to 0.5, making the particle last longer and shorter as the fire burns.

'''Scale Range:''' This adds a random variance to the size of the particle much like the other +/- settings. Set this to 0. 6. You should now see the flame vary in size as it emits from the base emitter.

Play with these settings a bit to get familiar with them. In the end you should have a raging fire animation. When you are happy, save your work.

[[File:T1_fire_1.jpg]]

'''Getting the effect in game:''' Right click on the Root and select “Post to Local”. You'll find the new VFX under the model palette. It can be placed directly in the level editor or the cutscene editor but not the area editor. You can also add the effect dynamically to an area using a script.

'''Notes:''' Because an effect is Art work, at present will not be included with a Builder to Builder Create and must be sent separately. Scripting examples to come later once there is a client to test for accuracy.

[[File:T1_ptl.jpg]]

So now you have a raging fire. In part 2 of this tutorial, we will make this fire dance and sing. Part 2 will introduce using the time line settings to very coloration, scale, size and other more advanced settings as well as explore some of the settings introduce here a bit deeper. Keep the bonfire effect you created with this tutorial, we will need it in the second part. The bonfire effect can also be downloaded from the social site.

== VFX Tutorial Part 2 ==

In tutorial #1 we created a good bonfire as a base and up until now we only changed the values directly in the properties on the effect. As we can see this works well for simple effects. Changing the values in this manner alters the effect over its entire life time.
We have seen how to change the color and scale of the effect by changing the values in the properties age map. This is great for a basic flame but we want to add more life to it by making the flame vary in color and size over the length of the effect. To start, set all the Values back to default as shown in the 2 pictures below.
Note: This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 or are familiar with the basics of the VFX editor.

[[File:T2_agemap_01.jpg]][[File:T2_emission_01.jpg]]

Setting any of these values directly will affect the visual over the entire length of the effect. Instead we want to vary these values so the flame will change from reds, yellows, and orange. We also want to change its size during the impact, duration, and cessation phases of the effect. To do this, we will use the time line to set colors and scale so they change over the course of the effect.

Before we continue, we need to make a small change. Select the Root of the effect and in the Object Inspector, change the Impact time to 5 sec and the Cessation time to 8 sec. The 5 sec impact will allow us enough time to see the changes in the flame as it grows and the longer cessation time is for the smoke we will be adding later on.

[[File:T2_root_01.png]]

Select the “Base” object, at the top right corner there is a drop down window, select “Color” from the list. Note, when using the time lines, make sure you have the correct emitter object selected. In this case it is the Base emitter. You should then see a time line like the one below.

[[File:T2_color_01.jpg|680px]]

Notice at the top of the time line is reads “Particle Lifetime”. This means that the changes we make here will affect each partial over the lifetime of each particle. The lifetime of the particle is directly related to the “Lifetime” value setting in the Emissions Tab, which currently is set to 1 sec.

=== Parts of the Time line ===

[[File:T2_timeparts_01.jpg|680px]]

'''Control Point:''' The round dots allow you move the value up, down, left, or right within the time line.

'''Value Rang:''' The left side of the time line shows the value range. At this current control point, the value is 1, which is the current value for all 4 colors in the Age map.

'''Current Value:''' The dotted line shows the current value any place on the time line. Currently it is set to 1 over the entire length of the particle lifetime. When a control point is added, the line between the 2 control points will become solid.

'''Visible:''' This box shows which time lines are visible, the dotted or solid line. You can select or unselect these time lines. Currently all 4 are selected and visible. All 4 also are set at the same value so you only see one control point as all 4 are stacked from top to bottom, Color A being the one on top.

Click inside the time line and you will get a vertical bar. Drag the bar to the far right until the end of the timeline is reached. This bar represents that point in time and I will refer to this bar as the Point bar. Clicking anywhere on the time line will move the point bar to that point in time.

[[File:T1_v_bar.jpg]]

Right click on the time line and select “Add Control Point”. This adds a node at the point in which the point bar and the time line intersects. Also note that the Colors in the age map turn red, this indicates that the values are now controlled by the time line and can vary in value depending on the point in time. Also note that this adds a Control Point to each time line that is visible, so all 4 colors get an added node.
Before we continue, save your work. Next turn the Loop Animation Off by clicking on it at the top right so it is no longer highlighted.

[[File:T2_timeparts_02.jpg]]

There are 2 ways that we can set the values on the time line, directly in the value box of the Age Map, or by dragging the control points on the time line. To see how it affects the animation, first make sure the point bar is to the far right at 100. Change the value Color B to 0 directly in the Age Map properties, just as we did in Tutorial 1. You should now see a blue line starting at 1 and dropping to 0 at the end of the time line. By changing the value on the Age Map, you affect the control point that intersects with the Point Bar. The Flame should now be white at the bottom and Yellow at the top.

[[File:T2_cb.jpg|680px]]

To see what happens to each particle, go to the Emission tab and change the birth rate to 1. You will see the particle start from the emitter as white, and then gradually change to yellow. Set the Birth rate back to 10 and return to the Age Map.

Now move the point bar to the far left on 0. Notice that the value in Color B on the Age Map is again 1. Change this to 0 also and the left most control point will drop to 0 and you time line should now look like this.

[[File:T2_cb_2.jpg|680px]]

The small box in the lower right corner in the above image indicates which time lines are visible. Right now all 4 colors are visible on the time line. Next we will affect the green color by dragging the control points instead of changing the value directly in the Age Map. However the green time line in underneath the Alpha time line. So to make it visible, click the check mark to unselect the Alpha Color. The Alpha line goes away and we can now see the Green time line. Also uncheck the Red and Blue color time lines so only the Green is visible.

Next Click and hold on the far left (0) control point of the Green time line and drag it down a bit, about half way between 1 and 0, you should see the flame change colors as you drag it down. Grab the right most control point and drag it down to 0. You should now have a flame that is brighter red at the bottom and darker at the top.

[[File:T2_cg.jpg|680px]]

Now we are going to add 2 more control points to the Green time line. Move the Point Bar to 5 on the Particle Lifetime line, right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now move the Point Bar to 10 on the timeline and add a second control point. Grab the first control point we just added, the one at 5, and drag it up to about 0.7. This will create a bright flicker at the base of the fire.

[[File:T2_cg_2.jpg|680px]]

Now we just need to fade out the top of the flame a bit so the bottom is more intense than the top. Uncheck the green timeline and check the Color A (Alpha). Color A is a transparency color and can be use to alter the intensity of the particle. Grab the Right most control point and drag it down to about 40% (0.4). You will see that the top is less visible than the bottom of the flame. Save your work.

=== Changing its size ===

Right now the flame is a single column that is the same size at the top as it is at the base, this is not very realistic so we will remedy that by changing the scale of the particle.

In the drop down menu at the top right, select “Scale”. Again you will see a time line labeled “Particle Lifetime” a Control point, and a box showing the “Scale Y” and “Scale X” time lines. As we did before, move the Point Bar to the far right at 100 and right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now uncheck the Scale X time line so only the Scale Y line is visible. Move the Left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to about 1.75. Check the Scale X timeline to make it visible and move the left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to 0.5. This will widen the base and stretch the top to a point much like a real fire.

[[File:T2_scale.jpg|680px]]

Now the fun begins. Up until now we have been changing values over the lifetime of the particles. Now we will start changing values over the Impact, Duration, and Cessation time of the effect, but first save your work.

Select the “Emissions” Tab in the Object Properties. In the drop down menu, select “Birth Rate”. This time you will see a bit different looking time line. At the top you will see 3 sections, Impact which starts at 0 and ends at 5000, Duration starting at 5001 and ending at 8000, and the Cessation which starts at 8001 and ends at 1600. These times correlate to the 5 sec Impact, 3 second Duration, and the 8 second Cessation times specified in the VFX root.

'''TIP:''' You can Zoom Extents by double clicking inside the time graph, or zoom in/out by using the mouse scroll wheel.

When an effect is used in game, the Impact time plays, then the Duration time is looped for the length of the applied effect, then the Cessation time plays. For example, if the fire effect is applied to a wood pile for 3 min, the Impact time plays then the 2 second duration is looped for 3 min then the cessation time plays. With this in mind, we want the fire to build up to the a full blown fire, then taper off and go out.

In the Birth Rate time line, add 3 more control points, one at the Duration start, one at the duration end, and one at about 12000. Starting from the left move the left most control point to 0, move the second Control Point to 10, the third Control Point to 10 and the fourth to 0.

[[File:T2_br_2.jpg|680px]]

Notice that the flame stops burning like it was before. This is because now the total effect length is a factor. Slide the Point Bar back and forth on the time line, you can see what happens to the fire at any point in time. Now to view the animation of the effect, you must click the Play button in the upper right corner. The Point Bar will scroll across the time line and the results can be viewed in the effect window.

The fire should now start out slow and build up then taper off and go out at around 12 seconds. You can click on the Loop Animation if you want and the effect will continue to loop until paused by the Pause Animation button or by clicking in the time line.

Now select Life in the drop down menu. Right now each point in time the flame last 1 second. We want to change this so the flame when first starting out or ending doesn’t last that long. Keep the tip I gave above in mind, and make the Life time line look like the one in the picture. The Control Point times from left to right are 0, 1, 1.4, 1, 0 then save your work.

[[File:T2_life.jpg|680px]]

'''Let’s Dance:'''

Right now we have our fire looking pretty good, but there is one element still missing, the wavering and dancing of a real fire. On the Emission table item 12 and 13 are “Spawn Spread X (Deg)” and “Spawn Spread Y (Deg)”. These settings affect the spread of the particles in the X and Y directions, that is the particles can emit in varying directions in degrees from the emitter. Set both of these to 20 degrees.

Now our fire dances. Note that these settings could be set using the time line “Spawn Spread” as well, feel free to play with that if you wish.

We can get a better Idea of what our effect will look like in game by adding a reference model. Right click on the Root and select “Insert > Insert Reference Model”. In the Resource window Name field we can filter the list to make it easier to find what we are looking for, so enter *fire* and press enter. Now your resource list will only show those items with the word fire in it.

[[File:T2_resource.jpg]]

Choose the resource “plc_firepit_01_1”. Turn Bounding box Off by clicking it at the top to un-highlight it. This gets rid of the yellow square around the objects. Turn the Collision Plane on by clicking on it to highlight it. This will simulate a stone floor at the walk mesh level.

Now play you animation. You can also select the Base object and click anywhere in the time line, for example if you place the Point Bar anyplace in the Duration time you can watch your fire burn at it’s full potential.

'''Challenge:''' Replace the plc_firepit_01_1 with the plc_bonfire01_1 reference model. Scale your fire up, and increase it’s life time to engulf the wood pile in flames.
Don’t forget to save your work.

[[File:T2_fin.jpg|680px]]

This concludes Part 2 of the tutorial. In Part 3 we will be adding smoke and lighting to the flame and make the flickering flame reflect off of surrounding objects.

== VFX Tutorial Part 3 ==

This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 and #2 and are now familiar with using the time lines to adjust values over time. You can down load the final effect from Tutorial #2 from the social site if you need it to continue with Tutorial #3.

'''Where there’s smoke:'''

Our fire is missing 2 more elements to be complete, smoke and lighting.

First we will add the smoke.
Right click on the effect Root and select “Insert > Insert Emitter”. You will see a second emitter appear on top of the first one.
Select the new emitter and in the Object Inspector properties, change its name to Smoke. For Material Library, select fx_smoke_vol. For Material Object select fx_smoke_vol_blend.

