EE2: AOS Bug - HERCs Force Shields look bad

[Dr.MonaLisa]

Hi.

I noticed that the Force Shields of HERC Hades "Anti-Missile System" and HERC Hera "Cast Shield" are broken on EE2: AOS.

Here are examples:

Normal EE2 (looks good):

EE2_ScreenShot994.jpg (460.37 KiB) Viewed 7388 times

EE2: AOS (looks bad):

EE2_ScreenShot586.jpg (367.08 KiB) Viewed 7388 times

It is controlled by: EE2X_db.zip\EE2X_db\Visuals\effects_visual.ddf
The "HERC_AntiMissileSystem" and "HERC_Shield" doesn't differ in this file (it's the same on EE2, and the same on AOS).
I edited it to the following:

Code: Select all

//---------------------------------------------
//Force field
//
VisualForceFieldDC	HERC_AntiMissileSystem
{
	//Shield born
	fadeInSecond = 0.5
	fadeInScale = true
	fadeInTransparency = true
	//Shield death
	fadeOutSecond = 6
	fadeOutScale = true
	fadeOutTransparency = true
	//Geometry
	shieldNameVHigh = fx_anti_missile_aos15.nif
	shieldNameHigh = fx_anti_missile_aos15.nif
	shieldNameMedium = fx_anti_missile_aos15.nif
	shieldNameLow = fx_anti_missile_aos15.nif	
	impactNameVHigh = fx_anti_missile_splash_aos15.nif
	impactNameHigh = fx_anti_missile_splash_aos15.nif
	impactNameMedium = fx_anti_missile_splash_aos15.nif
	impactNameLow = fx_anti_missile_splash_aos15.nif
		
	// radius in world space
	// @NOTE - should match radius of shield
	//         in associated area effect.
	shieldRadius = 4
	
	//Message
	msgStartEffect = BeginForceField
	msgStopEffect = EndForceField
	msgImpact = HitForceField
}

VisualForceFieldDC	HERC_Shield
{
	//Shield born
	fadeInSecond = 0.5
	fadeInScale = true
	fadeInTransparency = true
	//Shield death
	fadeOutSecond = 6
	fadeOutScale = true
	fadeOutTransparency = true
	//Geometry
	shieldNameVHigh = fx_anti_missile.nif
	shieldNameHigh = fx_anti_missile.nif
	shieldNameMedium = fx_anti_missile.nif
	shieldNameLow = fx_anti_missile.nif
	impactNameVHigh = fx_anti_missile_splash.nif
	impactNameHigh = fx_anti_missile_splash.nif
	impactNameMedium = fx_anti_missile_splash.nif
	impactNameLow = fx_anti_missile_splash.nif
		
	// radius in world space
	shieldRadius = 2
	
	//Message
	msgStartEffect = BeginForceField
	msgStopEffect = EndForceField
	msgImpact = HitForceField
}

And I placed a copy of .nif files "fx_anti_missile_aos15.nif" and "fx_anti_missile_splash_aos15.nif" in zips\db_150.zip\graphics\cache\nifcache.
AOS seems to read the new file then. I tried to change some colors by editing .nif, but nothing helped to resolve this issue.
I believe it's rather a problem in .tga textures. I remember Loew used to fix tress for AOS in some way. It's possible that .tga textures need to be edited for AOS, to remove some incompatibility.

I tested and this bug is present on the normal EE2: AOS in ver. 1.0, so it's not related to any of UP1.5 updates.

Does anyone know what can be the problem, and can try to fix it?

[Sat42]

Amazing the kind of bugs you discover from the vanilla game, even after all this time.

I am of no help here, but it looks like they never did spend much time supporting EEII after the release of EEII:AoS.

[Dr.MonaLisa]

I forgot to update this topic.

I've released a pseudo fix for this issue:
https://www.ee2.eu/patch/changes/#157030
[157030 - 2020-01-27 - Type: Monthly Update]:

— Improved the ugly HERC Hades "Anti-Missile System" and HERC Hera "Cast Shield" powers visual effects on EE2: AOS (expansion pack). Due to the lighting system present on AOS, they looked buggy (very cyan, almost non-transparent dome). The new, fixed effect doesn't look as good as the EE2 version (less visible electric waves), but the dome is much more transparent and doesn't longer negatively affect gameplay. Before/After screenshots are available in this forum topic: viewtopic.php?f=54&t=5309