Adding new ability particles?
polycounter lvl 3
Alright, I've been digging around for a few hours and found nothing, so my question is, how the heck do I add custom ability particles to the game to test out?
I've edited Shadow Demon's abilities to match my item, and yet even after trying to add it to the particles\units\heroes folder, I can't test it out in game, so I have no clue how it looks right now!
Also, another question, which I can't find the answer to, how do I go about adding my own custom particles on an item, even though it didn't have one before? I know this is very difficult but I really want to do this, and so much around particles seems to be all hush-hush that it's incredibly annoying. Share the knowledge, please!
I've edited Shadow Demon's abilities to match my item, and yet even after trying to add it to the particles\units\heroes folder, I can't test it out in game, so I have no clue how it looks right now!
Also, another question, which I can't find the answer to, how do I go about adding my own custom particles on an item, even though it didn't have one before? I know this is very difficult but I really want to do this, and so much around particles seems to be all hush-hush that it's incredibly annoying. Share the knowledge, please!
Replies
I have an idea of what might be wrong, and will update in a few hours here
I've been trying to figure out how to add particles to items for several days and so far i was not able to
Any insight on that topic would be much appreciated
a) check wether the path of the .pcf is right
should be Steam\steamapps\common\dota 2 beta\dota\particles\units\heroes
b) check wether you named your file correctly
should be hero_shadow_demon.pcf
c) restart the client; apparently a few weeks ago Valve changes the way their files get cached, so you can't just reload new files by reconnecting to the server - you have to restart the entire client
d) check wether your particle file gets read at all, for example by tining one of Shadow Demon's effects in a different colour and testing it ingame
I actually asked him about that XD
Well hopefully Pior gets that thing figured out for the sake of all of us
-override_vpk is active is in the launch options, and i launch a game testing my imported item, and absolutely nothing is changed.
wait wait wait, do we still do dota\particles\units\heroes? because i don't have one of those, but i do in a dota\root\ folder... should i make the folder? im going to try that.
EDIT:: OH DANG!! that worked!! thank you so much!
I will be updating this thread with a roundup of everything i've found about adding custom particles to items that didn't have them previously, and will explain what i've been doing and what i've been having trouble with in a bit!
and just to follow up on my part, resources i found:
QC syntax and Particle Positioning
Potential QC example from some thread
more potential formatting examples
Whenever you decompile a model, you are given a qc file
For example, my shadow demon qc file named "mdldecompiler.qc"
$cd "C:\Users\mac\Desktop\shadow_demon\decompile" $modelname "heroes/shadow_demon/shadow_demon.mdl" $model "default" "shadow_demon_model.dmx.smd" $lod 1 { replacemodel "shadow_demon_model.dmx" "lod1_shadow_demon_model.dmx" } $poseparameter turn -1.00 1.00 $cdmaterials "" $hboxset "default" $hbox 0 "spine1" -12.345 -27.421 -25.850 28.748 27.421 24.594 $hbox 0 "spine2" -11.868 0.446 -21.791 5.029 21.665 33.649 $hbox 0 "spine3" -3.383 -36.772 -23.642 57.787 36.772 51.600 $hbox 0 "bicep_R" -58.938 -11.556 -18.504 2.141 38.276 13.863 $hbox 0 "elbow_R" -26.164 -12.717 -21.858 9.944 12.318 12.168 $hbox 0 "r_pinky3_0" 5.960 -1.717 -4.047 7.574 2.516 -3.361 $hbox 0 "r_pinky3_1" 2.165 -3.362 -3.517 17.541 2.660 4.260 $hbox 0 "jaw1_0" 1.427 -7.817 0.309 11.061 7.817 12.437 $hbox 0 "bicep_L" -2.141 -38.276 -13.864 58.938 11.556 18.504 $hbox 0 "elbow_L" -9.944 -12.318 -12.168 26.164 12.717 21.858 $hbox 0 "l_pinky2_0" 6.639 -3.065 -4.576 8.745 0.952 -3.926 $hbox 0 "l_pinky2_1" 2.626 -3.213 -3.943 17.399 3.432 4.209 $hbox 0 "thigh_R" -35.247 -25.507 -29.387 18.872 10.546 22.315 $hbox 0 "knee_R" -22.491 -11.194 -9.397 8.587 9.832 11.711 $hbox 0 "root" -22.476 -24.591 -13.688 22.453 24.591 22.811 $hbox 0 "thigh_L" -18.872 -10.546 -22.315 35.247 25.507 29.387 $hbox 0 "knee_L" -8.587 -9.829 -11.711 22.491 11.194 9.397 $hboxset "feet" $hbox 0 "ankle_L" -18.976 -23.790 -19.212 53.385 19.957 26.939 $hbox 0 "ankle_R" -52.262 -19.957 -28.175 18.976 23.272 19.212 $hboxset "select_high" $hbox 0 "spine1" -11.380 -45.226 -23.710 55.635 45.226 42.377 $hbox 0 "root" -38.574 -43.187 -85.082 28.659 43.187 12.385 $hboxset "hands" $hbox 0 "wrist_R" -42.818 -10.969 -11.898 -1.363 7.676 16.526 $hbox 0 "wrist_L" 1.363 -7.676 -16.526 42.818 10.969 11.898 $hboxset "head" $hbox 0 "head" -13.267 -9.904 -16.589 15.112 9.904 16.649 $hboxset "select_low" $hbox 0 "root" -67.379 -77.859 -84.876 59.254 77.859 86.140 $attachment "attach_attack1" "Index_1_L" 0.00 0.00 0.00 rotate 0.00 -0.00 0.00 $attachment "attach_head" "head" 0.00 0.00 0.00 rotate 0.00 0.00 -0.00 $attachment "eye_L" "head" 11.00 5.80 1.00 rotate 0.00 0.00 -0.00 $attachment "eye_R" "head" 11.00 -5.80 1.00 rotate 0.00 0.00 -0.00 $attachment "attach_attack2" "Index_1_R" 0.00 0.00 0.00 rotate -0.00 0.00 0.00 $attachment "attach_hitloc" "spine2" 0.00 0.00 0.00 rotate 0.00 -0.00 -0.00 $surfaceprop "default" $keyvalues { } $illumposition -2.760 -0.000 100.618 $sequence BindPose "BindPose" fps 30.00 $sequence loadout_spawn "loadout_spawn" ACT_DOTA_SPAWN 1 fps 23.00 $sequence idle "idle" loop ACT_DOTA_IDLE 1 fps 30.00 $sequence attack "attack" ACT_DOTA_ATTACK 1 fps 30.00 { { event AE_CL_CREATE_PARTICLE_EFFECT 0 "SD_W follow_attachment attach_attack1" } } $sequence attack2 "attack2" ACT_DOTA_ATTACK2 1 fps 30.00 { { event AE_CL_CREATE_PARTICLE_EFFECT 0 "SD_W follow_attachment attach_attack2" } } $sequence ability1_cast "ability1_cast" ACT_DOTA_CAST_ABILITY_1 1 fps 30.00 $sequence ability2_cast "ability2_cast" ACT_DOTA_CAST_ABILITY_2 1 fps 30.00 $sequence ability3_cast "ability3_cast" ACT_DOTA_CAST_ABILITY_3 1 fps 30.00 $sequence ability4_cast "ability4_cast" ACT_DOTA_CAST_ABILITY_4 1 fps 30.00 $sequence ultimate "ultimate" ACT_DOTA_CAST_ABILITY_5 1 fps 30.00 $sequence stun "stun" loop ACT_DOTA_DISABLED 1 fps 30.00 $sequence flail "flail" loop ACT_DOTA_FLAIL 1 fps 30.00 $sequence death "death" ACT_DOTA_DIE 1 fps 30.00 { { event AE_CL_PLAYSOUND 97 "BodyImpact_Common.Medium" } } $sequence portrait "portrait" ACT_DOTA_CAPTURE 1 fps 30.00 $sequence portrait_hero_selector "portrait_hero_selector" ACT_DOTA_CAPTURE 2 fps 30.00 $sequence run "run" loop ACT_DOTA_RUN 1 fps 30.00 { { event AE_CL_PLAYSOUND 1 "Hero_ShadowDemon.Footsteps" } { event AE_CL_PLAYSOUND 14 "Hero_ShadowDemon.Footsteps" } } $sequence workshop_anim_00 "workshop_anim_00" fps 30.00 $sequence workshop_anim_01 "workshop_anim_01" fps 30.00 $sequence workshop_anim_02 "workshop_anim_02" fps 30.00 $sequence workshop_anim_03 "workshop_anim_03" fps 30.00 $sequence workshop_anim_04 "workshop_anim_04" fps 30.00 $sequence workshop_anim_05 "workshop_anim_05" fps 30.00 $sequence workshop_anim_06 "workshop_anim_06" fps 30.00 $sequence workshop_anim_07 "workshop_anim_07" fps 30.00 $sequence workshop_anim_08 "workshop_anim_08" fps 30.00 $sequence workshop_anim_09 "workshop_anim_09" fps 30.00 $sequence spawn "spawn" ACT_DOTA_SPAWN 