In the First tutorial we talked about the Flipbook Type: Contact Sheet. For this effect we will be using the Flipbook Type: Volume. This works similar to the Contact Sheet type except that the Flipbook Rows is the number of layers, usually 2 or 4. The Flipbook Columns should always be 1 and the Frame per second is a factor of the 2, i.e. Rows x Columns. Set these to 2, 1, and 2 respectively.

In the Age map, set the colors R, G, B to 0.5 and Color A to 0.7. Our smoke should now look more like smoke, but we have a ways to go yet.
Smoke usually bellows upwards and spreads out as it rises. We can simulate this with a combination of the Scale and Scale Multiplier time lines.
Select the smoke emitter and the Scale time line from the top right drop down menu. We want the smoke to grow in size both in the X and Y directions, but more so in the X direction.

[[File:T3_scale.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Both X and Y should start at 1 and X should end around 5.5 and Y should end around 3.5 over the life of the particle. This will give us a funnel shape.

Now select the Scale Multiplier time line. We can use this line to make the smoke grow in proportion to the flame during it’s impact, duration, and cessation times.

Start out at a 0 multiplier and raise it to 1 at the start and during the duration time, then taper it back down to 0 during the Cessation time. Notice that at around 12000, the flame is gone and we are only left with smoke for the last 4 seconds of the effect.

[[File:T3_scale_mult.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now we need to change a few of the Emissions. Set the Birth rate to 3, Life Expectancy to 2.5 and Life Expectancy +/- to 0.5. If you recall from previous tutorials the +/- will give us a variance on how long the particle last. As we did with the flame, we want the smoke to also waver from left to right and forward and back, set the Spawn Spread X (Deg) and Spawn Spread Y (Deg) to 10.

'''Changing Position:'''

By now you may have noticed that when you play the effect in full, the smoke stays at ground level. Smoke naturally rises from the top of the flame, not from the base. This is OK during the Impact and cessation phase as the fire is small and near the ground level. However, we need the smoke to rise to the top of the flame during the Duration phase. To do this we will use the position time line to make the smoke rise, and lower as the flame grows.

With the smoke emitter selected, select the Position Time Line. Unselect the X and Y position time lines so only the Z line is visible. Add a control point at the start and end of the Duration time. Also add a control point at around 12000 and one at the end of the effect time.

Raise the control points at the start and end of the duration to about 1.2, so it looks like the pic below.

[[File:T3_position.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now when you play the effect, the smoke should rise and lower with the flame. Feel free to play with any of these settings to get the look you like best.

'''Fade it out:'''

If you zoom out and look at the Animation as a whole you will notice that the smoke just suddenly disappears at the top, looks a bit odd. Instead we will fade it out so this isn’t seen.

Select the Smoke emitter and then select the Color time line. Uncheck all the colors except the Alpha color. Add 2 or 3 control points towards the end of the time line and tapper the alpha down to 0 at the end of the particle life time. This makes the smoke fade out naturally. Save your work.

[[File:T3_colora.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Light My Fire:'''

Before we continue, let’s put our fire into a game scene. Select the VFX Root and in the Object Inspector, under “Layout Settings”. You can select a area and see what your effect will look like in game. In Layout, select the area resource. Your effect should be near the upper right corner.

[[File:T3_arena.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Play the VFX a few times, notice there is no light given off by the fire.

Right click the VFX root and select Insert > Insert Light. A new light object will be inserted on top of the fire emitter. It’s right where we need it to be, by default.

[[File:T3_light_2.jpg]]

Light Properties:
Affects Characters: Set this to true. This setting specifies if the light should reflect off nearby creatures and characters.
Affects Level: same as above but it applies to the surrounding terrain.
Name: Name your light, I called mine “Flicker”

First we need to give the light some color, a good yellowish – red should do. Set Color G to 0.5 and Color B 0. To make the fire flicker, we will change the intensity of the color to coincide with the flame.

Select the Flame object and then select the “Color Intensity” time line from the drop down list. Add several control points and adjust the intensity up and down so it climaxes during the duration, similar to the image shown.

[[File:T3_intens.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Be sure to drop the intensity to 0 at around 12000 as this is where the flame goes out.

TIP: You can manually slide the time bar left and right on the time line to get a visual check of the intensity control points.

Now we have a nice bon fire complete with smoke and lighting.

[[File:T3_flame.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Challenge:''' Using the Material Library “fx_distortionmatlib” add a third emitter and give your fire distortion.

This concludes the basic VFX Tutorials, Thanks for reading.
Author: Jassper

{{Languages|VFX_Tutorial}}
[[Category:Tutorials]]
[[Category:VFX]]

VFX Tutorial/ru

2011-03-07T05:06:45Z

Warslav: /* VFX Учебник Часть 1 */

{{Infobox vfx}}

PDF Version Part 1 [[File:VFX_Tut_p1.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 2 [[File:VFX_Tut_p2.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 3 [[File:VFX_Tut_p3.pdf]]

----

== VFX Учебник Часть 1 ==

Этот учебник поможет вам в ваших начинаниях по созданию ваших собственных визуальных эффектов для использования их в DA toolset. Учебник часть 1 охватит основы создания, монтажа и реализации визуального эффекта.

=== Создание нового визуального эффекта (визуализации). ===

Для создания нового VFX, щелкните правой кнопкой в окне палитры и выберите «NEW > VFX».

[[File:new VFX.jpg|250px]]

Редактор VFX откроется, отобразив квадратную сетку и окно «Выберите VFX» по центру. Для данного учебника, мы будем разрабатывать эффект для размещаемого предмета, поэтому выберите «Plaseable» и нажмите «OK».

В верху слева вы увидите маленький глобус, с названием “VFXRoot” , а в «Object Inspector» вы увидите свойства для VFXRoot.
Теперь сохраните вашу работу, выбрав «“File > Save As”», либо нажав на иконку Save (сохранить) вверху слева. Вам будет предложено ввести имя файла. Мне нравится сохранять все мои VFX файлы в одном месте, поэтому в папке My Documents/Bioware/Dragon Age я создал папку VFX для сохранения моих файлов.

Для этого учебника, мы создадим тип эффекта Костер и, оставаясь верными соглашению о наименовании файлов в Dragon Age ([[Naming conventions]]) , мы используем трех буквенный префикс, подчеркивание, и затем дадим файлу наименование. Назовем файл «fxp_bonfire_jp».
«Fxp» для «Визуализации Размещаемого Объекта» (все имена VFX файлов начинаются с «fx»), «bonfire» сообщает мне, что это за эффект, а «jp» в конце дает мне информацию о том, что это именно мой эффект, а не чей либо еще. Вы можете добавить любой суффикс, на ваше усмотрение. Когда закончите, нажмите «Save».

Вы можете закрыть Toolset в любое время и вернуться к этому учебнику. Вы можете открыть ваш эффект потом снова, через “File > Open” и затем выбрав тот файл, который вы только что сохранили.

=== Свойства VFXRoot: ===

[[File:t1_root_obj_inspector.jpg|250px]]

'''VFXRoot Properties:'''
пройдусь только по тем, которые буду использовать.

'''Name (Имя) :''' Это название ресурса, который будет использоваться (того, который мы сохранили на локальный диск). Измените название так, чтобы оно совпадало с именем файла.

'''Impact Length (Длительность импульса):''' Время в секундах, для начальной стадии действия эффекта. Например, Бегун, стартуя со стартовой линии, достигает максимальной скорости.

'''Duration Length (Продолжительность действия):''' Время в секундах длительности действия эффекта. Например, время, которое уйдет у бегуна ,чтобы добежать до финишной прямой после достижения максимальной скорости.

'''Cessation Length (Длительность процесса остановки):''' Время в секундах для завершения эффекта. Например, бегун замедляется после пересечения финишной прямой.

Мы создаем эффект «костер», поэтому мы хотим, чтобы огонь стартовал маленьким, затем увеличился в размере, и затем погас. Установите Duration Length на 3 секунды. Это даст нам достаточно времени для изменения окраски пламени. Установите Cessation Length также на 3 секунды, чтобы огонь погас.

Вам может показаться, что 9 секунд это очень коротко для огня. Когда эффект задан в скрипте, продолжительность времени задается внутри функции «ApplyEffect». Данное время продолжительности заставляет время продолжительности анимации повторяться снова и снова (зацикливаться ). Так, например, Если этот эффект костра применен к объекту на 6 минут, продолжительная часть эффекта повторится 120 раз: 3 секунды продолжительности умножить на 120 повторения (3*120=360с=6мин). Затем наступит время окончания эффекта и эффект завершен.

После установки промежутков времени, вы можете увидеть временную шкалу, такую как здесь. Больше информации – во второй части учебника.

[[File:T1_time_line.jpg|640px]]

=== Adding an emitter ===

Next we need an emitter. Right click on the window and select “Insert > Insert Emitter”. You should get a pulsating white capsule in the center of the grid and a “NewEmitter” object added to the list on the left.

[[File:T1_emitter.jpg|640px]]

Select the NewEmitter object and you will see the properties in the Object inspector window.

[[File:T1_op_properties.jpg|250px]]

'''Properties Window:'''

'''Name:''' Change the name of the emitter to “Base” this will be the main base of the fire. Naming the emitter will help sort them out when building an effect with several emitters.

'''Material Library:''' This is the library that we will be selecting our particle material from. The DA Effect Libraries start with the prefix fx_*Click on the Material Library box to open the resource window. Select the fx_firelibrary and click OK.

'''Material Object:''' This is the martial that we will use from the above selected Library. For this select “FireFlipbook”.
Before we continue, save your work and let’s talk about Flipbooks.

A flipbook is a particle that consists of columns and rows of varying images. The animation is created by the effect rapidly flipping through each image, much like a cartoon animation. At this point you should see 4 columns of flickering flames. Note that not all particles are in flipbook form, some are a static image. A simple way to see if the particle is a flipbook, and to see how many columns and rows there are is to set the Birth Rate to 1. Click on the “Emission” tab in the Object Properties and change the top parameter “Birth Rate” to 1. You should now see an image that consists of 4 rows and 4 columns of small flame images. This is a single particle, 4x4 flipbook. Set the Birth Rate back to 10, and return to the “Properties” tab of the Object Inspector, more on Birth Rate later.

[[File:T1_flip.jpg]]

'''Flipbook Type:''' Select “ContactSheet”.

'''Flipbook Random Start Frame:''' This selects a random frame within the flipbook to start with on each emission. Set this to TRUE. This will help give us diversity and make the flame look more “real”.

'''Flipbook Rows:''' This is how many Rows there are in the flipbook, set this number to 4.

'''Flipbook Columns:''' This is the number of Columns in the flipbook, set this to 4 also.

'''Flipbook Frames per Second:''' The particle image has 4 rows and 4 colunms, there are 16 total images to flip through. This value should be a factor of Rows and Columns, so 4 x 4 = 16. Set this value to at least 16 flips per second.

You should now see a single column of what nearly looks like fire.
Right now the flames flicker a bit too slow for me, so set the Flipbook Frames per Second to 32. This makes the flames flicker twice as fast because it is now flipping through all 16 images twice per second instead of once.
Save your work.

[[File:T1_fire.jpg]]

'''Age Map:'''

[[File:T1_agemap.jpg]]

In the Object Inspector click the “Age Map” Tab.

Here we can manipulate the color and the scale of the effect.

Color values are in percentage of 0 to 100% on a scale of 0 to 1, so 50% Blue would be 0.5.

Most normal fires aren’t white, so set Color B (blue) to 0. Your flame should now be yellow. Set Color G (green) to 0.4. We now have a orangey-red color.

