160 lines
9.1 KiB
Markdown
160 lines
9.1 KiB
Markdown
# Original WoW spell visuals
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The runtime packages every WoW 3.3.5 visual model referenced by the current
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ability manifest, across all ten WoW classes. There is no class filter in
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`package-wow-original.mjs`. Ascension and RuneWaker entries retain their existing
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source mappings and sound behavior.
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Current coverage: 483 packaged models; 5,066 of 5,066 source phase assets; 311
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mesh models, 1,711 particle emitters, 249 ribbon emitters, and 479 unique source
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textures. The generated
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manifest includes per-class coverage. A spell rank without a source visual
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phase (for example, a passive or totem-management action) is not counted as a
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missing model. This does not invent original visuals for spells with no source
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mapping; the runtime still supplies its generated school fallback.
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## Generate and verify
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```sh
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npm run effects:wow
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npm run effects:audit
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npm run effects:test
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```
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`effects:generate` rebuilds the DBC/audio mappings before packaging all WoW
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visuals. `effects:priest` remains a compatibility alias for `effects:wow` so it
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cannot accidentally revert the main manifest to Priest-only coverage. The old
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Priest decoder and fixtures remain for compatibility tests.
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The manifest collector also reads effectful boss spell IDs from
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`dungeonCampaignCatalog.json`. Regenerate the dungeon catalog first whenever
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boss spell semantics change. Missing or undecodable source audio falls back to
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the runtime's short spatial school cue; enabled combat audio is never silently
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dropped merely because a source file is absent.
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Source assets resolve from the extracted sibling `LadiksMPQEditor` base-client
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directories, with the sibling `wow335a/Data` archive stack recovering missing
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files. Locale archives supply shared interface textures used by spell models.
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Recovered files go into `.tools/wow-effects-source`; source installations are
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read-only. BLPConverter8 converts the original BLPs to PNG. Model and texture
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paths are checked before resolution. An incomplete run reports failures and
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does not replace the active manifest.
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Graph filenames hash the complete runtime payload, including source model,
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skin, textures and nested model dependencies. Changes therefore get new URLs
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instead of reusing an incompatible cached graph. The normal content publisher
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assigns the entire `assets/game/combat-effects` tree to `core:combat-media`.
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Publishing a new app/content release remains the normal deployment step.
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Development gameplay uses Vite's local source media directly; release builds
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retain the verified media-pack download requirement.
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## RuneWaker spell media mapping
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`npm run effects:rom` refreshes only RuneWaker manifest entries and packages
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their sound cues without rebuilding WoW effects. It reads spell-to-image links
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from `romPlayerCatalog.generated.json` and `magiccollectobject.db`, effect model
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paths from `imageobject.db`, and exact same-name cues under the client's
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parallel `sound/fx` tree. Verified ROS audio events supply cues when their
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embedded path differs from the mirrored model path. Each cue is tagged with
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its source cast phase so a target impact does not replay a caster sound.
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`npm run effects:rom:particles` packages a decoded ROS particle archive for the
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five primary classes and their accepted elite pairs. Build the native exporter
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with `scripts/runewaker-pipeline/native/build-exporter.ps1` first. The exporter
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reads ACT motion controllers, where the texture names and particle keys live;
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the static entity tree alone contains default values. Set `RUNEWAKER_RESOURCE_ROOT`,
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`RUNEWAKER_EXPORTER`, or `TEXCONV_BIN` to override the default source and tool
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locations. The archive index at
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`public/assets/game/combat-effects/original/runewaker/manifest.json` records
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decoded and unsupported controller families per model. Its graphs contain the
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source shader identity, blend mode, billboard settings, particle tracks, and
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PNG versions of referenced DDS textures. The archive also extracts the SMUNI
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vertex and pixel HLSL from the Rune engine source with a source hash. Texture
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tile sizes are pixels, not atlas row and column counts.
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`npm run effects:rom:audit` writes the first-five class and accepted-pair map
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to `docs/ROM_SPELL_MEDIA_MAPPING.md`. It distinguishes source ROS references,
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packaged audio, and browser-playable original visual graphs. The WebGL sprite
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renderer plays Priest Urgent Heal, Heal, and Group Heal casts; Urgent Heal's
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target impact; Rising Tide cast, release, and impact; Knight Charge cast and
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Whirlwind Shield impact; and Mage Electric Bolt projectile. The exact
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spell, phase, and model allowlist lives in `rom-particle-readiness.mjs`. Other
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ROS phases remain in the archive until their controller families and motion
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sequence are checked in the browser. Open `scripts/combat-effects/rom-preview.html`
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with the Vite dev server to inspect the decoded sprite models. The emitter
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integrates source rate keys over each rendered frame so short bursts survive
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slower frames. Whirlwind Shield uses a 2.5 presentation scale after live
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dungeon review.
