Classic Spell Effects Do Not Come Out of Hands

Tabidzukare · #1 04-20-2009, 06:17 PM

Hi Aaron,

It's interesting that you have that sort of result with the bard songs.. Perhaps there is more in depth testing to be done regarding this... because for me (I can't remember what config) the bard songs were the *only* thing that worked.. I have a level 28 Bard on my own ML server, and the effects for the songs I use work fine... Melodic Binding, Selos, Bruscos Bellow / Dissonance line as well as the attack lines. I'll try out the healing line and report back what's going on there later today (I should have time).

The ice comet, comment is interesting is also. We need to find out more external links that control origins for spells or at least where those graphics are controlled!!

Keep up your work everyone, either we'll crack this issue or we'll learn enough to know it's out of our hands (legally).

**trevius** · #2 04-20-2009, 10:23 PM

Tabidzukare,

From what you reported from your testing, it now sounds to me like the paths.ini file may be used for the client to reference for certain things. I haven't looked at the file yet, but if there are actual offsets in there, it may be that this file is where it tells the client where to look in memory when doing some actions. If so, and if this is where the hand info originally came from, then maybe it is still in memory somewhere, but wasn't updated in this file because they don't use it like that anymore. And, if that is true, then if you can figure out which one is to set the hand location, then it may still be possible to set the correct offset in that file so that it points to the right place in memory. But, that also assumes that the memory for hands is still being set at all. Considering how lazy SOE is about removing old unused code and files, it is fairly possible that this could be done with the right expertise.

That idea is assuming alot of stuff that I don't easily have a way to check, but it is something to maybe consider. It would take someone with more offset knowledge than myself to have any clue where to find this info in memory, though. Since this is purely speculation at this point, I don't want you to get too hung up on it, but figured it would be worth mentioning.

Also, the .eff files are effect files and they probably contain multiple effects within each file. You can probably think of them like a .zip file with a bunch of sound and graphic files in them. I don't know that for sure, but that is essentially what the .S3D and .EQG files are.

Tabidzukare · #3 04-21-2009, 01:02 AM

Trevius!

Thanks so much again for taking the time to share your insight into this issue. I will certainly begin testing now on altering data within the paths.ini file for original spells and whether or not it has an effect. I won't have time perhaps for a day or so with work and what not to do proper testing.

I'm putting attention out to others interested in the results of these tests but who have been as of yet... un-interested in helping to produce them to help me out a bit. I have only a slow 8 year old laptop I do work on outside of work and while I can go in and test spell offsets (by posting at a 0 0 0 mark and watching for a difference) by myself, after about 3 log outs from my own ML server my machine starts begging for mercy and I have to shut down for a few minutes. In addition the more minds working on this problem the faster it will get resolved.

Again thanks for your helpful information I have several ideas from it and only wish I could test and post results more quickly. Whether or not 'victory' over this problem is at hand or not knowledge certainly is and one way or the other we can at least put it to rest definitively. (This of course is assuming we will stick to 'legal' means of affecting this ability to display spells properly i.e. not altering the client itself. Which I for one plan on sticking to (legality that is..))

Kindest Regards ~~

**trevius** · #4 04-21-2009, 03:05 AM

LOL, when you said offsets, I was thinking of the Memory kind, which is not the case in the path.ini file. I finally checked out the file and after looking at it and the path.tga file in the same directory, it appears that it is only used for the "find NPC or Player" path thing. The glowing trail that you see that leads you to something you have selected to find. I don't think that should have anything to do with the hands thing. So, you can probably ignore that file.

Tabidzukare · #5 04-21-2009, 03:49 AM

Wow, that's great to know as that will save a ton of time. The next task however is finding out whether or not the hands animation is stored separately of the bursting effects. I'm thinking it has to be but the two might be stored within the .eff file. I'll look into it more in depth but does anyone know off-hand whether or not there is a way to open or manipulate the .eff files themselves?? Also, I'll try manipulating that paths.ini file regardless and seeing whether or not altering it changes anything about that line for the Finder. Hehe, it's so interesting to see where all the little pieces of the game come from. Thanks again for that information Trevius.

Kindest Regards~

aaron1231 · #6 04-23-2009, 11:19 PM

No one has figured anything out? I cant program, so I cant personally work on it, but I would love for it to be fixed? Make sure you check out the Bard song effects when you are doing testing..

Tabidzukare, I deleted the normal files, at first just the .eff and .edd files I moved out. Then when I saw it did not work I tried to move out the geequip etc. etc. So, I got all the spells to work like they would for anyone else, on my shaman and other characters. But My bard only had the Selo/mez orb style effect that worked. No hands still on my shaman.. But I know thats still an issue.

Thanks

Tabidzukare · #7 04-24-2009, 02:59 PM

Hey there,

Well, I'm on another block of interest for the time being with extracting EQ's models and zones for other uses so I've taken a rest from this issue. However, I did want to comment on the bard songs.. Here are some photos of my bard on my ML server using things like haste/HoT, I have more screen just not on that flickr page atm. But the fire based DoT's show up properly, of course Selo's works fine as do the mez's. I am currently running on a goofy setup of files because I did all those tests.. However if we can get some other people using the 'classic spell graphics' to do a quick test for you with a bard, we can start narrowing down your particular problem with the songs.

As you can see here, they're working fine on my current setup (Interestingly Selo's sprays from the bum like ice comet.. definitely hilarious though sad at the same time..). Can anyone else verify their functionality with just a basic setup of the removed spellsnew.eff/.edd files??

And a final mention: we will solve this problem either in the fashion we want to (correcting the hand position) or find out it is out of the legal realm of our influence. I can't program (not really) either, however you CAN dig into the EQ directory and start messing things up and trying to get results, that's how it all starts my friend. Hang in there with the bard spells issue, we'll get it solved for you too.

Kindest Regards~~