Color A (alph) is the flames color intensity setting this to 0.5, the fire is half as intense. Set it where you like.

The scale X and Y values can be any number from 0 to infinity. Setting the scale to 1 is the particles normal size. Because the particle image is a 2d image, there is no Z scale. Changing Scale X will affect the X (width) direction of the flame and Scale Y will affect the Y (Height) direction of the particle. For now we will leave them alone.

The corresponding multipliers simply multiply the values in the general section. For example, if you set Color G back to 1, then set Green Color Multiplier to 0.4 you will have the same result. 1 * 0.4 = 0.4

There is a notable difference between the 2 however, the General settings affect the particles over the lifetime of each particle while the Multipliers affect all the particles over the length of the animation. This will be explored further in Part 2. Go ahead and play with the color settings until you have it the way you want it, and then save your work.

'''Emissions'''

[[File:T1_emissions.jpg]]

Now click on the “Emission” tab these settings control the particle emissions.

'''Birth Rate:''' This is how many particle emit per second. The default is 10, which works out for the fire pretty good. However the flicker is pretty static. So we will change that in a minute.

'''Birth Rate +/-:''' This setting will cause the particle Birth Rate to randomly vary by a positive number or a negative number. If we set this value to 1, the Birth Rate then will vary between 9 and 11 particles per second. Since a 10 Birth Rate seems to be a good number for the most particles per second, set the +/- value to 2, and change the Birth Rate to 8. This will make the max 10 and the min 6 particles per second.

'''Initial Speed:''' This is how fast the particles travel when emitted from the emitter. Changing this value appears to change how long the particles last. However this is not the case, they simple move further before the particle life has expired.

'''Initial Speed +/-:''' This setting works the same as the Birth Rate +/- setting but instead affects the Initial Speed. Set this value to 0.5 which will now give the particles a varying speed between 0.5 and 1.5.

'''Life Expectancy (s):''' This is how long each particle last, in seconds, before vanishing.

'''Life Expectancy +/-''': Again is a random variance to the value set in Life Expectancy. Set this value to 0.5, making the particle last longer and shorter as the fire burns.

'''Scale Range:''' This adds a random variance to the size of the particle much like the other +/- settings. Set this to 0. 6. You should now see the flame vary in size as it emits from the base emitter.

Play with these settings a bit to get familiar with them. In the end you should have a raging fire animation. When you are happy, save your work.

[[File:T1_fire_1.jpg]]

'''Getting the effect in game:''' Right click on the Root and select “Post to Local”. You'll find the new VFX under the model palette. It can be placed directly in the level editor or the cutscene editor but not the area editor. You can also add the effect dynamically to an area using a script.

'''Notes:''' Because an effect is Art work, at present will not be included with a Builder to Builder Create and must be sent separately. Scripting examples to come later once there is a client to test for accuracy.

[[File:T1_ptl.jpg]]

So now you have a raging fire. In part 2 of this tutorial, we will make this fire dance and sing. Part 2 will introduce using the time line settings to very coloration, scale, size and other more advanced settings as well as explore some of the settings introduce here a bit deeper. Keep the bonfire effect you created with this tutorial, we will need it in the second part. The bonfire effect can also be downloaded from the social site.

== VFX Tutorial Part 2 ==

In tutorial #1 we created a good bonfire as a base and up until now we only changed the values directly in the properties on the effect. As we can see this works well for simple effects. Changing the values in this manner alters the effect over its entire life time.
We have seen how to change the color and scale of the effect by changing the values in the properties age map. This is great for a basic flame but we want to add more life to it by making the flame vary in color and size over the length of the effect. To start, set all the Values back to default as shown in the 2 pictures below.
Note: This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 or are familiar with the basics of the VFX editor.

[[File:T2_agemap_01.jpg]][[File:T2_emission_01.jpg]]

Setting any of these values directly will affect the visual over the entire length of the effect. Instead we want to vary these values so the flame will change from reds, yellows, and orange. We also want to change its size during the impact, duration, and cessation phases of the effect. To do this, we will use the time line to set colors and scale so they change over the course of the effect.

Before we continue, we need to make a small change. Select the Root of the effect and in the Object Inspector, change the Impact time to 5 sec and the Cessation time to 8 sec. The 5 sec impact will allow us enough time to see the changes in the flame as it grows and the longer cessation time is for the smoke we will be adding later on.

[[File:T2_root_01.png]]

Select the “Base” object, at the top right corner there is a drop down window, select “Color” from the list. Note, when using the time lines, make sure you have the correct emitter object selected. In this case it is the Base emitter. You should then see a time line like the one below.

[[File:T2_color_01.jpg|680px]]

Notice at the top of the time line is reads “Particle Lifetime”. This means that the changes we make here will affect each partial over the lifetime of each particle. The lifetime of the particle is directly related to the “Lifetime” value setting in the Emissions Tab, which currently is set to 1 sec.

=== Parts of the Time line ===

[[File:T2_timeparts_01.jpg|680px]]

'''Control Point:''' The round dots allow you move the value up, down, left, or right within the time line.

'''Value Rang:''' The left side of the time line shows the value range. At this current control point, the value is 1, which is the current value for all 4 colors in the Age map.

'''Current Value:''' The dotted line shows the current value any place on the time line. Currently it is set to 1 over the entire length of the particle lifetime. When a control point is added, the line between the 2 control points will become solid.

'''Visible:''' This box shows which time lines are visible, the dotted or solid line. You can select or unselect these time lines. Currently all 4 are selected and visible. All 4 also are set at the same value so you only see one control point as all 4 are stacked from top to bottom, Color A being the one on top.

Click inside the time line and you will get a vertical bar. Drag the bar to the far right until the end of the timeline is reached. This bar represents that point in time and I will refer to this bar as the Point bar. Clicking anywhere on the time line will move the point bar to that point in time.

[[File:T1_v_bar.jpg]]

Right click on the time line and select “Add Control Point”. This adds a node at the point in which the point bar and the time line intersects. Also note that the Colors in the age map turn red, this indicates that the values are now controlled by the time line and can vary in value depending on the point in time. Also note that this adds a Control Point to each time line that is visible, so all 4 colors get an added node.
Before we continue, save your work. Next turn the Loop Animation Off by clicking on it at the top right so it is no longer highlighted.

[[File:T2_timeparts_02.jpg]]

There are 2 ways that we can set the values on the time line, directly in the value box of the Age Map, or by dragging the control points on the time line. To see how it affects the animation, first make sure the point bar is to the far right at 100. Change the value Color B to 0 directly in the Age Map properties, just as we did in Tutorial 1. You should now see a blue line starting at 1 and dropping to 0 at the end of the time line. By changing the value on the Age Map, you affect the control point that intersects with the Point Bar. The Flame should now be white at the bottom and Yellow at the top.

[[File:T2_cb.jpg|680px]]

To see what happens to each particle, go to the Emission tab and change the birth rate to 1. You will see the particle start from the emitter as white, and then gradually change to yellow. Set the Birth rate back to 10 and return to the Age Map.

Now move the point bar to the far left on 0. Notice that the value in Color B on the Age Map is again 1. Change this to 0 also and the left most control point will drop to 0 and you time line should now look like this.

[[File:T2_cb_2.jpg|680px]]

The small box in the lower right corner in the above image indicates which time lines are visible. Right now all 4 colors are visible on the time line. Next we will affect the green color by dragging the control points instead of changing the value directly in the Age Map. However the green time line in underneath the Alpha time line. So to make it visible, click the check mark to unselect the Alpha Color. The Alpha line goes away and we can now see the Green time line. Also uncheck the Red and Blue color time lines so only the Green is visible.

Next Click and hold on the far left (0) control point of the Green time line and drag it down a bit, about half way between 1 and 0, you should see the flame change colors as you drag it down. Grab the right most control point and drag it down to 0. You should now have a flame that is brighter red at the bottom and darker at the top.

[[File:T2_cg.jpg|680px]]

Now we are going to add 2 more control points to the Green time line. Move the Point Bar to 5 on the Particle Lifetime line, right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now move the Point Bar to 10 on the timeline and add a second control point. Grab the first control point we just added, the one at 5, and drag it up to about 0.7. This will create a bright flicker at the base of the fire.

[[File:T2_cg_2.jpg|680px]]

Now we just need to fade out the top of the flame a bit so the bottom is more intense than the top. Uncheck the green timeline and check the Color A (Alpha). Color A is a transparency color and can be use to alter the intensity of the particle. Grab the Right most control point and drag it down to about 40% (0.4). You will see that the top is less visible than the bottom of the flame. Save your work.

=== Changing its size ===

Right now the flame is a single column that is the same size at the top as it is at the base, this is not very realistic so we will remedy that by changing the scale of the particle.

In the drop down menu at the top right, select “Scale”. Again you will see a time line labeled “Particle Lifetime” a Control point, and a box showing the “Scale Y” and “Scale X” time lines. As we did before, move the Point Bar to the far right at 100 and right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now uncheck the Scale X time line so only the Scale Y line is visible. Move the Left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to about 1.75. Check the Scale X timeline to make it visible and move the left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to 0.5. This will widen the base and stretch the top to a point much like a real fire.

[[File:T2_scale.jpg|680px]]

Now the fun begins. Up until now we have been changing values over the lifetime of the particles. Now we will start changing values over the Impact, Duration, and Cessation time of the effect, but first save your work.

Select the “Emissions” Tab in the Object Properties. In the drop down menu, select “Birth Rate”. This time you will see a bit different looking time line. At the top you will see 3 sections, Impact which starts at 0 and ends at 5000, Duration starting at 5001 and ending at 8000, and the Cessation which starts at 8001 and ends at 1600. These times correlate to the 5 sec Impact, 3 second Duration, and the 8 second Cessation times specified in the VFX root.

'''TIP:''' You can Zoom Extents by double clicking inside the time graph, or zoom in/out by using the mouse scroll wheel.

When an effect is used in game, the Impact time plays, then the Duration time is looped for the length of the applied effect, then the Cessation time plays. For example, if the fire effect is applied to a wood pile for 3 min, the Impact time plays then the 2 second duration is looped for 3 min then the cessation time plays. With this in mind, we want the fire to build up to the a full blown fire, then taper off and go out.

In the Birth Rate time line, add 3 more control points, one at the Duration start, one at the duration end, and one at about 12000. Starting from the left move the left most control point to 0, move the second Control Point to 10, the third Control Point to 10 and the fourth to 0.

[[File:T2_br_2.jpg|680px]]

Notice that the flame stops burning like it was before. This is because now the total effect length is a factor. Slide the Point Bar back and forth on the time line, you can see what happens to the fire at any point in time. Now to view the animation of the effect, you must click the Play button in the upper right corner. The Point Bar will scroll across the time line and the results can be viewed in the effect window.

The fire should now start out slow and build up then taper off and go out at around 12 seconds. You can click on the Loop Animation if you want and the effect will continue to loop until paused by the Pause Animation button or by clicking in the time line.

Now select Life in the drop down menu. Right now each point in time the flame last 1 second. We want to change this so the flame when first starting out or ending doesn’t last that long. Keep the tip I gave above in mind, and make the Life time line look like the one in the picture. The Control Point times from left to right are 0, 1, 1.4, 1, 0 then save your work.

[[File:T2_life.jpg|680px]]

'''Let’s Dance:'''

Right now we have our fire looking pretty good, but there is one element still missing, the wavering and dancing of a real fire. On the Emission table item 12 and 13 are “Spawn Spread X (Deg)” and “Spawn Spread Y (Deg)”. These settings affect the spread of the particles in the X and Y directions, that is the particles can emit in varying directions in degrees from the emitter. Set both of these to 20 degrees.

