Increase Flare Burn Duration

[FO4SoundModifications]

 

 

Is there a way to increase the size of the light with this aswell? I'd give any of this a try but I have no experience with nifSkope.

 

I strongly believe so, as that would make most sense, but i do not really know.

Maybe looking into some of the other, common light source NIFs, would hint at what to look for here.

 

 

Okay thats good. Do you have any help/guides to get me started on nifSkope?

You said you had already made progress with changing the duration of the flare effect, did you test it in-game?

[5133p39]

 

 

 

Is there a way to increase the size of the light with this aswell? I'd give any of this a try but I have no experience with nifSkope.

 

I strongly believe so, as that would make most sense, but i do not really know.

Maybe looking into some of the other, common light source NIFs, would hint at what to look for here.

 

 

Okay thats good. Do you have any help/guides to get me started on nifSkope?

You said you had already made progress with changing the duration of the flare effect, did you test it in-game?

 

 

Wait, that is not good, that is a big MAYBE :)

I do not KNOW whether the light parameters really are in the NIF - i presume they are, but i could be wrong.

Bascially, my answer to that question holds no informative value.

 

Yes, when i was trying to change the duration, i did test it in game by firing the flare gun, and the changes i made did affect the duration (as i wrote, i tried to shorten the duration to make it quicker and easier to see the effect - made it last only 5 secs, and so it did).

Basically what i did was changing value of every "Stop Time" variable i could find anywhere under the NiControllerManager (but also other places!).

The original value for "Stop Time" was 26.66668 or something like that, so i checked for all kinds of other variables having same or simmilar value and changed it accordingly - not only under the NiControllerManager, but everywhere else i found such value.

During this process, you will notice other variables, sort of like keyframes (for example NiControllerManager -> NiControllerSequence -> NiBoolTimelineInterpolator -> NiBoolData - in which block detail you expand the "Data" property and you'll see one example of many).

It's kind of like the process you follow when making your own videotapes for Videos of the Wasteland, except slightly more complicated and requiring significantly higher number of edits.

 

It shouldn't be hard to make sense of all those structures, and deduce their meaning and purpose, just brace yourself for you are about to dive into some seriously tedious work.

[FO4SoundModifications]

 

 

 

 

Is there a way to increase the size of the light with this aswell? I'd give any of this a try but I have no experience with nifSkope.

 

I strongly believe so, as that would make most sense, but i do not really know.

Maybe looking into some of the other, common light source NIFs, would hint at what to look for here.

 

 

Okay thats good. Do you have any help/guides to get me started on nifSkope?

You said you had already made progress with changing the duration of the flare effect, did you test it in-game?

 

 

Wait, that is not good, that is a big MAYBE :smile:

I do not KNOW whether the light parameters really are in the NIF - i presume they are, but i could be wrong.

Bascially, my answer to that question holds no informative value.

 

Yes, when i was trying to change the duration, i did test it in game by firing the flare gun, and the changes i made did affect the duration (as i wrote, i tried to shorten the duration to make it quicker and easier to see the effect - made it last only 5 secs, and so it did).

Basically what i did was changing value of every "Stop Time" variable i could find anywhere under the NiControllerManager (but also other places!).

The original value for "Stop Time" was 26.66668 or something like that, so i checked for all kinds of other variables having same or simmilar value and changed it accordingly - not only under the NiControllerManager, but everywhere else i found such value.

During this process, you will notice other variables, sort of like keyframes (for example NiControllerManager -> NiControllerSequence -> NiBoolTimelineInterpolator -> NiBoolData - in which block detail you expand the "Data" property and you'll see one example of many).

It's kind of like the process you follow when making your own videotapes for Videos of the Wasteland, except slightly more complicated and requiring significantly higher number of edits.

 

It shouldn't be hard to make sense of all those structures, and deduce their meaning and purpose, just brace yourself for you are about to dive into some seriously tedious work.

 

 

Alright so I started setting values to 260 seconds. I am starting to see why nobody has done this yet ;_;

So far I managed to have the flare effect burn for 260 seconds however the light emitted fades away after a short while (They actually do light up for 260 seconds when the game is paused for some reason). I'll play around with the values and see where it gets me

I'll update when I get some progress

Edited January 31, 2017 by FO4SoundModifications

[5133p39]

I think you can start by opening the "FlareFXExplosion.nif" in nifSkope, and then check ALL nodes for any properties having value similar to 26.6.

