Map lighting

[RingsOfReznor]

I think we all remember that cool    Liberty Lad mission "Looking for Trouble"

As I was playing with ReShade to enhance lighting & shadows I noticed a couple of cool things. Firstly the environmental light and shadows are pretty accurate in the base game, coming almost entirely from streetlights. Secondly, the map actually does have directional lighting for unit models - the streetlights will both light & shade our hero correctly when he's in range.

Some questions:
1. Are there any custom maps / mods which make use of this engine feature?
2. Can the reactive lighting be extended to objects in the environment?
3. Noting the progress of hardware since the game's release, is there any capability to enable more realistic unit shadows like what we have in  but additionally have them also react more accurately to light sources?

ReShade comparison:
Base game
Tonemap, SMAA, HDR Bloom, Color Isolation
all + UberRT

[BentonGrey]

Howdy RoR, I don't know much about the technical side, but I THINK the advanced mod by one of our most talented folks used some of those mechanics...gosh...I can't remember the creator's name or the mod....the mod featured a real-world-ish scenario, with cell-shaded art, and a unique approach.  I know that is super vague, but I'll try to remember the creator's name.

[RingsOfReznor]

Hi Benton, thanks for your kind consideration.

I'm sure that modder was able to implement some transformative effects - after all the engine NetImmerse/Gamebryo is also the engine behind Morrowind, Oblivion & Skyrim.

If the mod is discovered I'd be very interested in giving it a whirl!

[Randomdays]

Maybe this will help you guys... its a list by Prev from 2012 of all the mods for both games at the time. Even if the links are bad it might job Benton's memory, and some might to be able to be recovered with wayback

https://www.freedomreborn.net/forums/index.php?topic=48992.msg668433#msg668433

[cmdrkoenig67]

Howdy RoR, I don't know much about the technical side, but I THINK the advanced mod by one of our most talented folks used some of those mechanics...gosh...I can't remember the creator's name or the mod....the mod featured a real-world-ish scenario, with cell-shaded art, and a unique approach.  I know that is super vague, but I'll try to remember the creator's name.

I believe it might be "The Reformed" mod, that you may be thinking of, Benton.

Dana

[Randomdays]

Great job on that Dana!

Its here under the "FF Mods/ Full Mods" folder along with the update

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/t7fylz4xplqto/Freedom_Force_Zips

[RingsOfReznor]

Thanks everyone for your help! I just got around to installing and it went flawlessly on linux. The only caveat was drive lettering however the FFX3.3 installer got the path correct and I used the same input with the Reformed folder name to do the mod & patch install.

Very impressed with the quality of the mod, it really makes great use of the engine's lighting capabilities and I'm already having some fun with ReShade... maybe a bit too much? 

[Randomdays]

Looks very nice

[cranlox]

Maybe it's because I like Coca-Cola or because of the image, but that poster looks great.

[RingsOfReznor]

Thanks for the feedback!

If you have a favourite scene from the game or a mod, let me know and I can develop a ReShade raytraced preset sometime.

Performance-wise it's not even a fraction of the raytracing in modern games, you will probably get a playable framerate on a GTX 1060 / RX 580.

[cranlox]

I never know out how to install new maps for use in battle. I don't know if it makes sense to ask you then... but your images look really great.

[Randomdays]

Go to Goggles site on Freedomforce4ever;

https://gpwarehouse.freedomforce4ever.com/

Download his FF1 map pack - it has 160+ maps from FF1 converted to FFvt3R.

Follow the instructions

Have fun!

[cranlox]

Go to Goggles site on Freedomforce4ever;

https://gpwarehouse.freedomforce4ever.com/

Download his FF1 map pack - it has 160+ maps from FF1 converted to FFvt3R.

Follow the instructions

Have fun!

I've always struggled with it; my PC doesn't use EZScript. I suppose that complicates things, but I'll try anyway. I have a 32-bit architecture.

[Randomdays]

32 bit shouldn't matter since its an old archive.

I just checked and the link is bad.

Tomato?

For now, since I have it, I'll put it in my requests folder to download.

I don't think you need ezscript.

Instructions from the readme;


1. Extract the rar file into your FFvTR directory. There should now be a directory called "ffx3_Mappack." You can extract it to a different location and copy it over manually if you want to be extra cautious.

2. Run the FFX control center on the "ffx3_Mappack" folder to initialize the hero files
So I would say, you do need ffx3 installed (since the title of the rar is "ffx3_Mappack that's kind of assumed.)