Now our fire dances. Note that these settings could be set using the time line “Spawn Spread” as well, feel free to play with that if you wish.

We can get a better Idea of what our effect will look like in game by adding a reference model. Right click on the Root and select “Insert > Insert Reference Model”. In the Resource window Name field we can filter the list to make it easier to find what we are looking for, so enter *fire* and press enter. Now your resource list will only show those items with the word fire in it.

[[File:T2_resource.jpg]]

Choose the resource “plc_firepit_01_1”. Turn Bounding box Off by clicking it at the top to un-highlight it. This gets rid of the yellow square around the objects. Turn the Collision Plane on by clicking on it to highlight it. This will simulate a stone floor at the walk mesh level.

Now play you animation. You can also select the Base object and click anywhere in the time line, for example if you place the Point Bar anyplace in the Duration time you can watch your fire burn at it’s full potential.

'''Challenge:''' Replace the plc_firepit_01_1 with the plc_bonfire01_1 reference model. Scale your fire up, and increase it’s life time to engulf the wood pile in flames.
Don’t forget to save your work.

[[File:T2_fin.jpg|680px]]

This concludes Part 2 of the tutorial. In Part 3 we will be adding smoke and lighting to the flame and make the flickering flame reflect off of surrounding objects.

== VFX Tutorial Part 3 ==

This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 and #2 and are now familiar with using the time lines to adjust values over time. You can down load the final effect from Tutorial #2 from the social site if you need it to continue with Tutorial #3.

'''Where there’s smoke:'''

Our fire is missing 2 more elements to be complete, smoke and lighting.

First we will add the smoke.
Right click on the effect Root and select “Insert > Insert Emitter”. You will see a second emitter appear on top of the first one.
Select the new emitter and in the Object Inspector properties, change its name to Smoke. For Material Library, select fx_smoke_vol. For Material Object select fx_smoke_vol_blend.

In the First tutorial we talked about the Flipbook Type: Contact Sheet. For this effect we will be using the Flipbook Type: Volume. This works similar to the Contact Sheet type except that the Flipbook Rows is the number of layers, usually 2 or 4. The Flipbook Columns should always be 1 and the Frame per second is a factor of the 2, i.e. Rows x Columns. Set these to 2, 1, and 2 respectively.

In the Age map, set the colors R, G, B to 0.5 and Color A to 0.7. Our smoke should now look more like smoke, but we have a ways to go yet.
Smoke usually bellows upwards and spreads out as it rises. We can simulate this with a combination of the Scale and Scale Multiplier time lines.
Select the smoke emitter and the Scale time line from the top right drop down menu. We want the smoke to grow in size both in the X and Y directions, but more so in the X direction.

[[File:T3_scale.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Both X and Y should start at 1 and X should end around 5.5 and Y should end around 3.5 over the life of the particle. This will give us a funnel shape.

Now select the Scale Multiplier time line. We can use this line to make the smoke grow in proportion to the flame during it’s impact, duration, and cessation times.

Start out at a 0 multiplier and raise it to 1 at the start and during the duration time, then taper it back down to 0 during the Cessation time. Notice that at around 12000, the flame is gone and we are only left with smoke for the last 4 seconds of the effect.

[[File:T3_scale_mult.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now we need to change a few of the Emissions. Set the Birth rate to 3, Life Expectancy to 2.5 and Life Expectancy +/- to 0.5. If you recall from previous tutorials the +/- will give us a variance on how long the particle last. As we did with the flame, we want the smoke to also waver from left to right and forward and back, set the Spawn Spread X (Deg) and Spawn Spread Y (Deg) to 10.

'''Changing Position:'''

By now you may have noticed that when you play the effect in full, the smoke stays at ground level. Smoke naturally rises from the top of the flame, not from the base. This is OK during the Impact and cessation phase as the fire is small and near the ground level. However, we need the smoke to rise to the top of the flame during the Duration phase. To do this we will use the position time line to make the smoke rise, and lower as the flame grows.

With the smoke emitter selected, select the Position Time Line. Unselect the X and Y position time lines so only the Z line is visible. Add a control point at the start and end of the Duration time. Also add a control point at around 12000 and one at the end of the effect time.

Raise the control points at the start and end of the duration to about 1.2, so it looks like the pic below.

[[File:T3_position.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now when you play the effect, the smoke should rise and lower with the flame. Feel free to play with any of these settings to get the look you like best.

'''Fade it out:'''

If you zoom out and look at the Animation as a whole you will notice that the smoke just suddenly disappears at the top, looks a bit odd. Instead we will fade it out so this isn’t seen.

Select the Smoke emitter and then select the Color time line. Uncheck all the colors except the Alpha color. Add 2 or 3 control points towards the end of the time line and tapper the alpha down to 0 at the end of the particle life time. This makes the smoke fade out naturally. Save your work.

[[File:T3_colora.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Light My Fire:'''

Before we continue, let’s put our fire into a game scene. Select the VFX Root and in the Object Inspector, under “Layout Settings”. You can select a area and see what your effect will look like in game. In Layout, select the area resource. Your effect should be near the upper right corner.

[[File:T3_arena.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Play the VFX a few times, notice there is no light given off by the fire.

Right click the VFX root and select Insert > Insert Light. A new light object will be inserted on top of the fire emitter. It’s right where we need it to be, by default.

[[File:T3_light_2.jpg]]

Light Properties:
Affects Characters: Set this to true. This setting specifies if the light should reflect off nearby creatures and characters.
Affects Level: same as above but it applies to the surrounding terrain.
Name: Name your light, I called mine “Flicker”

First we need to give the light some color, a good yellowish – red should do. Set Color G to 0.5 and Color B 0. To make the fire flicker, we will change the intensity of the color to coincide with the flame.

Select the Flame object and then select the “Color Intensity” time line from the drop down list. Add several control points and adjust the intensity up and down so it climaxes during the duration, similar to the image shown.

[[File:T3_intens.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Be sure to drop the intensity to 0 at around 12000 as this is where the flame goes out.

TIP: You can manually slide the time bar left and right on the time line to get a visual check of the intensity control points.

Now we have a nice bon fire complete with smoke and lighting.

[[File:T3_flame.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Challenge:''' Using the Material Library “fx_distortionmatlib” add a third emitter and give your fire distortion.

This concludes the basic VFX Tutorials, Thanks for reading.
Author: Jassper

{{Languages|VFX_Tutorial}}
[[Category:Tutorials]]
[[Category:VFX]]

VFX Tutorial/ru

2011-03-07T05:05:36Z

Warslav: /* VFX Учебник Часть 1 */

{{Infobox vfx}}

PDF Version Part 1 [[File:VFX_Tut_p1.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 2 [[File:VFX_Tut_p2.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 3 [[File:VFX_Tut_p3.pdf]]

----

== VFX Учебник Часть 1 ==

Этот учебник поможет вам в ваших начинаниях по созданию ваших собственных визуальных эффектов для использования их в DA toolset. Учебник №1 охватит основы создания, монтажа и реализации визуального эффекта.

=== Создание нового визуального эффекта (визуализации). ===

Для создания нового VFX, щелкните правой кнопкой в окне палитры и выберите «NEW > VFX».

[[File:new VFX.jpg|250px]]

Редактор VFX откроется, отобразив квадратную сетку и окно «Выберите VFX» по центру. Для данного учебника, мы будем разрабатывать эффект для размещаемого предмета, поэтому выберите «Plaseable» и нажмите «OK».

В верху слева вы увидите маленький глобус, с названием “VFXRoot” , а в «Object Inspector» вы увидите свойства для VFXRoot.
Теперь сохраните вашу работу, выбрав «“File > Save As”», либо нажав на иконку Save (сохранить) вверху слева. Вам будет предложено ввести имя файла. Мне нравится сохранять все мои VFX файлы в одном месте, поэтому в папке My Documents/Bioware/Dragon Age я создал папку VFX для сохранения моих файлов.

Для этого учебника, мы создадим тип эффекта Костер и, оставаясь верными соглашению о наименовании файлов в Dragon Age ([[Naming conventions]]) , мы используем трех буквенный префикс, подчеркивание, и затем дадим файлу наименование. Назовем файл «fxp_bonfire_jp».
«Fxp» для «Визуализации Размещаемого Объекта» (все имена VFX файлов начинаются с «fx»), «bonfire» сообщает мне, что это за эффект, а «jp» в конце дает мне информацию о том, что это именно мой эффект, а не чей либо еще. Вы можете добавить любой суффикс, на ваше усмотрение. Когда закончите, нажмите «Save».

Вы можете закрыть Toolset в любое время и вернуться к этому учебнику. Вы можете открыть ваш эффект потом снова, через “File > Open” и затем выбрав тот файл, который вы только что сохранили.

=== Свойства VFXRoot: ===

[[File:t1_root_obj_inspector.jpg|250px]]

'''VFXRoot Properties:'''
пройдусь только по тем, которые буду использовать.

'''Name (Имя) :''' Это название ресурса, который будет использоваться (того, который мы сохранили на локальный диск). Измените название так, чтобы оно совпадало с именем файла.

'''Impact Length (Длительность импульса):''' Время в секундах, для начальной стадии действия эффекта. Например, Бегун, стартуя со стартовой линии, достигает максимальной скорости.

'''Duration Length (Продолжительность действия):''' Время в секундах длительности действия эффекта. Например, время, которое уйдет у бегуна ,чтобы добежать до финишной прямой после достижения максимальной скорости.

'''Cessation Length (Длительность процесса остановки):''' Время в секундах для завершения эффекта. Например, бегун замедляется после пересечения финишной прямой.

Мы создаем эффект «костер», поэтому мы хотим, чтобы огонь стартовал маленьким, затем увеличился в размере, и затем погас. Установите Duration Length на 3 секунды. Это даст нам достаточно времени для изменения окраски пламени. Установите Cessation Length также на 3 секунды, чтобы огонь погас.

Вам может показаться, что 9 секунд это очень коротко для огня. Когда эффект задан в скрипте, продолжительность времени задается внутри функции «ApplyEffect». Данное время продолжительности заставляет время продолжительности анимации повторяться снова и снова (зацикливаться ). Так, например, Если этот эффект костра применен к объекту на 6 минут, продолжительная часть эффекта повторится 120 раз: 3 секунды продолжительности умножить на 120 повторения (3*120=360с=6мин). Затем наступит время окончания эффекта и эффект завершен.

После установки промежутков времени, вы можете увидеть временную шкалу, такую как здесь. Больше информации – во второй части учебника.

[[File:T1_time_line.jpg|640px]]

=== Adding an emitter ===

Next we need an emitter. Right click on the window and select “Insert > Insert Emitter”. You should get a pulsating white capsule in the center of the grid and a “NewEmitter” object added to the list on the left.

[[File:T1_emitter.jpg|640px]]

Select the NewEmitter object and you will see the properties in the Object inspector window.

[[File:T1_op_properties.jpg|250px]]

'''Properties Window:'''

'''Name:''' Change the name of the emitter to “Base” this will be the main base of the fire. Naming the emitter will help sort them out when building an effect with several emitters.

'''Material Library:''' This is the library that we will be selecting our particle material from. The DA Effect Libraries start with the prefix fx_*Click on the Material Library box to open the resource window. Select the fx_firelibrary and click OK.

'''Material Object:''' This is the martial that we will use from the above selected Library. For this select “FireFlipbook”.
Before we continue, save your work and let’s talk about Flipbooks.

