[SA] Creating 2dfx for your models

[DK22Pac]

Tools

RwAnalyze

2dfx tool

 

General information

2dfx is a section of .dff file in GTA:SA. This section allows attaching special things to models. In San Andreas we have 10 types of 2dfx effects. One of them can be added through .ide files only (furnitur 2dfx), so you couldn't put it into dff (it simply won't work).

 

2dfx section in RwAnalyze

We can find this section (if it exists) in Clump->Geometry List->Geometry->Extension section.

You can export/import this section by clicking RMB and selecting needed command.

After you exported the section, it will have no extension. Add ".2dfx" extension to the name of the file, so we could use it in 2dfx tool.

 

2dfx tool

This tool is very simple. It generates .txt file from .2dfx, and .2dfx files from .txt ones.

So, if you want to edit original 2dfx section, you need:

• export original section to file, add ".2dfx" extension to file's name;
• put .2dfx file to "2dfx" folder;
• launch SA2dfx.exe tool;
• open generated .txt file (it will be placed in same, "2dfx" folder) and edit it;
• put edited .txt file to "txt" folder;
• launch SA2dfx.exe tool;
• get generated .2dfx file from "txt" folder and import it into dff with RwAnalyze.

File structure

Text file starts with number of 2dfx effects in the section.

 

NumEntries       12

After this, effects are described.

Each effect has its own format, but all of them start with this:

 

2dfxType         LIGHT

Where "LIGHT" is effect type.

Available types are:

 

LIGHTPARTICLEPED_ATTRACTORSUNGLAREENEXROADSIGNSLOTMACHINEWHEELCOVERPOINTESCALATOR

After tool will read the effect type, it will select specific format read the information.

LIGHT type

This type is used to create a light. It consists of

• corona (2d sprite);
• shadow (projection on a ground);
• pointlight (dynamic light affects peds & vehicles).

Format of this section:

 

2dfxType         LIGHTPosition         2.468750 3.131592 4.541241Color            191 206 132 200CoronaFarClip    100.000000PointlightRange  18.000000CoronaSize       1.000000ShadowSize       8.000000CoronaShowMode   DEFAULTCoronaReflection 0CoronaFlareType  0ShadowColorMP    40ShadowZDistance  0CoronaTexName    coronastarShadowTexName    shad_expFlags1           AT_NIGHTFlags2           -ViewVector       0 0 100

I think most of parameter don't need additional explanation, we will look into some of them only.

CoronaShowMode

This param is like an additional type of light.

 

DEFAULTRANDOM_FLASHINGRANDOM_FLASHIN_ALWAYS_AT_WET_WEATHERLIGHTS_ANIM_SPEED_4XLIGHTS_ANIM_SPEED_2XLIGHTS_ANIM_SPEED_1XALWAYS_AT_WET_WEATHERTRAFFICLIGHTTRAINCROSSLIGHTAT_RAIN_ONLY5S_ON_5S_OFF6S_ON_4S_OFF6S_ON_4S_OFF_2

These are known modes. But you can also try unknown (put numbers 0-13 instead of text value).

Flags1

 

CORONA_CHECK_OBSTACLESFOG_TYPE1FOG_TYPE2WITHOUT_CORONACORONA_ONLY_AT_LONG_DISTANCEAT_DAYAT_NIGHTBLINKING1

Flags2

 

CORONA_ONLY_FROM_BELOWBLINKING2UDPDATE_HEIGHT_ABOVE_GROUNDCHECK_DIRECTIONBLINKING3

Using flags

If you want to use few flags, you need to separate them with "," symbol. If you don't want to use any of available flags, you must fill the field with symbol "-".

For example, this

 

Flags1   AT_DAY,AT_NIGHT

Will make the light is working during hole day.

 

PARTICLE

Attaching particle effect.

 

2dfxType         PARTICLEPosition         0.000000 0.000000 0.000000Name             simplefx

PED_ATTRACTOR

Attracting peds to model's object.