I suggest you set the "block list" view to a list and go over all the nodes, that way you wont need to expand the tree branches to see all underlying nodes (main menu "View" -> "Block List" -> "Show Blocks in List").

Then click on every node and look for value 26.666... in any of its properties listed in the "Block Detail" window (make sure to expand various properties, especially those named "Data" which usually contain "Keys" properties where you also need to change the Time values).

Sometimes the value is 26.66666, and sometimes the last digit is 8 isntead of 6 - not sure if its important, but could be, so reflect that difference when changing the values, just to be safe.

Be thorough, make sure you found all these values - do expand all properties, arrays, etc., to make sure you wont miss any (depending on which you would miss, it could result in failure - it could make it appear that your edits had no effect, while in fact maybe they had, only not without ALSO changing this value you missed)

 

If during this process you find any "Data" -> "Keys" having many many many "Keys", make note of this node - you will probably have to add more "Keys" to them, with gradually increased Time values up to the new duration (note the original last key value - if it goes up to 26, then you will need to add keys up to the new value, but if it originally ends sooner, make sure you reflect that when adding new keys).

But first only note these occurences, without adding the keys, so you can quicker see what happens if you simply change only the occurences of values 26.6

[5133p39]

Ahh, i see you are one step ahead of me :) good.

 

Well, the fact that the light fades away after a short while, might have something to do with those lists of "Keys" in the "Data" property of some of the NiFloatInterpolator nodes (and maybe others? i didn't checked).

 

Also, i wonder if the physical 3D position of various nodes has some actual meaning - use the "Show Nodes" button and notice how various named nodes are positioned (Drag001, Gravity001, etc.).

It could be that their relative position to each other, or some of the others, might have some meaning.

Maybe i am just overthinking it, but who knows.

[FO4SoundModifications]

I think you can start by opening the "FlareFXExplosion.nif" in nifSkope, and then check ALL nodes for any properties having value similar to 26.6.

I suggest you set the "block list" view to a list and go over all the nodes, that way you wont need to expand the tree branches to see all underlying nodes (main menu "View" -> "Block List" -> "Show Blocks in List").

Then click on every node and look for value 26.666... in any of its properties listed in the "Block Detail" window (make sure to expand various properties, especially those named "Data" which usually contain "Keys" properties where you also need to change the Time values).

Sometimes the value is 26.66666, and sometimes the last digit is 8 isntead of 6 - not sure if its important, but could be, so reflect that difference when changing the values, just to be safe.

Be thorough, make sure you found all these values - do expand all properties, arrays, etc., to make sure you wont miss any (depending on which you would miss, it could result in failure - it could make it appear that your edits had no effect, while in fact maybe they had, only not without ALSO changing this value you missed)

 

If during this process you find any "Data" -> "Keys" having many many many "Keys", make note of this node - you will probably have to add more "Keys" to them, with gradually increased Time values up to the new duration (note the original last key value - if it goes up to 26, then you will need to add keys up to the new value, but if it originally ends sooner, make sure you reflect that when adding new keys).

But first only note these occurences, without adding the keys, so you can quicker see what happens if you simply change only the occurences of values 26.6

 

Thanks, is there not a search option to find values? Would make my life a lot easier.

 

I found the Data with many Keys and my guess is they are related to two things

The glow attached to the flare effect, it can be seen flickering in size which match with the values switching in small & greater amounts.

This same effect is also seen on the actual light source, which hopefully answers my previous question, the light is most likely linked to the effect.

 

I'll keep messing with the value's until I can make sense of at least some of them. I'll update tomorrow

Edited January 31, 2017 by FO4SoundModifications

[FO4SoundModifications]

Okay so I messed around with the values some more

29 NiFloatData, 33 NiFloatData, 55 NiFloatData are controlling the Light and particle effect of the flare, just as expected. I've updated all last 5-10 keys to 260 seconds with a increased value and this does extend the duration of the flare.

However it stops them from flickering so I'm going to have to find a way to extend the list of keys and have them change values.

