Custom fx geometry in XSI

Custom fx geometry is a mesh meant for use in the creation of an effect that will take the shape of that mesh.

1. Creating the geometry in XSI

FX geometry does not require collision, lowrez, shadowvolumes or even a dummyroot.

They are simply geometry, though the point to which you want to attach the geometry to a hard point on another model, for example a flyer's hp_exhaust, should be at the center of the grid located at 0,0,0.

Create the geometry in the shape that you need for a custom effect

apply your texture to it

flag all of the polygons for transparency

freeze all transforms

export

2. Preparing your msh for Particle Editor

I won't go into how to set up or even use the Particle Editor because there are other threads containing this information in the Modding forum, but before you can load your fx geometry into PE you must pre-munge the msh.

Just place the msh and texture into one of your custom sides and then munge that side (xyz for example).

After munging your side go to:

data_ABC/_BUILD/sides/xyz

and copy these files from the Munged folder:

your_new_effect_msh.model

your_new_effect_msh.model.req

Then paste those 2 files into your PE's "Munged" folder

(for more information about PE's Munged folder please search the SWBF2 Modding forum)

*If you try to load a msh into PE without the pre-munged files in the Munged folder then PE will crash.*

3. Loading your new msh into Particle Editor

Launch PE and create or open your effect and browse to and load your msh into PE and do whatever you need to.

Example for how to incorporate a msh into your effect:

(if you don't know how to use PE then just play around with it until you do, it isn't hard to figure out!)

4. Adding your new effect to your custom side

Once you're satisfied with your new effect save it to the appropriate location. Lets say it's a new exhaust effect for a custom ship you made, save it to your custom side's effects folder. Make sure your custom fx msh is also in your effects folder along with whatever texture it requires, unless your using common textures.

Then do whatever ODF work that you need to in order to call for the custom effect, munge your custom side and go play, and look at your new effect ingame.

5. Conclusion & result

I was determined to make an exhaust that would fit the Millennium Falcon which is what led me to do this, i'll post a pic of the Falcon's exhaust later.

This is still a work in progress because i'm still experimenting with various things, so this might be updated in the future.

Test msh in XSI

Ingame test pics of exhaust effect using the custom msh