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Canon tracer squares

mongoose said:
I know this has come up before but now I seem to have it. Solution(s)?
Click to expand...

It's a problem with the blend mode ( Add or QuadSprite) of the effect not matching the format of the dds file (with or without Alpha layer). If you know which effect it is a text edit could swap the blend mode between Add and QuadSprite to make it go away. The alternative is to remake the dds file using the other format.
 
Is this likely to be related to a particular cannon or shell and its effects or will it be across all? (Had to switch to a UK VPN as not getting regular connection with US IP addy)
 
Probably, but it most certainly is rooted in a line in effects.xml calling out the wrong type of dds file for the blend mode it's trying to use.
 
Well it seems to relate to a particlar cannon and shell; AvHistory_gr_round_Mg_FF for AvHistory_gr_gun_MG_FF. the only effects I see there are

<Weapon WeaponType="shell" ImpactDice="1" ImpactDieSize="1" ImpactOffset="31.33" BlastDice="1" BlastDieSize="1" BlastOffset="61.52" BlastRadius="1.3" FireDice="1" FireDieSize="1" FireOffset="11.3" ExplodeEffect="fx_grndexpl_t" GroundEffect="fx_bltgnd_m" AirEffect="fx_bltpln_m" WaterEffect="fx_bltwtr_m" TracerEffect="tracer_blue_smoke20"/>
 
This is what is in my effects.xml, and it seems to be working properly with the dds files I have.

<tracer_blue_smoke20 ClassName="TracerEffect" TracerLength="2.0" TracerWidth="2.0" TracerRorationSpeed="500" TracerBlendMode="Add" TracerSideTexture="tracerside5blue.dds" TracerEndTexture="tracerend5blue.dds" SmokeLength="1600" SmokeWidth=".9" SmokeRorationSpeed="1200" SmokeBlendMode="QuadSprite" SmokeSideTexture="tracerSmoke4.dds" SmokeEndTexture="black.DDS"/>

I have each of these dds files listed in my preload.xml as well.
 
Well I checked all that and OK. I checked my basic ETO install and all fine so I changed out the preload and effects; still an issue. Changed out all the relevant dds files and that did the trick. I must have picked up new dds files somewhere? Anyway now seems OK.
 
IIRC the latest aircraft packages offer some tracer textures which as MajorMagee says are in a different .dds format. This creates a mismatatch between the blendmode in the tracer effect called for in the effects file, and the blendmode in the dds testures in the fxtextures folder, if care is not taken to keep things consistent.

So maybe that's the source of our new textures. Alternatively there were optional textures provided in the recent effects package!
 
Back to this issue again. having it with some British cannon in my TOW ETO install but not with the same aircraft and cannon in my ETO install. I am assuming it is again something to do with various new effects, so the question is, will the new David/Andy combined effects.xml solve the problem and when will it be available?

I have already changed out all the fxtexture dds files to see if that helped but no joy.
 
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