2b. (optional) Copy over any hero customizations you have done from your regular ffx3 directory

3. Use the included shortcut to start the game (if you have the game installed somewhere other than "C:\Program Files\Irrational Games\Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich" you will need to edit it accordingly.)

Hopefully that should be it.


Notes:
----------------------------
There are 5 maps that crash the game. My guess is that its some lone object on the map causing problems. I have included these 5 in a the directory "/missions/!CrashGame/" for those that have an inkling to try and make them work

The problem with the street corner textures appearing dark has been 'partially' fixed. The sidewalks now look correct texturewise, though the street texture now partially overlay the ends of the crosswalk. This was the best compromise of look vs. time spent.

There will probably still be the occasional bug or quirk or error. With this size release some are bound to get through. However all the maps should be playable.

And finally, a big thanks to everyone show showed interest and helped test this latest release (especially Humanton for finding all manner of things that I would have missed)


More - I don't do  lot with maps besides tinkering with my own a while back and installing FFX3 and this map pack a while ago.. I think you need to merge dats to make everything work when doing a single map through the editor.

Benton would probably know more.

[cranlox]

32 bit shouldn't matter since its an old archive.

I just checked and the link is bad.

Tomato?

For now, since I have it, I'll put it in my requests folder to download.

I don't think you need ezscript.

Instructions from the readme;


1. Extract the rar file into your FFvTR directory. There should now be a directory called "ffx3_Mappack." You can extract it to a different location and copy it over manually if you want to be extra cautious.

2. Run the FFX control center on the "ffx3_Mappack" folder to initialize the hero files
So I would say, you do need ffx3 installed (since the title of the rar is "ffx3_Mappack that's kind of assumed.)

2b. (optional) Copy over any hero customizations you have done from your regular ffx3 directory

3. Use the included shortcut to start the game (if you have the game installed somewhere other than "C:\Program Files\Irrational Games\Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich" you will need to edit it accordingly.)

Hopefully that should be it.


Notes:
----------------------------
There are 5 maps that crash the game. My guess is that its some lone object on the map causing problems. I have included these 5 in a the directory "/missions/!CrashGame/" for those that have an inkling to try and make them work

The problem with the street corner textures appearing dark has been 'partially' fixed. The sidewalks now look correct texturewise, though the street texture now partially overlay the ends of the crosswalk. This was the best compromise of look vs. time spent.

There will probably still be the occasional bug or quirk or error. With this size release some are bound to get through. However all the maps should be playable.

And finally, a big thanks to everyone show showed interest and helped test this latest release (especially Humanton for finding all manner of things that I would have missed)


More - I don't do  lot with maps besides tinkering with my own a while back and installing FFX3 and this map pack a while ago.. I think you need to merge dats to make everything work when doing a single map through the editor.

Benton would probably know more.

Wow, that's a lot of steps! I'm going to try extracting the maps and loading them manually like I did with the DM ones. I'll see if that works. I have too much voice and sound effect customization to risk it for just one map. Thanks for all your dedication, RD, as always. I'll let you know if I succeed!

[Randomdays]

Actually not a lot of steps if FFX is already installed

Just extract to your FFvt3R directory and run the link.

step two is just if you want your hero files for those maps.

I have FFvt3r installed on C drive, plus a copy on an SD card as D drive. I experiment on the D drive before trying on the C one just in case.

Same with FF

[cranlox]

Actually not a lot of steps if FFX is already installed

Just extract to your FFvt3R directory and run the link.

step two is just if you want your hero files for those maps.

I have FFvt3r installed on C drive, plus a copy on an SD card as D drive. I experiment on the D drive before trying on the C one just in case.

Same with FF

Not run ffx in my pc 😕

[Randomdays]

Really - you can't? or haven't tried.

I had it running on my old Win7 machine.

Considering all the fx's and powers it has I was sure you would have had it.

Do you have or need the FFX file I mentioned above?

 The map pack still might work - if you unrar it into its directory, no config or other files are changed, just a new directory is made. then run the link and see what happens.

[cranlox]

Really - you can't? or haven't tried.

I had it running on my old Win7 machine.

Considering all the fx's and powers it has I was sure you would have had it.

Do you have or need the FFX file I mentioned above?

 The map pack still might work - if you unrar it into its directory, no config or other files are changed, just a new directory is made. then run the link and see what happens.

Before my friends fixed my computer, I couldn't get it to run, and I haven't tried since.

[cranlox]

the link isn broke
https://gpwarehouse.freedomforce4ever.com/ffx3_mappack2.rar
    

[Randomdays]

If you read up a couple of posts, I noticed that and put it in my requests folder to download.