 

2dfxType         PED_ATTRACTORPosition         -0.572941 0.661896 0.030715Type             PED_SEAT_ATTRACTORRotation         -0.993852 0.006778 -0.110507  -0.993852 0.006778 -0.110507  0.995570 -0.009073 0.093582ExternalScript   -ExistingProb     75Unknown1         0Unknown2         0

Available types of attracting:

 

PED_ATM_ATTRACTORPED_SEAT_ATTRACTORPED_PIZZA_ATTRACTORPED_PIZZA_ATTRACTORPED_SHELTER_ATTRACTORPED_TRIGGER_SCRIPT_ATTRACTORPED_LOOK_AT_ATTRACTORPED_SCRIPTED_ATTRACTORPED_PARK_ATTRACTORPED_STEP_ATTRACTOR

If using type PED_TRIGGER_SCRIPT_ATTRACTOR, "ExternalScript" field must be filled with script name.

 

SUNGLARE

Simulating sun flare on a model with creating a corona.

 

2dfxType         SUNGLAREPosition         0.000000 0.000000 0.000000

ENEX

Attaches an enter-exip teleport to object

 

ROADSIGN

Attaches road sign text to object

 

2dfxType         ROADSIGNPosition         1637.679321 -2063.918701 28.069563Size             5.000000 2.500000Rotation         48.999981 -90.000008 -90.000015NumLines         4SymbolsInLine    16Color            WHITEText1            Bluffs_^_______Text2            Downtown_^_____Text3            Mulholland^____Text4            Vinewood_^_____

Color types

Attaches road sign text to object

 

WHITEBLACKGREENRED

SLOTMACHINEWHEEL

Defines slot machine wheel object in casino

 

2dfxType         SLOTMACHINEWHEELPosition         0.074211 0.510475 0.921751WheelIndex       0

COVERPOINT

A place where peds could cover while acting in firefight

 

2dfxType         COVERPOINTPosition         -0.637695 -12.929321 -4.864481XY               -0.000001 -1.000000Type             1

ESCALATOR

Attaches an escalator stairs to object

 

2dfxType         ESCALATORBasePosition     -0.957153 6.627189 -3.237147BottomPosition   -0.947021 4.526084 -3.237147TopPosition      -0.980835 -4.370117 3.380810EndPosition      -0.985107 -6.449219 3.380810Direction        UP

Direction types

 

UPDOWN

Edited March 3, 2015 by DK22Pac

[miclin]

Nice Tool and tutorial, thanks

 

I have one problem. I can't get the trafficlights to work.

 

Are they hardcoded to the models? Using the exact same 2dfx section of SA Trafficlights won't work on custom models. But making a own 2dfx section and replacing the satrafficlight with the custom model, works..

Edited September 20, 2014 by miclin

[TJGM]

Nice Tool and tutorial, thanks

 

I have one problem. I can't get the trafficlights to work.

 

Are they hardcoded to the models? Using the exact same 2dfx section of SA Trafficlights won't work on custom models. But making a own 2dfx section and replacing the satrafficlight with the custom model, works..

I'm pretty sure they're hardcoded.

[RestractPrime]

i has been follow your Tutorial @ZAZ , but why when i adding section it unknown ?

http://gtaforums.com/topic/525891-lightobjects-and-objects-with-2dfx-effects/?do=findComment&comment=1067197872

 

 

Any one can help me ?

Please fast repply , thank's for Tutorial btw

[Blackbird88]

Because you are missing some additional stuff that was discovered. Add these to RW_secs.ini under # Miscellaneous: section

0253F2F8=2dfx0253F200=Atomic Visibility Distance0253F2FD=Breakable model0253F201=Clump Visibility Distance0253F2FE=Frame0253F2FA=Collision Model0253F202=Frame Visibility Distance0253F2FB=GTA HAnim0253F2FD=Mesh extension0253F2F9=Night Vertex Colors0253F2F3=Pipeline set0253F2FC=Reflection material0253F2F6=Specular Material0253F2F5=TexDictionary Link0253F2F4=Unused 50253F2F7=Unused 80253F2FF=Unused 16

[RestractPrime]

 

Because you are missing some additional stuff that was discovered. Add these to RW_secs.ini under # Miscellaneous: section

0253F2F8=2dfx0253F200=Atomic Visibility Distance0253F2FD=Breakable model0253F201=Clump Visibility Distance0253F2FE=Frame0253F2FA=Collision Model0253F202=Frame Visibility Distance0253F2FB=GTA HAnim0253F2FD=Mesh extension0253F2F9=Night Vertex Colors0253F2F3=Pipeline set0253F2FC=Reflection material0253F2F6=Specular Material0253F2F5=TexDictionary Link0253F2F4=Unused 50253F2F7=Unused 80253F2FF=Unused 16