1 fps 30.00 $sequence teleport "teleport" ACT_DOTA_TELEPORT 1 fps 30.00 $sequence teleport_end "teleport_end" ACT_DOTA_TELEPORT_END 1 fps 30.00 $sequence turns_lookFrame_0 "turns_lookFrame_0" fps 30.00 $sequence turns_lookFrame_1 "turns_lookFrame_1" fps 30.00 $sequence turns_lookFrame_2 "turns_lookFrame_2" fps 30.00 $sequence turns "turns_lookFrame_0" fps 30.00 { blendwidth 3 blend turn -1.000000 1.000000 delta turns_lookFrame_0 turns_lookFrame_1 turns_lookFrame_2 }so far i'm trying to find out how it knows where to get particles from, the attachments tag is used for positioning (and must be connected to a bone).
also i have no clue about the file hierarchy/structure so i don't know where i would put this, and if i have to compile a model, i don't know how.
that long and that's all i've gotten so far, haha
Here's a video of my particles working on a compiled model of a forge spirit AndrewHelenek sent me.
[ame="
If you are trying to attach the particles to a hero you'll have to decompile the model to edit the QC and recompile it. If you are adding particles to a courier or a summonable unit, a simple way to do it is to compile it in the Dota Workshop submitter. Once you have the preview and you've made sure the model and aniamtions are ok in game, you can go to \Steam\SteamApps\common\dota 2 beta\content\dota\models\items\ and copy the model and animation files to a new folder. Once you've done that open the QC file and at the top you'll have something like: Change that path to the path of the default unit, in this case: Now you want to check the attachments. These are points that particle files can be locked to. the format is the following So for my example i added attachment points to the spirit's head for the hair and eyes. By the way studiomdl.exe sometimes has...strange...interpretations for the rotation axes so you might have to do a bit of trial and error if you need that.
You also probably shouldn't go adding new attachment points to the base hero models, if you do that Valve will have to recompile the models and put them in an update. This is more for stuff that is its own unit like couriers.
Next you want to add the particles. For always on ambient particles you want to add a block like this:
$keyvalues { particles { effect { name "PARTICLE NAME (NOT FILENAME!)" attachment_type ATTACHMENTTYPE attachment_point ATTACHMENTPOINTNAME } } }For attachment type you have the following options:
start_at_origin - particle spawns at the model origin but doesn't move with it
start_at_attachment - particle spawns at the position of the attachment point but doesn't move with it
follow_origin - particle spawns at the model origin and moves with it
follow_attachment - particle spawns at the position of the attachment point and moves with it
So for my particles it looked like the following:
$keyvalues { particles { effect { name "invoker_djinnSpirit_hair" attachment_type follow_attachment attachment_point attach_hair } effect { name "invoker_djinnSpirit_hand" attachment_type follow_attachment attachment_point attach_attack1 } effect { name "invoker_djinnSpirit_hand" attachment_type follow_attachment attachment_point attach_attack2 } effect { name "invoker_djinnSpirit_eye" attachment_type follow_attachment attachment_point attach_eye1 } effect { name "invoker_djinnSpirit_eye" attachment_type follow_attachment attachment_point attach_eye2 } } }The particles you are using should be in the hero's pcf file by the way, so in this case hero_invoker. If you're doing it for a courier i guess just put them in a pcf file that you know will get loaded, so put them in a hero's pcf file and make sure you pick that hero when you go to test it ingame.
