2DFX

This article describes the usage of the 2dfx section inside a plain text IDE. For the RW Section of models see 2d Effect (RW Section), for the GTA IV IPL section see 2DFX (IPL Section).

2DFX (IDE section)

Supported games:
Brief description:	Used to place 2D effects and ped behaviors on objects
IDE Sections: 2DFX • AMAT • ANIM • CARS • HIER • HAND • MLO • OBJS PATH • PEDS • TANM • TOBJ • TREE • TXDP • WEAP

2DFX is a section in the item definition file in GTA III, Vice City, and GTA IV. It is used to place 2D effects (like lights and particles) and ped behaviors on objects. This section is somewhat unique compared to other sections because it needs to be attached to an existing object rather than defining itself. If too many effects are loaded or drawn in the game, some of the effects will load in and out or won't appear at all.

GTA III and Vice City

2dfx
# type 0: lights (III/VC)
Id, X, Y, Z, R, G, B, unknown, 2DFXType, "Corona", "Shadow", Distance, OuterRange, Size, InnerRange, ShadowIntensity, Flash, Wet, Flare, Flags
# type 1: particles (III/VC)
Id, X, Y, Z, R, G, B, unknown, 2DFXType, Particle, StrengthX, StrengthY, StrengthZ, Scale
# type 2 (III/VC)
Id, X, Y, Z, R, G, B, unknown, 2DFXType, unknown, unk1, unk2, unk3, unknown
# type 3: peds (VC)
Id, X, Y, Z, R, G, B, unknown, 2DFXType, Behavior, unk1, unk2, unk3, RotX, RotY, RotZ
# type 4: sun reflections (VC)
Id, X, Y, Z, R, G, B, unknown, 2DFXType
end

Type 0: Lights

This can create a complex light source on an object. If the object has a sub object, the light will disappear when the main object changes into the sub object (like when lampposts are knocked).

	Identifier	Type	Description
A	Id	integer	associated to existing object ID defined in OBJS or TOBJ section
B,C,D	X, Y, Z	float[3]	X, Y, and Z coordinates relative to the center of the object
E,F,G	R, G, B	integer[3]	color of the light and everything associated with it in RGB format, also affects the intensity of the light so that darker the color the dimmer the light (meaning black (0,0,0) will yield a light so dim that it's not visible)
H	unknown	integer	usually 0 or 200
I	2DFXType	integer	always 0 for lights
J	Corona	string	corona texture associated to the light, texture defined in particle.txd, usually "coronastar" for lights
K	Shadow	string	light texture that is cast on the ground, texture defined in particle.txd, usually "shad_exp" for lights
L	Distance	float	view distance of the light, is limited by the draw distance of the host object
M	OuterRange	float	the range the light can cast on objects, cars, and peds
N	Size	float	the size of the corona, can be a float or integer, size 0 means no visible corona but effect of light still visible
O	InnerRange	float	the range the light can cast on the ground (shadow)
P	ShadowIntensity	integer	shadow intensity (0 - 255), usually 40
Q	Flash	integer	sets the type of flashing (see below)
R	Wet	integer	sets the particle to be "reflective" on wet grounds, will only work if the ground around the light is set to wet when raining 0 - not reflective when wet, 1 - reflective when wet
S	Flare	integer	sets the particle to create a lens flare on the screen, similar to what the sun does 0 - no lens flare, 1 - yellow lens flare, 2 - white lens flare
T	Flags	integer	bit 0 - disable z-test for corona, bits 1-2 - fog (dust) type

Types of Flashes

0	constantly lit all time
1	constantly lit at night
2	occasional flicker all time
3	occasional flicker at night
4	1.02 seconds flashes
5	1.02 seconds flashes at night
6	2.04 seconds flashes
7	2.04 seconds flashes at night
8	4.08 seconds flashes
9	4.08 seconds flashes at night
10	random flicker
11	random flicker at night
12	hardcoded traffic lights properties
13	1.02 seconds flashes only during lift bridge's alarm
14	unused, flashes only during lift bridge's alarm

All night flashes occur between 19:00 and 7:00. Type 12 is involved in hardcoded properties of traffic lights. It is mainly used to position the lights on the traffic light. A traffic light without a 2DFX entry will crash the game when the traffic light is loading.

Types of Flags

0	No DUST, coronas don't appear through models with no collision.
1	No DUST, coronas appears through models with no collision.
2	DUST when foggy weather, coronas don't appear through models with no collision.
3	DUST when foggy weather, coronas appears through models with no collision.
4	DUST all the time, coronas don't appear through models with no collision.
5	DUST all the time, coronas appear through models with no collision.
6	DUST all the time, coronas appear through models with no collision.
7	DUST all the time, coronas appear through models with no collision.

Type 1: Particles

This can create simple particles on an object

	Identifier	Type	Description
A	Id	integer	associated to existing object ID defined in OBJS or TOBJ section
B,C,D	X, Y, Z	float[3]	X, Y, and Z coordinates relative to the center of the object
E,F,G	R, G, B	integer[3]	useless values
H	unknown	integer	usually 63 or 200
I	2DFXType	integer	always 1 for particles
J	Particle	integer	particle type (see below)
K,L,M	StrengthX, StrengthY, StrengthZ	float[3]	X, Y, and Z strength representing the direction and length of movement of the particle, see opcode 039D for more information
N	Scale	float	scale of the particle

Types of Particles

Ordered from 6 to 0 from left to right, all size is 1 with Tommy at the bottom for comparison

		Name	Description
0		POBJECT_PAVEMENT_STEAM	small white smoke
1		POBJECT_WALL_STEAM	small white smoke
2		POBJECT_DRY_ICE	larger white smoke
3		POBJECT_SMALL_FIRE	fire (start new game to see)
4		POBJECT_DARK_SMOKE	black smoke
-	5	POBJECT_WATER_FOUNTAIN_VERT	water fountain (will spray water droplets on the screen)
-	6	POBJECT_WATER_FOUNTAIN_HORIZ	water spray (will spray water droplets on the screen)

Type 2

This causes peds to investigate interesting spots.^[1] This type was never used in Vice City but it can be used. See here for a map of all the locations in GTA III.

