AoE Effects

[SilentRuin]

Hey, I really appreciate the evolution of the extension; it greatly simplifies the final rendering for similar uses.

Do you think it would be possible to have a visual rendering for the new shapes like 3drect, cylinder, and cone by any chance?

I’m pretty sure this first release is only the simple stuff it did before - as I won’t be using it to visualize it not sure what bwatford/mrddt plant to do. I have my own stuff to handle that so not really concerned about it - as long as the aura triggers work for the more complex things I do I’m good.

[bwatford]

Thank you for the suggestion.

The forthcoming Aura Visualizer built into AoE Effects uses image overlays to render borders and effects. This approach works well for standard 2D shapes, but it is not practical for 3Drect, cylinder, or cone shapes. Because these shapes can be any size, height, or orientation, we would need an effectively infinite number of image assets to cover all possibilities.

Cylinders currently receive a circular border rendered on the floor plane of the cylinder. Full 3D visual rendering for these shapes is not supported through the Aura Visualizer at this time.

A working solution already exists for users who want more advanced 3D visualization. SilentRuin’s **Generic Actions Layers** extension can render these complex shapes using map layers. Several of his videos demonstrate this approach in action.

We will ask SilentRuin if he would be willing to share a quick setup guide for using Generic Actions Layers together with AoE Effects. In the meantime, if you’re interested in trying this method, let us know and SilentRuin can point you toward the relevant videos and basic configuration steps.

[SilentRuin]

Yeah nothing quick about GAL if you design your own stuff.They are free to read the tomes of forum posts in Generic Actions (in my signature) about GAL - but really, I've posted so many videos and so much text, its going to be up to them to figure it out if they want to go that route. I've done all I've done because I needed it in my games. This includes all my extensions and all the new shape support in the aura extensions. I'm happy that you are going forward with support of the new AOE Effects extension as clean start in the new auras, but I don't plan to become an oracle or advisor on how it should be used outside of the posts I've already put in here, put in GA, or post about my games. Especially as anything I do seems to go out of date the week after I've done it. All my extension "documents" (if one could even call them that) is in page one of their threads in the .txt file - a real time log of the changes I make to things in a version update kind of format. Or as in here, a post on Aura's I use in GAL and the description of the shape usage in auras (minus that thrice accursed 2D orthogonal square named "cube" - I refuse to continence its existence!).

Most questions on that stuff are answered by people - other than me - in the Grim Press discord for fantasy grounds. Just FYI for those unfamiliar with my relationship with "users"

[Vaall]

Yes, I understand perfectly what GAL is capable of and how well it works.

What I meant wasn't necessarily having a 3D visualization of objects, but rather a simple visualization of borders for the new aura types.

Because with the current 3Drect aura visualization, cones and cylinders display a circle.
If we could have :
for 3Drect: a visualization of the 2D rectangle where the aura is applied;
for Cones: a visualization of a cone;
for Cylinders: a double circle.

[MrDDT]

Yes, I understand perfectly what GAL is capable of and how well it works.

What I meant wasn't necessarily having a 3D visualization of objects, but rather a simple visualization of borders for the new aura types.

Because with the current 3Drect aura visualization, cones and cylinders display a circle.
If we could have :
for 3Drect: a visualization of the 2D rectangle where the aura is applied;
for Cones: a visualization of a cone;
for Cylinders: a double circle.

I believe it is possible; however, we want to focus on getting everything working right and see if there are any bugs. Letting it settle. Having the 3drect options shown in 2D is something that we are looking at.

[SilentRuin]

Yes, I understand perfectly what GAL is capable of and how well it works.

What I meant wasn't necessarily having a 3D visualization of objects, but rather a simple visualization of borders for the new aura types.

Because with the current 3Drect aura visualization, cones and cylinders display a circle.
If we could have :
for 3Drect: a visualization of the 2D rectangle where the aura is applied;
for Cones: a visualization of a cone;
for Cylinders: a double circle.

You don't have the latest going out next Tuesday. That has more "math stuff" added/fixed and insures the drawn stuff does not apply to 3drect or cone.

It also has some options I asked for but I'm sure bwatford will let you know when it gets delivered what all is there.

[frozzzt]

I love this extension! Great thanks for spending time in this feature.

I have a question: Old version triggered the pop-up messages in the screen when AoE/Aura area affects near npcs or pcs. Now it dont. I doing something wrong or doesnt trigger the pop-ups msgs anymore?

[bwatford]

I love this extension! Great thanks for spending time in this feature.

I have a question: Old version triggered the pop-up messages in the screen when AoE/Aura area affects near npcs or pcs. Now it dont. I doind something wrong or doestn trigger the pop-ups msgs anymore?

Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you're enjoying the extension.

To answer your question: The notification system was updated some time ago. Previously, Aura Effects included an option to enable or disable chat notifications, which would trigger those popup messages. That setting was removed in favor of "silent notifications" before I took over maintenance of the extension, primarily to reduce notification spam—especially in situations where characters frequently move in and out of auras like a paladin’s aura.

Starting with the new version releasing next Tuesday, GMs will have the option to visualize all auras directly on the map. This will make it much easier to see at a glance which creatures are inside or outside any active aura effects.

[frozzzt]

Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you're enjoying the extension.

To answer your question: The notification system was updated some time ago. Previously, Aura Effects included an option to enable or disable chat notifications, which would trigger those popup messages. That setting was removed in favor of "silent notifications" before I took over maintenance of the extension, primarily to reduce notification spam—especially in situations where characters frequently move in and out of auras like a paladin’s aura.

Starting with the new version releasing next Tuesday, GMs will have the option to visualize all auras directly on the map. This will make it much easier to see at a glance which creatures are inside or outside any active aura effects.

That's sound amazing! Thx for the clarification.