I have no idea on how to proceed with adding keys. I'm hoping there is at least a function to have a list of keys switch to random values and to an extended period of time. Doing this manually is going to be a pain I really hope I dont have to endure

EDIT:

Found out a bit more

29 NiFloatData controls the Light's Brightness,

33 NiFloatData controls the 2D Sprite,

55 NiFloatData controls the spark particles

Still looking for a way to extend the overall radius of the light. Seeing how theres no change in the total radius hopefully this can be changed with a single change of value.

EDIT 2:

Gotta say it can look quite good with some tweaked brightness (Vanilla Brightness)

http://i.imgur.com/LG7LQ13.jpg

Edited January 31, 2017 by FO4SoundModifications

[5133p39]

Looks really good.

 

Adding keys:

For example, find and select the node 33 NiFloatData, then in its block details expand the topmost "Data" property and locate the "Num Keys" underneath.

Simply change the value of "Num Keys" from 395 to 400, and then click on the green refresh icon next to the "Keys" collection just beneath it - note how 5 new key records have been added at the end.

Now you just need to edit the values in the new key records.

[5133p39]

Regarding the light...

 

I can't seem to find the "range" parameter anywhere, but i didn't search thoroughly enough yet.

I only noticed the 127 NiPointLight and its attenuation parameters - but those alone will nto suffice (although you might have to play with those values too), you still need to find how the range parameter is defined.

 

I really wonder if the 3D position of various nodes can have anything to do with the light range, etc.

Click the "Show Nodes" flat button, and look at the 155 NiNode named "BlastRadiusNode" - note its 3D distance from the 0 NiNode, and how all the other nodes are positioned in peculiar distances.

Then there is that 128 BSTriShape named "Plane001" - look at its shape - what happens if you scale it up?

 

I am obviously just guessing here, and i could be horribly wrong and i'd hate to sidetrack you, but i can imagine the distances between those nodes being used to control things like the light range or other things.

 

Silly me!

Have a look at the FXFlareLightRed in Creation Kit.

At first i thought it's used only for the initial explosion, so i ignored it.

But then i changed its color to bright green, just to make sure and tested it in game firing a flare, and i was wrong - it is indeed the very light you are looking for.

Edited January 31, 2017 by 5133p39

[FO4SoundModifications]

Looks really good.

 

Adding keys:

For example, find and select the node 33 NiFloatData, then in its block details expand the topmost "Data" property and locate the "Num Keys" underneath.

Simply change the value of "Num Keys" from 395 to 400, and then click on the green refresh icon next to the "Keys" collection just beneath it - note how 5 new key records have been added at the end.

Now you just need to edit the values in the new key records.

 

So I'll have to manually count it up? Any way to speed that process up because seeing how they had 400 keys for 26 seconds, i'll have to do 4000 keys for 260 seconds, that is beyond tedious :laugh:

 

 

Regarding the light...

 

I can't seem to find the "range" parameter anywhere, but i didn't search thoroughly enough yet.

I only noticed the 127 NiPointLight and its attenuation parameters - but those alone will nto suffice (although you might have to play with those values too), you still need to find how the range parameter is defined.

 

I really wonder if the 3D position of various nodes can have anything to do with the light range, etc.

Click the "Show Nodes" flat button, and look at the 155 NiNode named "BlastRadiusNode" - note its 3D distance from the 0 NiNode, and how all the other nodes are positioned in peculiar distances.

Then there is that 128 BSTriShape named "Plane001" - look at its shape - what happens if you scale it up?

 

I am obviously just guessing here, and i could be horribly wrong and i'd hate to sidetrack you, but i can imagine the distances between those nodes being used to control things like the light range or other things.

 

Silly me!

Have a look at the FXFlareLightRed in Creation Kit.

At first i thought it's used only for the initial explosion, so i ignored it.

But then i changed its color to bright green, just to make sure and tested it in game firing a flare, and i was wrong - it is indeed the very light you are looking fo

 

That makes sense, none of the nodes were connected to the source of the light and changing the values of a lot of the key pools had no change on the light aswell. I'll be sure to take a look at that

 

EDIT:

 

Okay I am a scrub at the creation kit aswell, where do I find FXFlareLightRed?

Edited January 31, 2017 by FO4SoundModifications