	Identifier	Type	Description
A	Id	integer
B,C,D	X, Y, Z	float[3]
E,F,G	R, G, B	integer[3]
H	unknown	integer	usually 63 or 200
I	2DFXType	integer	always 2
J	unknown	integer
K,L,M	unk1, unk2, unk3	float[3]
N	unknown	integer

Type 3: Peds

This can make a ped have simple behaviors around the object.

	Identifier	Type	Description
A	Id	integer	associated to existing object ID defined in OBJS or TOBJ section
B,C,D	X, Y, Z	float[3]	X, Y, and Z coordinates relative to the center of the object
E,F,G	R, G, B	integer[3]	useless values
H	unknown	integer	usually 0 or 200
I	2DFXType	integer	always 3 for peds
J	Behavior	integer	behavior type (see below)
K,L,M	Queue direction	float[3]	direction of some que
N,O,P	Use direction	float[3]	rotation of ped when animation is playing

Types of Behaviors

0	walks to the coordinates to use an ATM then walks away
1	walks to the coordinates to sit down for a while then stand back up and walks away
2	walks to the coordinates to wait for a bus; additional peds will line up behind each other
3	walks to the coordinates, stands for a very short while, then leave (like window shopping)
4	runs to shelter from rain,[2] see here for a map of all the locations

Type 4: Sun Reflections

This can create a sun "reflection" exactly and behaving like the ones seen on cars.

	Identifier	Type	Description
A	Id	integer	associated to existing object ID defined in OBJS or TOBJ section
B,C,D	X, Y, Z	float[3]	X, Y, and Z coordinates relative to the center of the object
E,F,G	R, G, B	integer[3]	useless values
H	unknown	integer	usually 120
I	2DFXType	integer	always 4 for sun reflections

Used on models lh_icecream01, hospital and lhcoastsky1

GTA San Andreas

Most effects are stored in dff 2d Effect (RW Section) https://gtamods.com/wiki/2d_Effect_(RW_Section). The only exception is effect 5.

GTA IV

This section is incomplete. You can help by fixing and expanding it.

GTA IV 2DFX Category doesn't have all Types description. More description about 2dfx types will be added later.

Type 0: Lights

Type Lights ignore by the game. GTA IV using light in .wdr/wft models

Type 1: Particles

	Identifier	Type	Description
A	Id	string	associated to existing object ID defined in OBJS or TOBJ section
B,C,D	X, Y, Z	float[3]	X, Y, and Z coordinates relative to the center of the object
E	Type	integer	always 1
F,G,H,I	RX, RY, RZ, RW	float[4]	Rotation in quaternion
J	Name	string	particle name, defined in common\data\effects\
K		integer	stages of destruction? (between 0 and 4)
L		integer	?
M	Size	float	size of particle
N	Draw distance	integer	draw distance
O		integer	? (between 0 and 5)
P,Q,R	Color	integer[3]	RGB color when applicable

Type 2: Explosion

	Identifier	Type	Description
A	Id	string	associated to existing object ID defined in OBJS or TOBJ section
B,C,D	X, Y, Z	float[3]	X, Y, and Z coordinates relative to the center of the object
E	Type	integer	always 2
F,G,H,I	RX, RY, RZ, RW	float[4]	rotation in quaternion
J		integer
K		integer
L		integer
M		integer

Type 10: Escalator

GTA SA Using Escalator attribute in .dff models, GTA IV has the Escalator Attribute too, but all parameters are unknown and possible section maybe call the game crash.

Type 14: Ladder

	Identifier	Type	Description
A	Name	string	Model name, who using Ladder Section
B,C,D	X, Y, Z	float[3]	X, Y, and Z coordinates
E	2DFX Type	Integer	This is 2DFX Type. Always use the value 14 for Ladder
F,G,H,I	RX, RY, RZ, RW	float[4]	Rotation in quaternion
J,K,L	StartX,StartY,StartZ	float[3]	Start Ladder Position (When player start to climb)
M,N,O	EndX,EndY,EndZ	float[3]	End Ladder Position (When player finished to climb)
P,Q,R	ClimbDirectionX, ClimbDirectionY, ClimbDirectionZ	float[3]	Climb Direction Position
S	Flag	Integer	Unknown Flag, Always(?) using value 1

Type 17: SpawnPoint

	Identifier	Type	Description
A	Id	string	associated to existing object ID defined in OBJS or TOBJ section
B,C,D	X, Y, Z	float[3]	X, Y, and Z coordinates relative to the center of the object
E	Type	integer	Always 17
F,G,H,I	RX, RY, RZ, RW	float[4]	Rotation in quaternion
J,K,L,M		integer[4]	Flags

Statistics

Total number of 2DFX entries in:

GTA III: 927 (max 2000)

Type 0: 859

Type 1: 53

Type 2: 15

Vice City: 1069 (max 1210)

Type 0: 834

Type 1: 63

Type 2: 0

Type 3: 162

Type 4: 10

GTA IV: 17043

Type 0: 13831

Type 1: 2385

Type 2: 23

Type 12: 60

Type 14: 103

Type 15: 246

Type 17: 117

Type 18: 204

Type 19: 34

Type 21: 11

Type 22: 10

Type 23: 19

References

1. ^ Video demonstration of type 2, by Nick007J
2. ^ Video demonstration of type 3, behavior 4, by Nick007J