SSE Getting multiple magic effects to play simultaneously.

[RatB0Y68]

I've given up trying to merge the meshes in Nifskope, it's beyond my understanding. Instead, I wonder if it's possible to use scripts to make the separate magic effects play at the same time.

 

For example, to make a spell launch 3 projectiles - a firebolt, an ice spike, a shock orb - launch at once, then play each element's impact effect.

Or to make a spell with 3 stacked explosions, fire, frost & shock. All at once.

 

I know that there are vanilla scripts that allow stacking additional hit shaders (such as with the shield spell), as well as adding cast & target point effects. I don't know how to reverse engineer these to apply to impact effects, projectiles or explosions.

I also know very little about scripting, so please explain like I'm five.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[maxarturo]

"I wonder if it's possible to use scripts to make the separate magic effects play at the same time."

No, you can't, you can only play one Effect Shader at a time.

If you use a script to play 3 different shaders, then one will overwritte the other leaving the last one active. It's either a frost, a fire or a shock shader.

VisualEffect on the other hand, you can apply more than one, but it depends on the VisualEffects that will be working together.

"For example, to make a spell launch 3 projectiles - a firebolt, an ice spike, a shock orb - launch at once"

You can create a projectile that will include all 3 of them, but this is done outside CK, one way is through NifSkope, or create it in a programm like 3dMax.

But, the hit shader will always be only one, since you can apply only one through the CK's default Magic Effect tool.

As for using a script for this, it can't be done in an easy way, it needs too much scripting because using the function 'Cast', you can't target the actor, it will always cast it in '0' axes in front of the actor.

"Or to make a spell with 3 stacked explosions, fire, frost & shock. All at once."

You need a script for this:

1) Create a spell with a projectile of type 'Fire And Forget'

2) Create an enchantment

- Archtype = Script

- Add this script to the Enchantment's magic effect:

Explosion Property Explo01 Auto

Explosion Property Explo02 Auto

Explosion Property Explo03 Auto

 

EVENT OnEffectStart(Actor akTarget, Actor akCaster)

             akTarget.PlaceAtMe(Explo01)

             akTarget.PlaceAtMe(Explo02)

             akTarget.PlaceAtMe(Explo03)

ENDEVENT

3) In your spell's projectile add the Enchantment you created in step '2'

"I know that there are vanilla scripts that allow stacking additional hit shaders"

This is a combination of EffectShader with VisualEffect.

"as well as adding cast & target point effects"

I don't understand what you are trying to say here.

Edited November 14, 2022 by maxarturo

[RatB0Y68]

The absorb health, magicka & stamina effects have a script attached which adds additional magic effects to trigger on the caster (cast point) & the target (target point). This is what I was thinking of.

This explosion script is exactly what I'm looking for, thank you very much.

[maxarturo]

EDIT: Scratch this post, I'm too tiered and I'm confusing games.

Ok, I undersatnd, but I'm about to hit the bed now.

Edited November 14, 2022 by maxarturo

[thumbincubation]

I tried my hand at that a few years back, combined a lightning bolt, firebolt, and ice spike into one fast projectile. The sticking point, and I was never able to resolve it, was that while the ice spike seemed to be fine, I could either have a fiery tail on the firebolt or a lighting bolt, but not both. I ended up with a fire orb, without the tail, so that at least all 3 were represented in the same projectile, and each left their mark on the target simultaneously. On the bright side, if you crank up the projectile speed, it doesn't show much. I explained it as the lightning making the other two faster than they would be, but them dragging the lightning down considerably. At the time, I was using trial and error, so I can't remember exactly how I got them all to stick together in nifskope, but I'll be glad to send you the mesh, if you want to play around with it. There was also one called Infernice, which was a 3-spike ice volley combined with a fireball. I am guessing because only to vanilla meshes were combined, that one did retain the fiery tail, but no luck getting lightning into that either.

 

[RatB0Y68]

No need, I've given up trying to do it. Instead I'm going for making a set of dark magic style spells. Thanks anyway though.

[maxarturo]

I was too tired yesterday and I was confusing games and forgetting things.

So, I'll write this again in a proper order to not confuse you and others that may need this.

1) Create a Magic Effect with archetype = script

and add to it this script:

* Don't forget to fill in the script's properties with the explosions you desire.

Explosion Property Explo01 Auto

Explosion Property Explo02 Auto

Explosion Property Explo03 Auto

 

EVENT OnEffectStart(Actor akTarget, Actor akCaster)

             akTarget.PlaceAtMe(Explo01)

             akTarget.PlaceAtMe(Explo02)

             akTarget.PlaceAtMe(Explo03)

ENDEVENT

2) Create an 'Enchantment' and add to it the MagicEffect you created in step '1'

3) Find and duplicate an 'Explosion' to your likings (give it a unique ID).

* if I remember correctly there is an empty explosion in CK that serves for applications like this one.

* By 'Empty' I mean: An exlosion that dosen't have any visuals or FXs, it's just an empty FX used to deliver to the spell's target things like this (the script).

4) Add to your explosion the enchantment you created in step '2'.

5) In your Main Spell's MagicEffect add a projectile to your likings and the explosion you created in step '3'.

Now, go in game and spread some mayhem.

Edited November 15, 2022 by maxarturo

[RatB0Y68]

I managed to get the multi-explosions working following your original instructions, I only encountered a slight issue where the explosions only trigger on hitting a combat target, rather than hitting anything else. Still, progress.

[maxarturo]

This is because the Papyrus event react only to actors:

OnEffectStart(Actor akTarget, Actor akCaster)

Edited November 15, 2022 by maxarturo

[Sphered]

If you want meshes merged I can take a look. Assuming you are dealing with multiple Controller Managers, and yeah you have to do some niche steps to make them work together