[MOD WIP] Extended View Distance (Less Fog)

[CertainlyStenchy]

Just create a new W3Edit project and take the files extracted from quickbms and place them inside your [W3Edit project name]/files folder. Open the mod up and everything should be there. If you right-click a directory and click add file, you should be able to add all the correct envs for the directory.

Use this quickbms script: http://aluigi.altervista.org/bms/witcher3.bms

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

I'm not sure I understand your instructions.

I uncooked the game, but I can't find all the vanilla env files inside environments/definitions. That's my current problem. I have tried the script you provided.

And I need the vanilla env files so I can copy the m_water values over to the env files of the mod, as you said.

What I did, step by step:
Opened quickbms (there's also a "quick bms 4gb file" executable; seemed to make no difference which one I used), selected script, selected input (TW3directory/content), selected an output folder and there you go. When I navigate to environments/defnitions inside the uncooked game files, I cannot find (for example) env_prolog_colors_v1_b_sunset inside the prologue folder.

 

[CertainlyStenchy]

The input should be the extendedViewDistance mod. No need to uncook entire game. So just use quickbms to extract the mod, then open it up with W3Edit.

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

I'm confused. I got the mod uncooked, that's not the problem, but as you said, I need to copy the values for m_water from the vanilla env files over to the modded ones.... right? And that requires me to uncook the game and look for those env files. What am I missing here?

 

[CertainlyStenchy]

When you are in W3Edit, just right click over any of the directories and click "add file" or something similar. A file browser will pop up with all the games files without having to extract the entire game.

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

Oh okay, so what I did now is:

I made a project in W3Edit.
I then copy-pasted the files from the uncooked Mod to the files folder of my mod project.
Now I see all the directories and files of my mod on the left. When I rightclick on a directory, I can now indeed add files.

However, when I select a corresponding files (for example: "example1.env"), it says that the "extract" is "ambiguous", and that the file can be found in more than one bundle, and that I ought to choose one. Does it matter which one I choose? Also: It asks me whether it should overwrite the existing file.


Edit: Huh, I just noticed I can rename the files from inside W3Edit. So I just rename them to blablablaBACKUP and import the vanilla files. From then on, you gotta help me out once more lol.

 

[CertainlyStenchy]

It doesn't matter which bundle AFAIK. Make sure to rename the mod's env files before adding the vanilla files because you will revert back after adding the original water values.

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

I'm currently renaming.

So after that, I import all the corresponding vanilla files, rightclick on m_water in vanilla and select copy variable, then I go to the corresponding modded env file, rightclick on m_water, paste variable.
Then I'll do that for every single file. Then I'll delete the vanilla files. Then I rename the modded files back to their original names (meaning I delete the "BACKUP" suffix).

Correct?

Btw, while we're at it: What else did you change? I mean the global fog values, yes, but I mean other small details? I remember reading something about you changing the translucency of trees. So basically I could _theoretically_ also copy/paste the variable for speedtree? Does that translucency make the game look significantly different from vanilla?

 

[CertainlyStenchy]

Yeah, that should be good. I did edit the translucency of trees, but it's very minor and hardly noticeable. I also edited ambient occlusion (m_ssao? I can't remember the name).

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

Awesome. Thanks for your patience man! I'm a total noob at this, as I'm sure you've noticed.

Anyway, besides the question about the tree translucency - there's an "fx" folder inside the mod. What do those files change? I know the subfolders are called screen_water and water_traces, but what exactly is changed in comparison to vanilla?

About the AO: I use the "modExtendedViewDistanceNonAO" version of your mod. Does that contain any changes to AO values?

 

[CertainlyStenchy]

Yeah. no problem. I actually don't remember what I edited in the fx folder.

 

[CertainlyStenchy]

The non ao version contains the vanilla ao values

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

Yeah. no problem. I actually don't remember what I edited in the fx folder.

Must be the water resurfacing screen effect where water runs down your screen... I guess. The other one's called water_trace_fx3
Guess it doesn't matter too much. But if you do remember, please tell me!

 

[CertainlyStenchy]

You can delete them if you want vanilla water.

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

Uhm... so I click on the m_water in the vanilla file, copy variable, and then I click again on m_water but in the modded env file and right click paste variable?

That just adds another m_water inside the already existing m_water. I guess I gotta delete the m_water that's already there and rightclick on envParams instead and paste it, right?

 

[CertainlyStenchy]

Yeah, delete the modded m_water variable first.

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

And to make an actual mod out of it, I just do what exactly? I see a "Pack and Install" button.

 

[CertainlyStenchy]

Yep.

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

Done. It works - amazing. I'm so proud lol.

Thanks so much for helping me again.

Btw, check you PMs.

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

If anyone's interested, here's my version of the "modExtendedViewDistanceNonAO" file:

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