[cranlox]

If you read up a couple of posts, I noticed that and put it in my requests folder to download.

Yes, I saw it at the time, but then when I was on the computer I forgot!
I already downloaded it from your Mega, thanks! I'll try it now.

[cranlox]

I extracted the folder to my FFvS3R directory, and I have the FFEdit program running with all my modified Herofiles, sounds, and effects files. From what I saw at one point, I think I had those maps a long time ago; I remember the wrestling one.

[Randomdays]

 

If you haven't, change the shortcut the pack gave you.

Open properties on the "ffx_mappack.lnk" shortcut to point to your directory


Target line "Nuevo vol C:\RECREATIVO\FF VS 3 R\FREEDOM FORCE REBIRTH\ffvt3r.exe" -game ffx3_Mappack -log"

Start in "Nuevo vol C:\RECREATIVO\FF VS 3 R\FREEDOM FORCE REBIRTH"



If you put a copy of the shortcut on the desktop, you should be able to click it and start the game with the map pack active.

[cranlox]

If you haven't, change the shortcut the pack gave you.

Open properties on the "ffx_mappack.lnk" shortcut to point to your directory


Target line "Nuevo vol C:\RECREATIVO\FF VS 3 R\FREEDOM FORCE REBIRTH\ffvt3r.exe" -game ffx3_Mappack -log"

Start in "Nuevo vol C:\RECREATIVO\FF VS 3 R\FREEDOM FORCE REBIRTH"



If you put a copy of the shortcut on the desktop, you should be able to click it and start the game with the map pack active.

and not re write the sounds fx and herofiles?

[Randomdays]

try that first - it just points the game to the map pack directory when you run the game so you can play them in game.

according to the readme, your hero files won't be available unless you run the control center, but I think it writes them into the new map pack directory.

For sounds and fx, they might be available - I'm not sure.

I'm not an expert on FFX, but as far as I can tell it doesn't rewrite anything you have. When you run it, it runs like a mod as a separate version of the game. Your new items might not show up if they're not added to the mod. If you look in the map folder, besides maps it has copies of a lot of the game data in it.

For me, I can't get FFX3 to run correctly since I have the problem of the control center pointing to the wrong directory and can't fix it.

[Randomdays]

For anybody else reading through this, my FFX3 runs from the shortcut and the control center works, but I'm getting the wrong directory problem. I've tried various fixes mentioned on the forums -uninstalling, runniing the game and re-installing, and went into regedit and changed everything to my directory - which is simply "C:\\Freedom Force 3R"

Didn't work.

I think the problem might be I don't think I ever "Officially" installed the game, but copied an old install to a new computer. without a new install from my discs, it might not be configured correctly.

I haven't tried going into a hex editor that Alex mentioned when he had the problem.

[cranlox]

I think the problem might be that I never installed the game "officially," but rather copied an old installation to a new computer. Without a fresh installation from my discs, it might not be set up correctly.

I did the same thing, but I have the original CD and I don't currently have a CD drive, haha.
Anyway, I think it's standard maps.

[RingsOfReznor]

Confirming I've managed to resolve the issue of powers not lighting up in ReShade - use of the free shader RadiantGI enables emissions from 2D info (i.e. textures) so powers now light the scene at all angles. Shader preset included!

Code Select Expand

Techniques=DH_UBER_MOTION_020@dh_uber_motion.fx,prod80_02_Bonus_LUT_pack@PD80_02_Bonus_LUT_pack.fx,PCGI_One@RadiantGI.fx,DH_UBER_RT@dh_uber_rt.fx,MartysMods_AntiAliasing@MartysMods_SMAA.fx,ContrastAdaptiveSharpen@CAS.fx,TAA@Temporal_AA.fx
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[CAS.fx]
Contrast=0.300000
Sharpening=0.500000

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bUnjitterDepth=1
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[dh_uber_rt.fx]
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[RingsOfReznor]

Note on the preset above: it's still a WIP and will be too bright on daytime metropolis/snow stages, but this is a technical breakthrough! Feel free to turn off TAA to remove the motion blur - I added it to stabilize sampling for screenshots.

However it's powerful enough that powers will light up scenery even on those stages. The effect scales with the size & brightness of fx - mentor's modulating beam, kinetic barrier & cortical suppression cause green flash & shadowing even during the day.

I recommend modding out selection rings, using drbug mode to hide hud elements (F9 and then press Alt to return the cursor), and set RESULTBUBBLE_SCALE=0 to prevent light contributions due to those. RPG_EP_RECHARGE=999 to throw as many powers as you like.