 

Blackbird88 : Thank you Balckbird , i will test it , thank's for info

[RestractPrime]

Blackbird or any one , i have one question again :\ , add section has done , but why that name not same :\ ? that is problem or not

at tutorial i saw 2dfx (R*) but at my RW just 2dfx

 

[Blackbird88]

It's just a name. It doesn't matter. You can name it whatever you want

[RestractPrime]

It's just a name. It doesn't matter. You can name it whatever you want

thank's for info , it's work , now i can add 2dfx feature to my own models

thank's for helped

[DK22Pac]

The tool was updated (3 weeks ago). Fixed problem with attractors (export), added more examples and a ReadMe file where all flags/constants are listed (most of them also have a description).

[pep legal]

Thanks for this update...I'm playing with that now, but I have a single (and old) question (maybe it's - or it is not - related to this topic) :

 

...inside that "additional stuff that was discovered" (like Blackbird said) is there any way to dynamically (in game) change texture of a model ? (preferably from a Cleo script)

 

Even by using any 2dfx trick, I need to switch textures of a model acording to time of day (Now I'm switching models - dozens of them. Changing only texture would be more...elegant).

 

Thanks.

Edited April 4, 2015 by pep legal

[cj2000]

PED_ATTRACTOR

Attracting peds to model's object.

 

2dfxType         PED_ATTRACTORPosition         -0.572941 0.661896 0.030715Type             PED_SEAT_ATTRACTORRotation         -0.993852 0.006778 -0.110507  -0.993852 0.006778 -0.110507  0.995570 -0.009073 0.093582ExternalScript   -ExistingProb     75Unknown1         0Unknown2         0

What that Rotation should represent? The rotation matrix or euler angles?

[cj2000]

Does that SUNGLARE effect realy exist in SA?

[DK22Pac]

On 6/9/2017 at 1:05 PM, cj2000 said:

What that Rotation should represent? The rotation matrix or euler angles?

It's not a matrix. Each 3 values represent a separated vector, one of them is used as direction, the second has something to do with peds' queue (can't remember exactly).

On 9/11/2018 at 4:44 PM, cj2000 said:

Does that SUNGLARE effect realy exist in SA?

It was not present on original models AFAIK.

[cj2000]

13 hours ago, DK22Pac said:

It's not a matrix. Each 3 values represent a separated vector, one of them is used as direction, the second has something to do with peds' queue (can't remember exactly).

It was not present on original models AFAIK.

I already know that ped effect not using matrix, but the first and second vector are containing the same values related to the rotation matrix.

Send you PM, so posibly we can discus it there.

Edited September 20, 2018 by cj2000

[Akiri]

I exported the right section in RWanalyze but after using 2dfx tool,only one sentence in txt,https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/431585781681881128/586838671475474433/QQ20190608162803.png

 

[Leinad]

You have done an amazing job Dk22pac, I liked the result of using this tool

 

 

 

[Thewitch2456]

sorry for bump but i can't figure out how to make night window for 3d model , it's seem like they using another texture plane to attach it on window and add some IDE , IPL file that i couldn't understand

, so can you guys help me out for the finished my texture project ? 

hope you guys reply me, thank you so much if you read it

[Dmitrysass]

Nice tool

[chaosbginwenrealityend]

Thanks for this wonderful tool. It's been very helpful in projects such as SAxVCxLC. I found a bug when making escalators and thought I would report it - even if this tool is no longer being maintained at least this may help someone.

 

This only happens with escalators. Nothing else so far.

 

The tool correctly decompiles a .2dfx file weather exported by RWAnalyse or created with this tool, but after editing the text file; saving; then compile; it doesn't compile the correct entry for 'UP' so the end result is the escalator works perfectly DOWN - regardless of how many entries. I've attached a screen shot so you can see. I found the error by decompiling the edited .2dfx after compiled and noticed both entries were DOWN even though I had the first entry as UP. After finding this error, I opened the compiled .2dfx file in a hex editor and edited the highlighted byte from 00 to 01 and then it worked as expected. Again, thank you for this excellent tool.