For particles that activate with an ability it's a little different. For this you want to find the sequence for the action you want to trigger the particle. As an example's here's the sequence for one of Centaur's attack animations that adds the particle streak to the weapon when he attacks.
$sequence "attackb" "centaur_anims\attackb.smd" { fps 30 "ACT_DOTA_ATTACK" 1 { event AE_CL_CREATE_PARTICLE_EFFECT 5.99999976158142 "CENTAUR_BASE_ATTACK_STREAK follow_attachment attach_attack1" } }Or in more generic terms:
$sequence "attackb" "centaur_anims\attackb.smd" { fps 30 "ACT_DOTA_ATTACK" 1 { event AE_CL_CREATE_PARTICLE_EFFECT ANIMATIONFRAMENUMBER "PARTICLENAME ATTACHMENTTYPE ATTACHMENTPOINTNAME" } }That's pretty much it, before you compile your model though save and reopen your QC file to make sure it looks ok. I had problems with line breaks disappearing which stopped it compiling. For compiling i used Crowbar. Just set the game to compile for to Dota 2, check the paths are correct for your install and navigate to your modified QC file. Hit compile Folder of QC file and it should do its thing. Look at the compile log to see ifyou can find any errors, if there are none then open up dota and start a custom game and test it out.
One last thing to keep in mind, this is just for previewing your particles in the game. If they are ever added to the game they are probably going to be added as a particle overwrite or a completely new particle system, not compiled as part of the model like this.
This is awesome! thank you so much!
So for my model, I don't WANT to add the particle to the hero, is there a way to add my particle to my specific model?
EDIT: I found out i could just decompile the shadow_demon_cape.mdl so i did that, and then put my attachment and keyvalues in, checking the @modelname and things were right.
still no particle effect
Here's an example from the Dendi F2P pudge set that has a particle that puts a crow on his shoulder.
$modelname "items/pudge/ftp_dendi_back/ftp_dendi_back.mdl" $bodygroup "default" { studio "ftp_dendi_back_reference.smd" } $lod 1 { replacemodel "ftp_dendi_back_reference.smd" "ftp_dendi_back_ftp_dendi_back_lod1.smd" } $attachment "attach_shoulder" "spine3" 28 -60 28 rotate 0 90 0 $surfaceprop "default" $contents "solid" $sequence "ref" "ftp_dendi_back_anims\ref.smd" { fps 30 }You would add the ambient particle block to the end of that for testing purposes. Keep in mind that the item will only have the bone chain that the item uses, so if it's for a weapon you can't add the attachment point to the head bone.
EDIT:: If i remember correctly, it was something about using my item, naming it shadow_demon_cape.mdl, and then replace the original file so that Crowbar would compile my model instead of the base model. Also, you should make a Custom game, do not test your item through the workshop importer if you want to try it out. your effects won't go through iirc, but nothing bad will happen.
