EDD Particle Data Editor

[Zaela_S]

Technically already linked this somewhere else, but figured it deserves its own thread.

A program for viewing and editing the client's .edd files, which set out various things (80 fields worth of information) about particles (both weapon and spell). Main use is in making custom particles for custom weapon models.

Link

As said, there are a lot of fields. Vaion and I spent a little while doing some trial and error to label them, but we only got around half of them at this point. Even then, in some cases it's clear that a field is doing something but not exactly what that something is, or how to describe it in a couple of words. In particular, a lot of fields seem to come in threes, and not all of them are axis-based. Some appear to apply the same effect at different times or in different ways...

Plus, there are simply too many fields to edit manually -- which is why the tool can copy existing particle data. Probably the sanest way to make a custom particle is to find an existing particle on a weapon that has characteristics you want, figure out the ID of that particle using the EQG Weapon Model Importer, and then copy it with this tool and then maybe tweak a few values (like the source image file for the particle) as needed.

You'll probably want to back up your ActorEmittersNew.edd before editing it. Note that particle IDs are relative (array-based), so any new additions/copies will be inserted at the end. Deleting particles from the middle of the file is a bad idea for the same reason.

Weapon particle image files are loaded from the ActorEffects folder in your EQ folder. While the things in there are mostly all .dds and .tga, .png images will work fine (though they might need to be flipped around to show up right-way-round in-game).

If anyone figures out what some of the unlabelled fields do, feel free to tell me and I'll update the tool.

Anywho, pair this up with EQG Weapon Model Importer to make fully custom particle weapons.

[vsab]

These things deserve their own wiki pages! If you don't fancy doing it yourself, and with your permission, I am happy to create (basically copy n paste) those pages.

Due to ongoing work at my home I basically have no free time for more serious dev work, but the wiki pages I can do in my lunch break at work

[Zaela_S]

Go ahead. I feel that wiki pages ought to be more detailed and instructional than the posts I make, but can't bring myself to sit down and write stuff like that...

[Zaela_S]

I forgot to include an obligatory bad example screenshot:



Those are supposed to be hearts. I didn't pick the best base particle data to copy from, so it ended up looking more like a valentine's-themed lightsaber.



Not much better!

[Zaela_S]

More what I had in mind (the numbers are a bit overkill, but y'know). Just needed to change the image from one big heart to five little scattered ones. If I can do it, so can you!



etc

[Akkadius]

Stickied thread

[knowom]

This thread got me thinking. What if you applied these particle emitters/effects to object file models as well stuff like torches, barrels, campfires, statues, tree's, doors, and other stuff thing that you can insert and used within any zone? I was also thinking about what Zaela said about weapons/armors and 3D development focus should be more on them due to the ease of use. She made somewhat of a good point in terms of emphasis it appealing to due it's broad applications. To that thought I've been thinking creating new 3D objects would be quite applicable as well. In fact when creating new zones you could break down sections of it to use like lego sets or blocks within zones. You could even create some basic geometry sizes and shapes to to use much like block in Minecraft or Voxels in EQLandmark. I'm not sure if these types of assets can also be size scaled like weapons and armor or not you wouldn't even need to make different size ones just resize them to taste. They could range from more simple to more complex and usable in many area's in many different ways and player made ones could textured, reused, and shared however we wanted.

Now back to this specific topic about particle effects/emitters you could make a door that has music notes emitting from it for example in theory or perhaps a fire pot spewing skulls. It could look cool, but also if you utilized proximity triggers to apply spell/songs that buff or debuff within a area of effect of it be highly functional as well. Something like a door that you walk through which casts remove magic on the player or even triggers a buff. Infinite applicable usages really somewhat trivial to manipulate with a servers DB and could either for style or function mana/heal shrine yes please fear pot oh damn secrete buff/debuff interesting.

On the 3D object subject I thought it would be handy if Akkadius were to do what was done with EoC race viewer making it quicker and easier to see what's available and finding what's wanted it would be quite handy. Akkadius also demonstrated in a video zone object they can be manipulated in real time making things more intriguing. It could even be used as a work around to a few things like re-structure two unintended zone line to connect and having matching texture transitions or blocking them off w/o it looking broken and bad. You could create new structures or import fully created ones make things to block off or modify zone lines that look natural and seamless. Think of them as 3D assets that can be used individually or even combined as prefab designs to more quickly add for example clusters patterns of trees, or rocks, torches, ect for quick and versatile layout designs which you'd basically just place at it's origin center then tweak the facing rotational direction in a zone boom clumps of data to redesign a zone with fast!

Anyway mostly wanted to touch on highlight on some different possibilities of using particle/emitter effects which could be used for visuals, but also optionally along with proximity effects for zone objects to do neat stuff. I assume it's possible there are proximity trap effect triggers all ready so that's no big deal and some of the s3d objects all ready have particle effects so I don't see that as a issue either. Particle effects on weapons is rather normal armor not so commonly at least not retroactively speaking though it could be used that way and look cool, but using them on doors would be really neat among other objects like a tree of regeneration or a water mana fountain. A lot of new types of encounters could be created based around proximity effects. Just imagine going through a door to fight a raid mob and shadow stepping to a random location or effects you intentionally periodically trigger in order to do the encounter itself.

[Telin]

You can use the actor emitter definition file for any weapons or armor effects. It can apply particles to any part of the body and you can apply several at one time.

The environmental emitter definition file can place particle effects within a zones geometry by using location coordinates.

I haven't found how to add effects to an object alone. If they're stationary in the zone or on a character model it's easy to make it look like they're attached.

[Warking]

REally cool! Thanks.

A readme or wiki would be great for this. The tool pulls in one of 2 .EDD files but wish I can see what the particles look like or even create my own particle. Do I need to convert .dds to .tga?