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The Priest's holy `act_casting_c_hand.ros` has three renderable sprite layers
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and one `CRuController_EventTrigger` in its `appear` motion. The RuneWaker
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source identifies event 43 as looping direct 3D audio for
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`sound/fx/skill/holy/act_casting_c_hand.wav`, not another visual layer. The
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packager marks this exact model renderer-ready after validating that event's
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parameters. Its packaged WAV loops only during the matching Priest cast and
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stops on release or cancellation. Other unsupported event triggers still
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block a graph from the ready allowlist.
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Urgent Heal's target effect is linked through MagicCollect spell `491147` to
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MagicObject component `501543`, whose ImageObject `573048` supplies
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`ExtendACT=model/fx/skill/holy/act_benedictory_heal_t_down.ros` at `p_down`.
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The client creates the component's `ExtendACT` on the target after the heal
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resolves. Its `explode` motion contains two original sprite layers (holy line
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and gold stars), a nested `rune_cylinder.ros` particle entity with source rune
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texture, a `kan_rune_circle.dds` ground decal, and a one-shot direct 3D audio
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event for `sound/fx/skill/holy/act_benedictory_heal_t_down.mp3`. The browser
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plays the two sprite layers and source rune mesh emission, and animates the
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decal radius, rotation, color, and alpha. The decal lies on a level plane;
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the RuneWaker client projects it onto collision triangles. The graph remains
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`partial-original` for that terrain projection difference while replacing
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the generated target filler.
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Rising Tide spell `490256` uses ImageObject `572061` for
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`act_icecone01_c_hand.ros` at cast start and `act_icecone01_f.ros` on release.
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MagicObject component `620408` links ImageObject `572062`, whose target
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`ExtendACT` is `act_riptide_t_freeze_hit.ros` at `freeze_hit`. The source
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audio events name the projectile cue
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`sound/fx/skill/ice/icenew/act_icecone01_f.ros.mp3` and target cue
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`sound/fx/skill/ice/act_riptide_t_freeze_hit.mp3`; the cast hand has its
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mirrored WAV. The verified models are attached to their respective combat
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presentation phases after their controller support and source motion checks.
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## Rendering
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The `wow-m2-model` format composes source particles, animated/skinned geometry,
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material alpha and colors, UV transforms, and bone-driven ribbon trails. The
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renderer resolves full and upright billboards, texture layers, source-space
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pivots, global animation sequences, and Stand/Hold/Decay timelines. Original
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geometry particles use instance pools; secondary particle emitters are bounded
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to prevent recursive effects multiplying the scene budget.
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The live combat path uses the same cast, projectile, impact and aura events as
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before. In original mode, an instant release also renders any source-side
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`cast-start` layers without publishing another gameplay or audio event. Instant
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terminal events prefer their exact phase, then use the source `impact` or
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`aura-start` counterpart when that is the only mapping. The source phase stays
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on the render event so attachment and aura lifetime rules remain correct. This
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covers all 1,106 castable instant rank records that have a packaged source
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visual, including all 287 latest-rank instant abilities with source visuals.
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The source catalog also contains three passive instant records with visuals;
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passives do not publish combat events. Abilities without a source mapping, or
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with no usable asset load, retain generated fallback. Particle budgets,
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placement anchors, and travel timing remain the game's presentation rules;
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this is not a claim of pixel-identical client simulation or exhaustive
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spell-by-spell gameplay QA.
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Decoder reference for compressed bone quaternions, float UV quaternions, and
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source record layouts: [wowlib M2 records](https://skarndev.github.io/wowlib/python/m2/records/).
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## Local visual inspection
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Run `npm run dev` and open `/scripts/combat-effects/preview.html`. The
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development-only preview lists every directly referenced model and uses the
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same mesh, ribbon and particle renderer as live combat. Drag to orbit, scroll
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to zoom, replay an effect, or freeze its opening frame. The preview is not
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included in the production app entry point.
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Runtime tests parse all shipped graphs, sample bone transforms, and verify
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geometry bounds, dependency textures and billboard behavior. Browser evidence
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and observed limitations are recorded in `PLAYTEST_NOTES.md`.
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