Spell Modding Tutorial

Written by: Hazmat
Edited by: El Heffe

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Page Index

This tutorial contains a great deal of information, and is, therefore, spread over several pages. Please use the index below to navigate the tutorial. The current page will be in large red letters in the index.

1.0 Tag Explanations

1.0.a Effect Tag Explanations

2.0 Templates and examples

2.1 Projectile Spell

2.2 Targeted Spell

2.3 Area Spell

2.4 Point Blank Area Spell

2.5 Defense Buff Spell

2.6 Defense Heal Spell

2.7 Summon Spell

3.0 Spell Item

4.0 Effect Archive

2.0 Templates and Examples

2.1.1 Example Spell - Fireball

Though covered in-depth earlier in this tutorial, each example spell will have some comment line reminders for the various tags and values.

[SPELL]

<SPHERE>:ATTACK
##Associates your new spell with a magic skill.
##Values: ATTACK : DEFENSE : CHARM

<NAME>:Fireball
##Pick a name for your new spell.
##Values: any alpha-numeric string.

<TARGET_ALIGNMENT>:EVIL
##Determines who or what is affected by the spell.
##Values: EVIL : ALL

<TARGET>:PROJECTILE
##Sets the target value for your spell.
##Values: PROJECTILE : CHARACTER : AREA : USERAREA : USER : USERANDPETS : ITEM

<CAST_TIME>:1
##Sets the spell’s casting time in seconds.

<MANA>:12
##Sets the amount of mana used per casting of the spell.

<ICON>:ICONS/spellfireball.png:ICONS/spellfireballa.png
##See pages:
##El Heffe’s The Icon Ramble
##Tiptoe’ Icon Tutorial
##For more information on icons.

<DESCRIPTION>:Fireball flies straight, inflicting damage on impact\nfor
2-7 damage.\n+2 points of damage per Attack Skill level
##The lines that describe the spell when moused-over in the game.
##The "\n" string is used to indicate hard line breaks.
[PAYLOADEFFECT]
##Opens the EFFECT stanza.
##Values: EFFECT : PAYLOADEFFECT

<ACTIVATION>:USAGE
##Determines how the effect is activated.
##All spells are activated by USAGE, no exceptions.

<TYPE>:HPRECHARGE
##This determines exactly what the spell does.
##Values: See the Effect Archive

<DURATION>:INSTANT
##Sets the length of time the effect remains active.
##Values: INSTANT (all at once) : Any positive number in seconds.

<VALUE>:-2
##Sets how the spell type is affected. (-2 hprecharge).
##Values: low-end of a min-max pairing.

<VALUE2>:-7
##Sets how the spell type is affected. (-7 hprecharge).
##Values: high-end of a min-max pairing.

<VALUE_BONUS>:-2
##Sets the bonus per level of Attack Magic skill to -2.
##Low-end of a min-max pairing.

<VALUE2_BONUS>:-2
##Sets the bonus per level of Attack Magic skill to -2.
##High-end of a min-max pairing.

<DAMAGE_TYPE>:FIRE
##Sets the damage type to FIRE for resistance checks.

<SFX>:FOLLOWOWNER:.5:1:0:0:SPELLS/EFFECTS/FIREPUFF/firepuff.mdl:0:0
##Sets the details of this effect’s "Special Effect".

[/PAYLOADEFFECT]
##Closes the EFFECT stanza.

#sfx:type:duration:looping:speed:turnrate:path to effect:exclusive:respect bonuses
##Comment line that offers clues on what the various values mean for the SFX tag lines.

<SFX>:PROJECTILECHARACTER:2:1:35:0:SPELLS/EFFECTS/FIREBALL/fireball.mdl:0:1
##Sets the details of this spell’s "Special Effect".

<SOUND>:SUCCESS:SOUNDS/BATTLE/firehit.wav
##Path to sound resource.

<SOUND>:FAIL:SOUNDS/SPELLS/fail.wav
##Path to sound resource.

<SOUND>:CHANT:SOUNDS/SPELLS/cast4.wav
##Path to sound resource.

<SOUND>:STRIKE:SOUNDS/FX/explode2.wav
##Path to sound resource.

<CAST_PARTICLE>:SPARK:0:0:0
##Sets details for the spell’s particle effect, if any.

<CAST_PARTICLE>:TINYFASTGLEAM:0:0:0
##Sets details for the spell’s other particle effect, if any.

<REQUIRES>:MAGIC:15
##Sets the minimum value for the Magic Attribute a character must have to use the spell.

[/SPELL]

2.1.2 Projectile Spell Template

Here you'll find a Cut-and-Paste template and tag descriptions that you can use to make your own Projectile spell. Projectiles are simple, low-level spells, that require basic modding skill to complete and are feasible for a first-time modder. A projectile spell, once cast, goes straight in the direction it was cast, and puts forth no effort to home in on a target. This spell can not be sent through walls, and any item with a collidable tag (i.e. props) will block the projectile.

This template is based on the Fireball spell. Cut and paste it into your "spells.dat" file then fill in the blanks.

Important: Make sure you replace any text that is high-lighted and enclosed in *asterisks* with proper values!

Comment lines: All text following a pound sign "#" are informational only, and will be ignored by the game. These lines can safely removed or left as is.

[SPELL]
<SPHERE>:*
<NAME>:*
<TARGET_ALIGNMENT>:* <TARGET>:PROJECTILE
<CAST_TIME>:*
<MANA>:*
<ICON>:ICONS/spellfireball.png:ICONS/spellfireballa.png
<DESCRIPTION>:*Name* flies straight, inflicting damage on impact\nfor
*Damage Min - Max* damage.\n*Bonus* points of damage per Attack Skill level

[PAYLOADEFFECT]
<ACTIVATION>:USAGE
<TYPE>:HPRECHARGE
<DURATION>:INSTANT
<VALUE>:*
<VALUE2>:*
<VALUE_BONUS>:*
<VALUE2_BONUS>:*
<DAMAGE_TYPE>:*
<SFX>:FOLLOWOWNER:.5:1:0:0:*Animation*:0:0
[/PAYLOADEFFECT]

<SFX>:PROJECTILECHARACTER:2:1:35:0:SPELLS/EFFECTS/FIREBALL/fireball.mdl:0:1
<SOUND>:SUCCESS:SOUNDS/BATTLE/firehit.wav
<SOUND>:FAIL:SOUNDS/SPELLS/fail.wav
<SOUND>:CHANT:SOUNDS/SPELLS/cast4.wav
<SOUND>:STRIKE:SOUNDS/FX/explode2.wav
<CAST_PARTICLE>:SPARK:0:0:0
<CAST_PARTICLE>:TINYFASTGLEAM:0:0:0
<REQUIRES>:MAGIC:*
[/SPELL]

Template Page Index