my end .qc file was as follows:
$cd "C:\Users\mac\Desktop\shadow_demon\decompile" $modelname "heroes/shadow_demon/shadow_demon_cape.mdl" $model "default" "shadow_demon_cape_model.dmx.smd" $lod 1 { replacemodel "shadow_demon_cape_model.dmx.smd" "lod1_shadow_demon_cape_model.dmx.smd" } $cdmaterials "" $hboxset "default" $hbox 0 "spine1" 0.000 -41.029 -18.569 65.417 41.029 0.000 $hbox 0 "spine2" -3.025 -48.955 -25.658 24.097 48.955 33.098 $hbox 0 "spine3" -15.335 -43.753 -23.642 57.787 43.753 51.600 $hbox 0 "bicep_L" -2.614 -38.583 -27.596 78.754 14.019 22.425 $attachment "attach_gem" "spine2" -16 0 -35 rotate -90 0 0 $surfaceprop "default" $keyvalues { particles { effect { name "shadow_demon_brace_gem" attachment_type follow_attachment attachment_point attach_gem } } } $illumposition -5.914 -0.064 145.823 $sequence BindPose "BindPose" fps 30.00I would also suggest replacing the lod1 file with your item as well, even if you only have the lod0. But using the same file name is very important, otherwise it won't work.thanks for everything!
everytime I import my own saw, the timersaw particle effect disappears.
But the original decompiled qc has no particle attachement or anything.
Any idea what is happening?
All the dota2 vfx I'm playing with are .Vpcf files, which I'm testing in my test package:
Steam\steamapps\common\dota 2 beta\dota_ugc\content\dota_addons\test but I can't see in game (which run with the -override_vpk command)
I've been following this guide: http://www.workshophatemachine.com/2014/06/04/introduction-dota-2-particle-systems/ but without using the Alien Swarm SDK, as I want to use the DOTA2 particle editor.
The vfx which I extracted from the pak01_dir are in .pcf format and cannot be opened by the DOTA2 particle editor (only .vpcf).
Also, it seems to extract only a small part of the vfx, for example it only extract 1 fx file for each character, for example "hero_lich.pcf", while in my test folder I have many.vpcf related to the lich which I can modify in the editor.
I really don't know what to do anymore, I would like to bring my .vpcf I'm working on in the game, I tried many many things but I can't make it work.
Thank you very much
Daniele
First of all I couldn't open any vfx from the editor, this is because the DOTA2 particle editor apparently cannot open .pcf, but I found someone who converted them in .vpcf (I don't know how) and I downloaded the package so I can modify the vfx.
All the dota2 vfx I'm playing with are .Vpcf files, which I'm testing in my test package:
Steam\steamapps\common\dota 2 beta\dota_ugc\content\dota_addons\test but I can't see in game (which run with the -override_vpk command)
I've been following this guide: http://www.workshophatemachine.com/2014/06/04/introduction-dota-2-particle-systems/ but without using the Alien Swarm SDK, as I want to use the DOTA2 particle editor.
The vfx which I extracted from the pak01_dir are in .pcf format and cannot be opened by the DOTA2 particle editor (only .vpcf).
Also, it seems to extract only a small part of the vfx, it only extract 1 fx file for each character, for example "hero_lich.pcf", while in my test folder I have many .vpcf related to the lich which I can modify in the editor.
I really don't know what to do anymore, I would like to bring my .vpcf I'm working on in the game, I tried many many things but I can't make it work.
Thank you very much
Daniele
Valve have said that they are reworking their particle system workflow so I would recommend waiting for that to be released! At least that's what I'm doing
They actually said they don't want people submitting particle effects in the New Bloom event which ends sometime in January
If you can convert from .pcf to .vpcf, then you can probably convert the other way too. Who converted them for you? I'd like to know about this too as I get closer to poking at particles for the Hattery.
1. how to add particle effect on pudge hook like scorching talon hook had? because I know that particle effect can be added on item which had particle on it already, but pudge hook had no particle effect but the scorhing talon hook had it so I don't know how did they do it. can anyone shed some light on it?
2. second adding any custom particle effect to any spell which is bounded to any specific items only, how to do that? example: like some of juggernaut sword make bladedancer spell to show custom effect what is that? is that particle effect too? if so, then how to make it trigger when proc happens.
3. if I can add a totally new particle effect which an item doesn't had it before? if yes then how? and how to change the spell effects and animations what are they called as?
Please help me I would be glad and appreciate any help, I am totally a newbie in this but I am crazy for particle effects I want to make an item with particle effect on it.
Thanks in advance