A flipbook is a particle that consists of columns and rows of varying images. The animation is created by the effect rapidly flipping through each image, much like a cartoon animation. At this point you should see 4 columns of flickering flames. Note that not all particles are in flipbook form, some are a static image. A simple way to see if the particle is a flipbook, and to see how many columns and rows there are is to set the Birth Rate to 1. Click on the “Emission” tab in the Object Properties and change the top parameter “Birth Rate” to 1. You should now see an image that consists of 4 rows and 4 columns of small flame images. This is a single particle, 4x4 flipbook. Set the Birth Rate back to 10, and return to the “Properties” tab of the Object Inspector, more on Birth Rate later.

[[File:T1_flip.jpg]]

'''Flipbook Type:''' Select “ContactSheet”.

'''Flipbook Random Start Frame:''' This selects a random frame within the flipbook to start with on each emission. Set this to TRUE. This will help give us diversity and make the flame look more “real”.

'''Flipbook Rows:''' This is how many Rows there are in the flipbook, set this number to 4.

'''Flipbook Columns:''' This is the number of Columns in the flipbook, set this to 4 also.

'''Flipbook Frames per Second:''' The particle image has 4 rows and 4 colunms, there are 16 total images to flip through. This value should be a factor of Rows and Columns, so 4 x 4 = 16. Set this value to at least 16 flips per second.

You should now see a single column of what nearly looks like fire.
Right now the flames flicker a bit too slow for me, so set the Flipbook Frames per Second to 32. This makes the flames flicker twice as fast because it is now flipping through all 16 images twice per second instead of once.
Save your work.

[[File:T1_fire.jpg]]

'''Age Map:'''

[[File:T1_agemap.jpg]]

In the Object Inspector click the “Age Map” Tab.

Here we can manipulate the color and the scale of the effect.

Color values are in percentage of 0 to 100% on a scale of 0 to 1, so 50% Blue would be 0.5.

Most normal fires aren’t white, so set Color B (blue) to 0. Your flame should now be yellow. Set Color G (green) to 0.4. We now have a orangey-red color.

Color A (alph) is the flames color intensity setting this to 0.5, the fire is half as intense. Set it where you like.

The scale X and Y values can be any number from 0 to infinity. Setting the scale to 1 is the particles normal size. Because the particle image is a 2d image, there is no Z scale. Changing Scale X will affect the X (width) direction of the flame and Scale Y will affect the Y (Height) direction of the particle. For now we will leave them alone.

The corresponding multipliers simply multiply the values in the general section. For example, if you set Color G back to 1, then set Green Color Multiplier to 0.4 you will have the same result. 1 * 0.4 = 0.4

There is a notable difference between the 2 however, the General settings affect the particles over the lifetime of each particle while the Multipliers affect all the particles over the length of the animation. This will be explored further in Part 2. Go ahead and play with the color settings until you have it the way you want it, and then save your work.

'''Emissions'''

[[File:T1_emissions.jpg]]

Now click on the “Emission” tab these settings control the particle emissions.

'''Birth Rate:''' This is how many particle emit per second. The default is 10, which works out for the fire pretty good. However the flicker is pretty static. So we will change that in a minute.

'''Birth Rate +/-:''' This setting will cause the particle Birth Rate to randomly vary by a positive number or a negative number. If we set this value to 1, the Birth Rate then will vary between 9 and 11 particles per second. Since a 10 Birth Rate seems to be a good number for the most particles per second, set the +/- value to 2, and change the Birth Rate to 8. This will make the max 10 and the min 6 particles per second.

'''Initial Speed:''' This is how fast the particles travel when emitted from the emitter. Changing this value appears to change how long the particles last. However this is not the case, they simple move further before the particle life has expired.

'''Initial Speed +/-:''' This setting works the same as the Birth Rate +/- setting but instead affects the Initial Speed. Set this value to 0.5 which will now give the particles a varying speed between 0.5 and 1.5.

'''Life Expectancy (s):''' This is how long each particle last, in seconds, before vanishing.

'''Life Expectancy +/-''': Again is a random variance to the value set in Life Expectancy. Set this value to 0.5, making the particle last longer and shorter as the fire burns.

'''Scale Range:''' This adds a random variance to the size of the particle much like the other +/- settings. Set this to 0. 6. You should now see the flame vary in size as it emits from the base emitter.

Play with these settings a bit to get familiar with them. In the end you should have a raging fire animation. When you are happy, save your work.

[[File:T1_fire_1.jpg]]

'''Getting the effect in game:''' Right click on the Root and select “Post to Local”. You'll find the new VFX under the model palette. It can be placed directly in the level editor or the cutscene editor but not the area editor. You can also add the effect dynamically to an area using a script.

'''Notes:''' Because an effect is Art work, at present will not be included with a Builder to Builder Create and must be sent separately. Scripting examples to come later once there is a client to test for accuracy.

[[File:T1_ptl.jpg]]

So now you have a raging fire. In part 2 of this tutorial, we will make this fire dance and sing. Part 2 will introduce using the time line settings to very coloration, scale, size and other more advanced settings as well as explore some of the settings introduce here a bit deeper. Keep the bonfire effect you created with this tutorial, we will need it in the second part. The bonfire effect can also be downloaded from the social site.

== VFX Tutorial Part 2 ==

In tutorial #1 we created a good bonfire as a base and up until now we only changed the values directly in the properties on the effect. As we can see this works well for simple effects. Changing the values in this manner alters the effect over its entire life time.
We have seen how to change the color and scale of the effect by changing the values in the properties age map. This is great for a basic flame but we want to add more life to it by making the flame vary in color and size over the length of the effect. To start, set all the Values back to default as shown in the 2 pictures below.
Note: This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 or are familiar with the basics of the VFX editor.

[[File:T2_agemap_01.jpg]][[File:T2_emission_01.jpg]]

Setting any of these values directly will affect the visual over the entire length of the effect. Instead we want to vary these values so the flame will change from reds, yellows, and orange. We also want to change its size during the impact, duration, and cessation phases of the effect. To do this, we will use the time line to set colors and scale so they change over the course of the effect.

Before we continue, we need to make a small change. Select the Root of the effect and in the Object Inspector, change the Impact time to 5 sec and the Cessation time to 8 sec. The 5 sec impact will allow us enough time to see the changes in the flame as it grows and the longer cessation time is for the smoke we will be adding later on.

[[File:T2_root_01.png]]

Select the “Base” object, at the top right corner there is a drop down window, select “Color” from the list. Note, when using the time lines, make sure you have the correct emitter object selected. In this case it is the Base emitter. You should then see a time line like the one below.

[[File:T2_color_01.jpg|680px]]

Notice at the top of the time line is reads “Particle Lifetime”. This means that the changes we make here will affect each partial over the lifetime of each particle. The lifetime of the particle is directly related to the “Lifetime” value setting in the Emissions Tab, which currently is set to 1 sec.

=== Parts of the Time line ===

[[File:T2_timeparts_01.jpg|680px]]

'''Control Point:''' The round dots allow you move the value up, down, left, or right within the time line.

'''Value Rang:''' The left side of the time line shows the value range. At this current control point, the value is 1, which is the current value for all 4 colors in the Age map.

'''Current Value:''' The dotted line shows the current value any place on the time line. Currently it is set to 1 over the entire length of the particle lifetime. When a control point is added, the line between the 2 control points will become solid.

'''Visible:''' This box shows which time lines are visible, the dotted or solid line. You can select or unselect these time lines. Currently all 4 are selected and visible. All 4 also are set at the same value so you only see one control point as all 4 are stacked from top to bottom, Color A being the one on top.

Click inside the time line and you will get a vertical bar. Drag the bar to the far right until the end of the timeline is reached. This bar represents that point in time and I will refer to this bar as the Point bar. Clicking anywhere on the time line will move the point bar to that point in time.

[[File:T1_v_bar.jpg]]

Right click on the time line and select “Add Control Point”. This adds a node at the point in which the point bar and the time line intersects. Also note that the Colors in the age map turn red, this indicates that the values are now controlled by the time line and can vary in value depending on the point in time. Also note that this adds a Control Point to each time line that is visible, so all 4 colors get an added node.
Before we continue, save your work. Next turn the Loop Animation Off by clicking on it at the top right so it is no longer highlighted.

[[File:T2_timeparts_02.jpg]]

There are 2 ways that we can set the values on the time line, directly in the value box of the Age Map, or by dragging the control points on the time line. To see how it affects the animation, first make sure the point bar is to the far right at 100. Change the value Color B to 0 directly in the Age Map properties, just as we did in Tutorial 1. You should now see a blue line starting at 1 and dropping to 0 at the end of the time line. By changing the value on the Age Map, you affect the control point that intersects with the Point Bar. The Flame should now be white at the bottom and Yellow at the top.

[[File:T2_cb.jpg|680px]]

To see what happens to each particle, go to the Emission tab and change the birth rate to 1. You will see the particle start from the emitter as white, and then gradually change to yellow. Set the Birth rate back to 10 and return to the Age Map.

Now move the point bar to the far left on 0. Notice that the value in Color B on the Age Map is again 1. Change this to 0 also and the left most control point will drop to 0 and you time line should now look like this.

[[File:T2_cb_2.jpg|680px]]

The small box in the lower right corner in the above image indicates which time lines are visible. Right now all 4 colors are visible on the time line. Next we will affect the green color by dragging the control points instead of changing the value directly in the Age Map. However the green time line in underneath the Alpha time line. So to make it visible, click the check mark to unselect the Alpha Color. The Alpha line goes away and we can now see the Green time line. Also uncheck the Red and Blue color time lines so only the Green is visible.

Next Click and hold on the far left (0) control point of the Green time line and drag it down a bit, about half way between 1 and 0, you should see the flame change colors as you drag it down. Grab the right most control point and drag it down to 0. You should now have a flame that is brighter red at the bottom and darker at the top.

[[File:T2_cg.jpg|680px]]

Now we are going to add 2 more control points to the Green time line. Move the Point Bar to 5 on the Particle Lifetime line, right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now move the Point Bar to 10 on the timeline and add a second control point. Grab the first control point we just added, the one at 5, and drag it up to about 0.7. This will create a bright flicker at the base of the fire.

[[File:T2_cg_2.jpg|680px]]

Now we just need to fade out the top of the flame a bit so the bottom is more intense than the top. Uncheck the green timeline and check the Color A (Alpha). Color A is a transparency color and can be use to alter the intensity of the particle. Grab the Right most control point and drag it down to about 40% (0.4). You will see that the top is less visible than the bottom of the flame. Save your work.

=== Changing its size ===

Right now the flame is a single column that is the same size at the top as it is at the base, this is not very realistic so we will remedy that by changing the scale of the particle.

In the drop down menu at the top right, select “Scale”. Again you will see a time line labeled “Particle Lifetime” a Control point, and a box showing the “Scale Y” and “Scale X” time lines. As we did before, move the Point Bar to the far right at 100 and right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now uncheck the Scale X time line so only the Scale Y line is visible. Move the Left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to about 1.75. Check the Scale X timeline to make it visible and move the left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to 0.5. This will widen the base and stretch the top to a point much like a real fire.

[[File:T2_scale.jpg|680px]]

Now the fun begins. Up until now we have been changing values over the lifetime of the particles. Now we will start changing values over the Impact, Duration, and Cessation time of the effect, but first save your work.

Select the “Emissions” Tab in the Object Properties. In the drop down menu, select “Birth Rate”. This time you will see a bit different looking time line. At the top you will see 3 sections, Impact which starts at 0 and ends at 5000, Duration starting at 5001 and ending at 8000, and the Cessation which starts at 8001 and ends at 1600. These times correlate to the 5 sec Impact, 3 second Duration, and the 8 second Cessation times specified in the VFX root.