 

Spoiler

[img]https://i.imgur.com/TL0LXIx.png[/img]

working escalator after editing the above from 00 to 01  presumably 01 is UP and 00 is DOWN. This .2dfx has only 2 entries as you can see.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/FmjScEg.jpg[/img]

 

Edited March 12, 2021 by chaosbginwenrealityend

[IcarusMS]

My RW Analyze doesn't have the 2dfx even after adding it to the rw_secs.ini

[ZAZ]

On 9/12/2021 at 3:28 PM, IcarusMS said:

My RW Analyze doesn't have the 2dfx even after adding it to the rw_secs.ini

 

~ Go to "Clump > Geometry List > Geometry > Extension"

~ Rightclick on "Extension" and add "Add Section"

~ Insert Section  0x253F2F8

activate 2. field and overwrite 0x03 with 0x253F2F8

it becomes Type 0x253F2F8 2dfx(R*)

~ then Rightclick on new section 2dfx(R*) and Import Section Data(file)

 

 

[breant55]

On 11/24/2021 at 2:30 AM, ZAZ said:

 

~ Go to "Clump > Geometry List > Geometry > Extension"

~ Rightclick on "Extension" and add "Add Section"

~ Insert Section  0x253F2F8

activate 2. field and overwrite 0x03 with 0x253F2F8

it becomes Type 0x253F2F8 2dfx(R*)

~ then Rightclick on new section 2dfx(R*) and Import Section Data(file)

 

 

sir for used This tooll dff which folder i add and which  folder txt lines Please help.

[ZAZ]

Download SA2dfx_tool_03.03.2015.zip

Unpack SA2dfx_tool_03.03.2015.zip

SA2dfx_tool_03.03.2015(main folder)
-|
 --2dfx (subfolder)
 -- txt (subfolder)
 -- SA2dfx.exe


 (subfolder) 2dfx and (subfolder) txt must be stored in same (main)folder like SA2dfx.exe

 

---------------------------------------------------------------

Clear the folders txt and 2dfx, so that both folders empty

---------------------------------------------------------------

1.) Convert 2dfx from dff to txt file:
put 2dfx into 2dfx folder,
doubleclick on SA2dfx.exe
find txt inside txt folder

---------------------------------------------------------------

2.) Convert txt to 2dfx:
put txt into txt folder,
doubleclick on SA2dfx.exe
find 2dfx inside 2dfx folder

---------------------------------------------------------------

 

---------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------
Example 1.) Convert 2dfx from dff to txt file:
- Clear the folders txt and 2dfx, so that both folders empty
- Open cj_t_ticket_ped.dff with RW Analyse
- export the section of Extension that have 0x253F2F8
- save it as <anyname>.2dfx or rename it later so that it have file format *.2dfx
- put <anyname>.2dfx into 2dfx folder
- doubleclick on SA2dfx.exe
find text based file.txt inside txt folder

---------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

Example 2.) Convert txt to 2dfx:
- Clear the folders txt and 2dfx, so that both folders empty
- prepair textbased 2dfx_file.txt
- put 2dfx_file.txt into txt folder
- doubleclick on SA2dfx.exe
- find 2dfx_file.2dfx inside 2dfx folder
- Open *.dff with RW Analyse
- import 2dfx_file.2dfx to the section of Extension that have 0x253F2F8

---------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

Example for textbased 2dfx_file.txt could be:

 

NumEntries       2
######################### 1 #########################
2dfxType         PED_ATTRACTOR
Position        1.7 1.1 4.9
Type             PED_SEAT_ATTRACTOR
Rotation         -0.000092 -1.000000 0.000000  -0.002005 0.999998 0.000000  0.000863 -1.000000 0.000000
ExternalScript   -
ExistingProb     75
Unknown1         0
Unknown2         0
######################### 2 #########################
2dfxType         PED_ATTRACTOR
Position         -1.7 -1.1 4.9
Type             PED_PARK_ATTRACTOR
Rotation         -0.000092 -1.000000 0.000000  -0.002005 0.999998 0.000000  0.000863 -1.000000 0.000000
ExternalScript   -
ExistingProb     75
Unknown1         0
Unknown2         0

the dff would spawn 2 peds, one ped sit, one ped lies like on beach