'''TIP:''' You can Zoom Extents by double clicking inside the time graph, or zoom in/out by using the mouse scroll wheel.

When an effect is used in game, the Impact time plays, then the Duration time is looped for the length of the applied effect, then the Cessation time plays. For example, if the fire effect is applied to a wood pile for 3 min, the Impact time plays then the 2 second duration is looped for 3 min then the cessation time plays. With this in mind, we want the fire to build up to the a full blown fire, then taper off and go out.

In the Birth Rate time line, add 3 more control points, one at the Duration start, one at the duration end, and one at about 12000. Starting from the left move the left most control point to 0, move the second Control Point to 10, the third Control Point to 10 and the fourth to 0.

[[File:T2_br_2.jpg|680px]]

Notice that the flame stops burning like it was before. This is because now the total effect length is a factor. Slide the Point Bar back and forth on the time line, you can see what happens to the fire at any point in time. Now to view the animation of the effect, you must click the Play button in the upper right corner. The Point Bar will scroll across the time line and the results can be viewed in the effect window.

The fire should now start out slow and build up then taper off and go out at around 12 seconds. You can click on the Loop Animation if you want and the effect will continue to loop until paused by the Pause Animation button or by clicking in the time line.

Now select Life in the drop down menu. Right now each point in time the flame last 1 second. We want to change this so the flame when first starting out or ending doesn’t last that long. Keep the tip I gave above in mind, and make the Life time line look like the one in the picture. The Control Point times from left to right are 0, 1, 1.4, 1, 0 then save your work.

[[File:T2_life.jpg|680px]]

'''Let’s Dance:'''

Right now we have our fire looking pretty good, but there is one element still missing, the wavering and dancing of a real fire. On the Emission table item 12 and 13 are “Spawn Spread X (Deg)” and “Spawn Spread Y (Deg)”. These settings affect the spread of the particles in the X and Y directions, that is the particles can emit in varying directions in degrees from the emitter. Set both of these to 20 degrees.

Now our fire dances. Note that these settings could be set using the time line “Spawn Spread” as well, feel free to play with that if you wish.

We can get a better Idea of what our effect will look like in game by adding a reference model. Right click on the Root and select “Insert > Insert Reference Model”. In the Resource window Name field we can filter the list to make it easier to find what we are looking for, so enter *fire* and press enter. Now your resource list will only show those items with the word fire in it.

[[File:T2_resource.jpg]]

Choose the resource “plc_firepit_01_1”. Turn Bounding box Off by clicking it at the top to un-highlight it. This gets rid of the yellow square around the objects. Turn the Collision Plane on by clicking on it to highlight it. This will simulate a stone floor at the walk mesh level.

Now play you animation. You can also select the Base object and click anywhere in the time line, for example if you place the Point Bar anyplace in the Duration time you can watch your fire burn at it’s full potential.

'''Challenge:''' Replace the plc_firepit_01_1 with the plc_bonfire01_1 reference model. Scale your fire up, and increase it’s life time to engulf the wood pile in flames.
Don’t forget to save your work.

[[File:T2_fin.jpg|680px]]

This concludes Part 2 of the tutorial. In Part 3 we will be adding smoke and lighting to the flame and make the flickering flame reflect off of surrounding objects.

== VFX Tutorial Part 3 ==

This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 and #2 and are now familiar with using the time lines to adjust values over time. You can down load the final effect from Tutorial #2 from the social site if you need it to continue with Tutorial #3.

'''Where there’s smoke:'''

Our fire is missing 2 more elements to be complete, smoke and lighting.

First we will add the smoke.
Right click on the effect Root and select “Insert > Insert Emitter”. You will see a second emitter appear on top of the first one.
Select the new emitter and in the Object Inspector properties, change its name to Smoke. For Material Library, select fx_smoke_vol. For Material Object select fx_smoke_vol_blend.

In the First tutorial we talked about the Flipbook Type: Contact Sheet. For this effect we will be using the Flipbook Type: Volume. This works similar to the Contact Sheet type except that the Flipbook Rows is the number of layers, usually 2 or 4. The Flipbook Columns should always be 1 and the Frame per second is a factor of the 2, i.e. Rows x Columns. Set these to 2, 1, and 2 respectively.

In the Age map, set the colors R, G, B to 0.5 and Color A to 0.7. Our smoke should now look more like smoke, but we have a ways to go yet.
Smoke usually bellows upwards and spreads out as it rises. We can simulate this with a combination of the Scale and Scale Multiplier time lines.
Select the smoke emitter and the Scale time line from the top right drop down menu. We want the smoke to grow in size both in the X and Y directions, but more so in the X direction.

[[File:T3_scale.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Both X and Y should start at 1 and X should end around 5.5 and Y should end around 3.5 over the life of the particle. This will give us a funnel shape.

Now select the Scale Multiplier time line. We can use this line to make the smoke grow in proportion to the flame during it’s impact, duration, and cessation times.

Start out at a 0 multiplier and raise it to 1 at the start and during the duration time, then taper it back down to 0 during the Cessation time. Notice that at around 12000, the flame is gone and we are only left with smoke for the last 4 seconds of the effect.

[[File:T3_scale_mult.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now we need to change a few of the Emissions. Set the Birth rate to 3, Life Expectancy to 2.5 and Life Expectancy +/- to 0.5. If you recall from previous tutorials the +/- will give us a variance on how long the particle last. As we did with the flame, we want the smoke to also waver from left to right and forward and back, set the Spawn Spread X (Deg) and Spawn Spread Y (Deg) to 10.

'''Changing Position:'''

By now you may have noticed that when you play the effect in full, the smoke stays at ground level. Smoke naturally rises from the top of the flame, not from the base. This is OK during the Impact and cessation phase as the fire is small and near the ground level. However, we need the smoke to rise to the top of the flame during the Duration phase. To do this we will use the position time line to make the smoke rise, and lower as the flame grows.

With the smoke emitter selected, select the Position Time Line. Unselect the X and Y position time lines so only the Z line is visible. Add a control point at the start and end of the Duration time. Also add a control point at around 12000 and one at the end of the effect time.

Raise the control points at the start and end of the duration to about 1.2, so it looks like the pic below.

[[File:T3_position.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now when you play the effect, the smoke should rise and lower with the flame. Feel free to play with any of these settings to get the look you like best.

'''Fade it out:'''

If you zoom out and look at the Animation as a whole you will notice that the smoke just suddenly disappears at the top, looks a bit odd. Instead we will fade it out so this isn’t seen.

Select the Smoke emitter and then select the Color time line. Uncheck all the colors except the Alpha color. Add 2 or 3 control points towards the end of the time line and tapper the alpha down to 0 at the end of the particle life time. This makes the smoke fade out naturally. Save your work.

[[File:T3_colora.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Light My Fire:'''

Before we continue, let’s put our fire into a game scene. Select the VFX Root and in the Object Inspector, under “Layout Settings”. You can select a area and see what your effect will look like in game. In Layout, select the area resource. Your effect should be near the upper right corner.

[[File:T3_arena.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Play the VFX a few times, notice there is no light given off by the fire.

Right click the VFX root and select Insert > Insert Light. A new light object will be inserted on top of the fire emitter. It’s right where we need it to be, by default.

[[File:T3_light_2.jpg]]

Light Properties:
Affects Characters: Set this to true. This setting specifies if the light should reflect off nearby creatures and characters.
Affects Level: same as above but it applies to the surrounding terrain.
Name: Name your light, I called mine “Flicker”

First we need to give the light some color, a good yellowish – red should do. Set Color G to 0.5 and Color B 0. To make the fire flicker, we will change the intensity of the color to coincide with the flame.

Select the Flame object and then select the “Color Intensity” time line from the drop down list. Add several control points and adjust the intensity up and down so it climaxes during the duration, similar to the image shown.

[[File:T3_intens.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Be sure to drop the intensity to 0 at around 12000 as this is where the flame goes out.

TIP: You can manually slide the time bar left and right on the time line to get a visual check of the intensity control points.

Now we have a nice bon fire complete with smoke and lighting.

[[File:T3_flame.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Challenge:''' Using the Material Library “fx_distortionmatlib” add a third emitter and give your fire distortion.

This concludes the basic VFX Tutorials, Thanks for reading.
Author: Jassper

{{Languages|VFX_Tutorial}}
[[Category:Tutorials]]
[[Category:VFX]]

Template:Infobox cutscenes

2011-02-27T13:50:39Z

Warslav:

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|title=Cutscene topics
|contents=
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**[[Headtracking]]
**[[Play animation]]
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*[[VFX list]]
*[[Curve editor]]
*[[Cutscene object]]s
*[[Cutscene capture]]
}}<noinclude>[[Category:Navigational templates]]</noinclude>

Template:Infobox cutscenes

2011-02-27T07:19:32Z

Warslav:

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|title=Cutscene topics
|contents=
*{{ulink|Cutscene|Катсцена|ru}}
*[[Cutscene tutorial]]
*[[Cutscene action]]s
**[[Headtracking]]
**[[Play animation]]
***[[Animation list]]
*[[Cutscene effect]]s
*[[VFX list]]
*[[Curve editor]]
*[[Cutscene object]]s
*[[Cutscene capture]]
}}<noinclude>[[Category:Navigational templates]]</noinclude>

Template:Infobox cutscenes

2011-02-27T07:18:55Z

Warslav:

{{infobox template
|title=Cutscene topics
|contents=
*[[ulink|Cutscene|Катсцена|ru]]
*[[Cutscene tutorial]]
*[[Cutscene action]]s
**[[Headtracking]]
**[[Play animation]]
***[[Animation list]]
*[[Cutscene effect]]s
*[[VFX list]]
*[[Curve editor]]
*[[Cutscene object]]s
*[[Cutscene capture]]
}}<noinclude>[[Category:Navigational templates]]</noinclude>

Template:Infobox cutscenes

2011-02-27T07:17:12Z

Warslav:

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|title=Cutscene topics
|contents=
*((ulink|Cutscene|Катсцена|ru}}
*[[Cutscene tutorial]]
*[[Cutscene action]]s
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*[[Cutscene effect]]s
*[[VFX list]]
*[[Curve editor]]
*[[Cutscene object]]s
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}}<noinclude>[[Category:Navigational templates]]</noinclude>

Template:Infobox cutscenes

2011-02-27T07:16:37Z

Warslav:

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VFX Tutorial

2011-02-26T15:01:20Z

Warslav: /* VFX Tutorial Part 3 */

{{Infobox vfx}}

PDF Version Part 1 [[File:VFX_Tut_p1.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 2 [[File:VFX_Tut_p2.pdf]]

PDF Version Part 3 [[File:VFX_Tut_p3.pdf]]

----

== VFX Tutorial Part 1 ==

This tutorial is to get you started in creating your own visual effects to be used in the DA toolset. Tutorial #1 will cover the basics of creating, editing, and implementing the visual effect.

=== Creating a new visual effect ===

To create a new VFX, right click on the palette window and select “NEW > VFX”

[[File:new VFX.jpg|250px]]

The VFX Editor will open up showing a square grid and a “Select VFX” window in the middle. For this tutorial we will be doing a Placeable effect, so select “Placeable” and click “OK”.

On the top left, you should see a little globe called “VFXRoot” and in the Object Inspector you should see the properties of VFXRoot.
At this point, save your work by selecting “File > Save As” or clicking the Save Icon in the upper left. You will be prompted for a file name. I like to keep all of my VFX files in one place so in My Documents/Bioware/Dragon Age folder I created a VFX folder to save my files.

For this tutorial we will be creating a bonfire type of effect and to stay with Dragon Age [[Naming conventions]], we will use a 3 letter prefix, underscore, and then the file name. Name the file “fxp_bonfire_jp”
The “fxp” is for “Visual Effect Placeable” (all VFX files start with fx*) “bonfire” tells me what the effect is, and the “jp” on the end lets me know that it is my effect and not someone else’s, you can add whatever suffix you want. Click “Save” when done.

You can close the toolset at any time and return to this tutorial. You can open your effect again later by selecting “File > Open” and navigate to and select the file you just saved.

=== VFX root properties ===

[[File:t1_root_obj_inspector.jpg|250px]]

'''VFXRoot Properties:'''
I’ll just cover the ones that we will be using.

'''Name:''' This is the resource name and is what will be used when we Post to Local. Change it to match the file name.

'''Impact Length:''' Time in seconds for the stating phase of the effect. Example, a Runner starting off from the start line reaching max speed.

'''Duration Length:''' Time in seconds for the duration of the effect. Example, the time it takes the runner to reach the finish line after reaching max speed.

'''Cessation Length:''' Time in seconds for the ending of the effect. Example, the runner slowing down after crossing the finish line.

We are making a bonfire effect, so we want the fire to start off small, grow in size, then burn itself out. So set the Impact Length to 3 seconds, this will start the fire and grown to its max size. Set the Duration Length to 3 seconds. This will allow us plenty of time to vary the coloration of the flames. Set the Cessation time to 3 seconds as well, as the fire burns out.

You may be thinking that 9 seconds is a very short fire. When the effect is set in a script, the duration time is set within the function ApplyEffect*. This duration time causes the duration time of the animation to loop over and over. So for example, if this bon fire effect is applied to an object for 6 min, the duration part of the effect will loop 120 times, 3 second duration * 120 loops = 360 seconds = 6 minutes. Then the Cessation time plays and the effect is done.

After setting these times, you should now see a time line something like this, More on this in part 2.

[[File:T1_time_line.jpg|640px]]

=== Adding an emitter ===

Next we need an emitter. Right click on the window and select “Insert > Insert Emitter”. You should get a pulsating white capsule in the center of the grid and a “NewEmitter” object added to the list on the left.

[[File:T1_emitter.jpg|640px]]

Select the NewEmitter object and you will see the properties in the Object inspector window.

[[File:T1_op_properties.jpg|250px]]

'''Properties Window:'''

'''Name:''' Change the name of the emitter to “Base” this will be the main base of the fire. Naming the emitter will help sort them out when building an effect with several emitters.

'''Material Library:''' This is the library that we will be selecting our particle material from. The DA Effect Libraries start with the prefix fx_*Click on the Material Library box to open the resource window. Select the fx_firelibrary and click OK.

'''Material Object:''' This is the martial that we will use from the above selected Library. For this select “FireFlipbook”.
Before we continue, save your work and let’s talk about Flipbooks.

A flipbook is a particle that consists of columns and rows of varying images. The animation is created by the effect rapidly flipping through each image, much like a cartoon animation. At this point you should see 4 columns of flickering flames. Note that not all particles are in flipbook form, some are a static image. A simple way to see if the particle is a flipbook, and to see how many columns and rows there are is to set the Birth Rate to 1. Click on the “Emission” tab in the Object Properties and change the top parameter “Birth Rate” to 1. You should now see an image that consists of 4 rows and 4 columns of small flame images. This is a single particle, 4x4 flipbook. Set the Birth Rate back to 10, and return to the “Properties” tab of the Object Inspector, more on Birth Rate later.

[[File:T1_flip.jpg]]

'''Flipbook Type:''' Select “ContactSheet”.

'''Flipbook Random Start Frame:''' This selects a random frame within the flipbook to start with on each emission. Set this to TRUE. This will help give us diversity and make the flame look more “real”.

'''Flipbook Rows:''' This is how many Rows there are in the flipbook, set this number to 4.

'''Flipbook Columns:''' This is the number of Columns in the flipbook, set this to 4 also.

'''Flipbook Frames per Second:''' The particle image has 4 rows and 4 colunms, there are 16 total images to flip through. This value should be a factor of Rows and Columns, so 4 x 4 = 16. Set this value to at least 16 flips per second.

You should now see a single column of what nearly looks like fire.
Right now the flames flicker a bit too slow for me, so set the Flipbook Frames per Second to 32. This makes the flames flicker twice as fast because it is now flipping through all 16 images twice per second instead of once.
Save your work.

[[File:T1_fire.jpg]]

'''Age Map:'''

[[File:T1_agemap.jpg]]

In the Object Inspector click the “Age Map” Tab.

Here we can manipulate the color and the scale of the effect.

Color values are in percentage of 0 to 100% on a scale of 0 to 1, so 50% Blue would be 0.5.

Most normal fires aren’t white, so set Color B (blue) to 0. Your flame should now be yellow. Set Color G (green) to 0.4. We now have a orangey-red color.

Color A (alph) is the flames color intensity setting this to 0.5, the fire is half as intense. Set it where you like.

The scale X and Y values can be any number from 0 to infinity. Setting the scale to 1 is the particles normal size. Because the particle image is a 2d image, there is no Z scale. Changing Scale X will affect the X (width) direction of the flame and Scale Y will affect the Y (Height) direction of the particle. For now we will leave them alone.

The corresponding multipliers simply multiply the values in the general section. For example, if you set Color G back to 1, then set Green Color Multiplier to 0.4 you will have the same result. 1 * 0.4 = 0.4

There is a notable difference between the 2 however, the General settings affect the particles over the lifetime of each particle while the Multipliers affect all the particles over the length of the animation. This will be explored further in Part 2. Go ahead and play with the color settings until you have it the way you want it, and then save your work.

'''Emissions'''

[[File:T1_emissions.jpg]]

Now click on the “Emission” tab these settings control the particle emissions.

'''Birth Rate:''' This is how many particle emit per second. The default is 10, which works out for the fire pretty good. However the flicker is pretty static. So we will change that in a minute.

'''Birth Rate +/-:''' This setting will cause the particle Birth Rate to randomly vary by a positive number or a negative number. If we set this value to 1, the Birth Rate then will vary between 9 and 11 particles per second. Since a 10 Birth Rate seems to be a good number for the most particles per second, set the +/- value to 2, and change the Birth Rate to 8. This will make the max 10 and the min 6 particles per second.

'''Initial Speed:''' This is how fast the particles travel when emitted from the emitter. Changing this value appears to change how long the particles last. However this is not the case, they simple move further before the particle life has expired.

'''Initial Speed +/-:''' This setting works the same as the Birth Rate +/- setting but instead affects the Initial Speed. Set this value to 0.5 which will now give the particles a varying speed between 0.5 and 1.5.

'''Life Expectancy (s):''' This is how long each particle last, in seconds, before vanishing.

'''Life Expectancy +/-''': Again is a random variance to the value set in Life Expectancy. Set this value to 0.5, making the particle last longer and shorter as the fire burns.

'''Scale Range:''' This adds a random variance to the size of the particle much like the other +/- settings. Set this to 0. 6. You should now see the flame vary in size as it emits from the base emitter.

Play with these settings a bit to get familiar with them. In the end you should have a raging fire animation. When you are happy, save your work.

[[File:T1_fire_1.jpg]]

'''Getting the effect in game:''' Right click on the Root and select “Post to Local”. You'll find the new VFX under the model palette. It can be placed directly in the level editor or the cutscene editor but not the area editor. You can also add the effect dynamically to an area using a script.

'''Notes:''' Because an effect is Art work, at present will not be included with a Builder to Builder Create and must be sent separately. Scripting examples to come later once there is a client to test for accuracy.

[[File:T1_ptl.jpg]]

So now you have a raging fire. In part 2 of this tutorial, we will make this fire dance and sing. Part 2 will introduce using the time line settings to very coloration, scale, size and other more advanced settings as well as explore some of the settings introduce here a bit deeper. Keep the bonfire effect you created with this tutorial, we will need it in the second part. The bonfire effect can also be downloaded from the social site.

== VFX Tutorial Part 2 ==

In tutorial #1 we created a good bonfire as a base and up until now we only changed the values directly in the properties on the effect. As we can see this works well for simple effects. Changing the values in this manner alters the effect over its entire life time.
We have seen how to change the color and scale of the effect by changing the values in the properties age map. This is great for a basic flame but we want to add more life to it by making the flame vary in color and size over the length of the effect. To start, set all the Values back to default as shown in the 2 pictures below.
Note: This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 or are familiar with the basics of the VFX editor.

[[File:T2_agemap_01.jpg]][[File:T2_emission_01.jpg]]

Setting any of these values directly will affect the visual over the entire length of the effect. Instead we want to vary these values so the flame will change from reds, yellows, and orange. We also want to change its size during the impact, duration, and cessation phases of the effect. To do this, we will use the time line to set colors and scale so they change over the course of the effect.

Before we continue, we need to make a small change. Select the Root of the effect and in the Object Inspector, change the Impact time to 5 sec and the Cessation time to 8 sec. The 5 sec impact will allow us enough time to see the changes in the flame as it grows and the longer cessation time is for the smoke we will be adding later on.

[[File:T2_root_01.png]]

Select the “Base” object, at the top right corner there is a drop down window, select “Color” from the list. Note, when using the time lines, make sure you have the correct emitter object selected. In this case it is the Base emitter. You should then see a time line like the one below.

[[File:T2_color_01.jpg|680px]]

Notice at the top of the time line is reads “Particle Lifetime”. This means that the changes we make here will affect each partial over the lifetime of each particle. The lifetime of the particle is directly related to the “Lifetime” value setting in the Emissions Tab, which currently is set to 1 sec.

=== Parts of the Time line ===

[[File:T2_timeparts_01.jpg|680px]]

'''Control Point:''' The round dots allow you move the value up, down, left, or right within the time line.

'''Value Rang:''' The left side of the time line shows the value range. At this current control point, the value is 1, which is the current value for all 4 colors in the Age map.

'''Current Value:''' The dotted line shows the current value any place on the time line. Currently it is set to 1 over the entire length of the particle lifetime. When a control point is added, the line between the 2 control points will become solid.

'''Visible:''' This box shows which time lines are visible, the dotted or solid line. You can select or unselect these time lines. Currently all 4 are selected and visible. All 4 also are set at the same value so you only see one control point as all 4 are stacked from top to bottom, Color A being the one on top.

Click inside the time line and you will get a vertical bar. Drag the bar to the far right until the end of the timeline is reached. This bar represents that point in time and I will refer to this bar as the Point bar. Clicking anywhere on the time line will move the point bar to that point in time.

[[File:T1_v_bar.jpg]]

Right click on the time line and select “Add Control Point”. This adds a node at the point in which the point bar and the time line intersects. Also note that the Colors in the age map turn red, this indicates that the values are now controlled by the time line and can vary in value depending on the point in time. Also note that this adds a Control Point to each time line that is visible, so all 4 colors get an added node.
Before we continue, save your work. Next turn the Loop Animation Off by clicking on it at the top right so it is no longer highlighted.

[[File:T2_timeparts_02.jpg]]

There are 2 ways that we can set the values on the time line, directly in the value box of the Age Map, or by dragging the control points on the time line. To see how it affects the animation, first make sure the point bar is to the far right at 100. Change the value Color B to 0 directly in the Age Map properties, just as we did in Tutorial 1. You should now see a blue line starting at 1 and dropping to 0 at the end of the time line. By changing the value on the Age Map, you affect the control point that intersects with the Point Bar. The Flame should now be white at the bottom and Yellow at the top.

[[File:T2_cb.jpg|680px]]

To see what happens to each particle, go to the Emission tab and change the birth rate to 1. You will see the particle start from the emitter as white, and then gradually change to yellow. Set the Birth rate back to 10 and return to the Age Map.

Now move the point bar to the far left on 0. Notice that the value in Color B on the Age Map is again 1. Change this to 0 also and the left most control point will drop to 0 and you time line should now look like this.

[[File:T2_cb_2.jpg|680px]]

The small box in the lower right corner in the above image indicates which time lines are visible. Right now all 4 colors are visible on the time line. Next we will affect the green color by dragging the control points instead of changing the value directly in the Age Map. However the green time line in underneath the Alpha time line. So to make it visible, click the check mark to unselect the Alpha Color. The Alpha line goes away and we can now see the Green time line. Also uncheck the Red and Blue color time lines so only the Green is visible.

Next Click and hold on the far left (0) control point of the Green time line and drag it down a bit, about half way between 1 and 0, you should see the flame change colors as you drag it down. Grab the right most control point and drag it down to 0. You should now have a flame that is brighter red at the bottom and darker at the top.

[[File:T2_cg.jpg|680px]]

Now we are going to add 2 more control points to the Green time line. Move the Point Bar to 5 on the Particle Lifetime line, right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now move the Point Bar to 10 on the timeline and add a second control point. Grab the first control point we just added, the one at 5, and drag it up to about 0.7. This will create a bright flicker at the base of the fire.

[[File:T2_cg_2.jpg|680px]]

Now we just need to fade out the top of the flame a bit so the bottom is more intense than the top. Uncheck the green timeline and check the Color A (Alpha). Color A is a transparency color and can be use to alter the intensity of the particle. Grab the Right most control point and drag it down to about 40% (0.4). You will see that the top is less visible than the bottom of the flame. Save your work.

=== Changing its size ===

Right now the flame is a single column that is the same size at the top as it is at the base, this is not very realistic so we will remedy that by changing the scale of the particle.

In the drop down menu at the top right, select “Scale”. Again you will see a time line labeled “Particle Lifetime” a Control point, and a box showing the “Scale Y” and “Scale X” time lines. As we did before, move the Point Bar to the far right at 100 and right click and select “Add Control Point”. Now uncheck the Scale X time line so only the Scale Y line is visible. Move the Left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to about 1.75. Check the Scale X timeline to make it visible and move the left control point to about 1.5 and the right control point to 0.5. This will widen the base and stretch the top to a point much like a real fire.

[[File:T2_scale.jpg|680px]]

Now the fun begins. Up until now we have been changing values over the lifetime of the particles. Now we will start changing values over the Impact, Duration, and Cessation time of the effect, but first save your work.

Select the “Emissions” Tab in the Object Properties. In the drop down menu, select “Birth Rate”. This time you will see a bit different looking time line. At the top you will see 3 sections, Impact which starts at 0 and ends at 5000, Duration starting at 5001 and ending at 8000, and the Cessation which starts at 8001 and ends at 1600. These times correlate to the 5 sec Impact, 3 second Duration, and the 8 second Cessation times specified in the VFX root.

'''TIP:''' You can Zoom Extents by double clicking inside the time graph, or zoom in/out by using the mouse scroll wheel.

When an effect is used in game, the Impact time plays, then the Duration time is looped for the length of the applied effect, then the Cessation time plays. For example, if the fire effect is applied to a wood pile for 3 min, the Impact time plays then the 2 second duration is looped for 3 min then the cessation time plays. With this in mind, we want the fire to build up to the a full blown fire, then taper off and go out.

In the Birth Rate time line, add 3 more control points, one at the Duration start, one at the duration end, and one at about 12000. Starting from the left move the left most control point to 0, move the second Control Point to 10, the third Control Point to 10 and the fourth to 0.

[[File:T2_br_2.jpg|680px]]

Notice that the flame stops burning like it was before. This is because now the total effect length is a factor. Slide the Point Bar back and forth on the time line, you can see what happens to the fire at any point in time. Now to view the animation of the effect, you must click the Play button in the upper right corner. The Point Bar will scroll across the time line and the results can be viewed in the effect window.

The fire should now start out slow and build up then taper off and go out at around 12 seconds. You can click on the Loop Animation if you want and the effect will continue to loop until paused by the Pause Animation button or by clicking in the time line.

Now select Life in the drop down menu. Right now each point in time the flame last 1 second. We want to change this so the flame when first starting out or ending doesn’t last that long. Keep the tip I gave above in mind, and make the Life time line look like the one in the picture. The Control Point times from left to right are 0, 1, 1.4, 1, 0 then save your work.

[[File:T2_life.jpg|680px]]

'''Let’s Dance:'''

Right now we have our fire looking pretty good, but there is one element still missing, the wavering and dancing of a real fire. On the Emission table item 12 and 13 are “Spawn Spread X (Deg)” and “Spawn Spread Y (Deg)”. These settings affect the spread of the particles in the X and Y directions, that is the particles can emit in varying directions in degrees from the emitter. Set both of these to 20 degrees.

Now our fire dances. Note that these settings could be set using the time line “Spawn Spread” as well, feel free to play with that if you wish.

We can get a better Idea of what our effect will look like in game by adding a reference model. Right click on the Root and select “Insert > Insert Reference Model”. In the Resource window Name field we can filter the list to make it easier to find what we are looking for, so enter *fire* and press enter. Now your resource list will only show those items with the word fire in it.

[[File:T2_resource.jpg]]

Choose the resource “plc_firepit_01_1”. Turn Bounding box Off by clicking it at the top to un-highlight it. This gets rid of the yellow square around the objects. Turn the Collision Plane on by clicking on it to highlight it. This will simulate a stone floor at the walk mesh level.

Now play you animation. You can also select the Base object and click anywhere in the time line, for example if you place the Point Bar anyplace in the Duration time you can watch your fire burn at it’s full potential.

'''Challenge:''' Replace the plc_firepit_01_1 with the plc_bonfire01_1 reference model. Scale your fire up, and increase it’s life time to engulf the wood pile in flames.
Don’t forget to save your work.

[[File:T2_fin.jpg|680px]]

This concludes Part 2 of the tutorial. In Part 3 we will be adding smoke and lighting to the flame and make the flickering flame reflect off of surrounding objects.

== VFX Tutorial Part 3 ==

This tutorial assumes you have read Tutorial #1 and #2 and are now familiar with using the time lines to adjust values over time. You can down load the final effect from Tutorial #2 from the social site if you need it to continue with Tutorial #3.

'''Where there’s smoke:'''

Our fire is missing 2 more elements to be complete, smoke and lighting.

First we will add the smoke.
Right click on the effect Root and select “Insert > Insert Emitter”. You will see a second emitter appear on top of the first one.
Select the new emitter and in the Object Inspector properties, change its name to Smoke. For Material Library, select fx_smoke_vol. For Material Object select fx_smoke_vol_blend.

In the First tutorial we talked about the Flipbook Type: Contact Sheet. For this effect we will be using the Flipbook Type: Volume. This works similar to the Contact Sheet type except that the Flipbook Rows is the number of layers, usually 2 or 4. The Flipbook Columns should always be 1 and the Frame per second is a factor of the 2, i.e. Rows x Columns. Set these to 2, 1, and 2 respectively.

In the Age map, set the colors R, G, B to 0.5 and Color A to 0.7. Our smoke should now look more like smoke, but we have a ways to go yet.
Smoke usually bellows upwards and spreads out as it rises. We can simulate this with a combination of the Scale and Scale Multiplier time lines.
Select the smoke emitter and the Scale time line from the top right drop down menu. We want the smoke to grow in size both in the X and Y directions, but more so in the X direction.

[[File:T3_scale.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Both X and Y should start at 1 and X should end around 5.5 and Y should end around 3.5 over the life of the particle. This will give us a funnel shape.

Now select the Scale Multiplier time line. We can use this line to make the smoke grow in proportion to the flame during it’s impact, duration, and cessation times.

Start out at a 0 multiplier and raise it to 1 at the start and during the duration time, then taper it back down to 0 during the Cessation time. Notice that at around 12000, the flame is gone and we are only left with smoke for the last 4 seconds of the effect.

[[File:T3_scale_mult.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now we need to change a few of the Emissions. Set the Birth rate to 3, Life Expectancy to 2.5 and Life Expectancy +/- to 0.5. If you recall from previous tutorials the +/- will give us a variance on how long the particle last. As we did with the flame, we want the smoke to also waver from left to right and forward and back, set the Spawn Spread X (Deg) and Spawn Spread Y (Deg) to 10.

'''Changing Position:'''

By now you may have noticed that when you play the effect in full, the smoke stays at ground level. Smoke naturally rises from the top of the flame, not from the base. This is OK during the Impact and cessation phase as the fire is small and near the ground level. However, we need the smoke to rise to the top of the flame during the Duration phase. To do this we will use the position time line to make the smoke rise, and lower as the flame grows.

With the smoke emitter selected, select the Position Time Line. Unselect the X and Y position time lines so only the Z line is visible. Add a control point at the start and end of the Duration time. Also add a control point at around 12000 and one at the end of the effect time.

Raise the control points at the start and end of the duration to about 1.2, so it looks like the pic below.

[[File:T3_position.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Now when you play the effect, the smoke should rise and lower with the flame. Feel free to play with any of these settings to get the look you like best.

'''Fade it out:'''

If you zoom out and look at the Animation as a whole you will notice that the smoke just suddenly disappears at the top, looks a bit odd. Instead we will fade it out so this isn’t seen.

Select the Smoke emitter and then select the Color time line. Uncheck all the colors except the Alpha color. Add 2 or 3 control points towards the end of the time line and tapper the alpha down to 0 at the end of the particle life time. This makes the smoke fade out naturally. Save your work.

[[File:T3_colora.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Light My Fire:'''

Before we continue, let’s put our fire into a game scene. Select the VFX Root and in the Object Inspector, under “Layout Settings”. You can select a area and see what your effect will look like in game. In Layout, select the area resource. Your effect should be near the upper right corner.

[[File:T3_arena.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Play the VFX a few times, notice there is no light given off by the fire.

Right click the VFX root and select Insert > Insert Light. A new light object will be inserted on top of the fire emitter. It’s right where we need it to be, by default.

[[File:T3_light_2.jpg]]

Light Properties:
Affects Characters: Set this to true. This setting specifies if the light should reflect off nearby creatures and characters.
Affects Level: same as above but it applies to the surrounding terrain.
Name: Name your light, I called mine “Flicker”

First we need to give the light some color, a good yellowish – red should do. Set Color G to 0.5 and Color B 0. To make the fire flicker, we will change the intensity of the color to coincide with the flame.

Select the Flame object and then select the “Color Intensity” time line from the drop down list. Add several control points and adjust the intensity up and down so it climaxes during the duration, similar to the image shown.

[[File:T3_intens.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

Be sure to drop the intensity to 0 at around 12000 as this is where the flame goes out.

TIP: You can manually slide the time bar left and right on the time line to get a visual check of the intensity control points.

Now we have a nice bon fire complete with smoke and lighting.

[[File:T3_flame.jpg|thumb|680px|center]]

'''Challenge:''' Using the Material Library “fx_distortionmatlib” add a third emitter and give your fire distortion.

This concludes the basic VFX Tutorials, Thanks for reading.
Author: Jassper

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[[Category:Tutorials]]
[[Category:VFX]]

VFX Tutorial

2011-02-26T14:59:29Z

Warslav: /* VFX Tutorial Part 3 */