SetObjectVisualTransform(object, int, float, int, float, int)

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Note: This article documents Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition new content or changes/updates/fixes to 1.69 functions. These are all listed under the category and patches pages.

Sets a visual transform on the given object. 

float SetObjectVisualTransform(
    object oObject,
    int nTransform,
    float fValue,
    int nLerpType = OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_NONE,
    float fLerpDuration = 0.0,
    int bPauseWithGame = TRUE,
    int nScope = OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_DATA_SCOPE_BASE,
    int nBehaviorFlags = OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_BEHAVIOR_DEFAULT,
    int nRepeats = 0
);

Parameters

oObject
Can be any valid Creature, Placeable, Item or Door.
nTransform
An OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_* constant specifying the tranform type to apply
fValue
Depends on the transformation to apply.
nLerpType
An OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_* constant specifying the interpolation type to use (default: OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_NONE)
fLerpDuration
Duration of the interpolation to perform, ignored if nLerpType is OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_NONE. (default: 0.0)
bPauseWithGame
If TRUE then the interpolation will be paused if the game is. If FALSE it will continue on during a pause. Ignored if nLerpType is OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_NONE. (default: TRUE)
nScope
nScope is one of OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_DATA_SCOPE_* and specific to the object type being VT'ed.
nBehaviorFlags
nBehaviorFlags is one of OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_BEHAVIOR_* (either _DEFAULT, or _BOUNCE). _BOUNCE behavior plays the lerp and then plays it in reverse, eg lerp translate X to 5.0 and then translate back from 5.0 to 0.0
nRepeats
Repeat the transform N number of times, jumping back to initial/from state after completing the transform each time. If 0, does not repeat. If -1, repeats forever


Description

Sets a visual transform on the given object. These changes are relative to the given objects facing and current position, and the scale parameter is relative not absolute (so 1.5 is 50% bigger, 0.5 is half size).

This function works only on the object's visual presentation and does not change properties of the object. For example, if a script is used to translate a placeable, the placeable will appear to move to a new position, however, the object's actual position (as retrieved by GetPosition has not changed. Additionally, if a placeable is visually translated, then clicked on to use, the PC object will move to the original position of the placeable, not the translated position. Additionally, this function will translate objects outside the areas boundaries and an invisible object remains at the original location, presenting a potential hazard to navigation/pathfinding issue.

If nLerpType is set to something other than OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_NONE then the transformation isn't instant, instead it will do it over fLerpDuration. For instance growing an objects size over 6 seconds does a nicer growth then just instantly getting to be the given size. You can see the options for this under the OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_* constants.

Returns the old/previous fValue that was set.

If used on a player in a PW setting it is saved to the players BIC on exit, and applied when loaded.

If OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_SCALE is used, NWN:EE should now take into account walk/run steps and alter them to properly fit the new scale.


Remarks

This has several useful applications for both creatures, placeables, items and doors.

The item transformations can only occur when it is placed on the ground or in someones hands and has a model (not in a placeable itself). An item retains it's changes if dropped on the ground. Some bits of an equipped item like the visual effect when at a fire high damage do not scale however. Example held items could be right and left hand slots, helmet slot and cloak slot. The armor is consider their "body" really thus unaffected.

If you visually translate an item or placeable somewhere else, the clickable part follows it, meaning if you visually transform an item under the ground it's still usable (eg; by ActionExamine) but cannot be (easily) clicked by a player making it safer to spawn for viewing or whatnot.

Placeables must be non-static for this to work on them (the usable flag isn't required). For more information about placeable states see the nwn.wiki page.

Creatures transformed retain their appearance.2da values for PERSPACE and CPERSPACE, so a "Enlarged" creature appearance would start to clip into terrain.

Some ideas for potential useful or fun uses of this:

  • Giant area - all placeables are scaled down in size while the player stays the same size. Works especially well in tilesets with little in built terrain
  • Raising from the dead - A creature's Z location can be translated under the map, an animation played and they are gradually "raised" upwards to where Z = 0.0
  • Flying - With some appropriate animation set, a Z translation upwards can make a creature fly.
  • Displacement - Have the character randomly blink around their X, Y location when under the effect of some defensive spells to make it seem as if they're dodging in and out of space.
  • Mad world - Have placeables on ceilings, on walls, or spinning around.

A more advanced usage would be on a non-static placeable that is incredibly large - but would pop in/out of view of the player (Due to the 45M distance range on placeables loading) several versions of the placable could be put at discrete distances that essentially overlap using this command (meaning one at least always visible).

Note the visual transformation can only be done completely smoothly with the lerping option on.

There are some oddities around the lerping visual transform code. This is the most reliable way to do a lerp:

  • Starting a new LERPed visual transform restarts all existing LERP visual transforms currently on the object, unless you 'normalize' each previously-applied transform first.
  • The best way to 'normalize' previous LERPs, to prevent them re-playing each time a further transform is applied to the object, is to - immediately after each time you apply a LERPed transform - apply a duplicate *non-LERPed* visual transform (using a DelayCommand) with a small e.g. 0.001 addition to distance/degrees. For example:
SetObjectVisualTransform(oPLC, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_ROTATE_Y, 30.0, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_LINEAR, 5.0); //apply initial LERPed transform
DelayCommand(5.0, SetObjectVisualTransformWrapper(oPLC, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_ROTATE_Y, 30.001)); //'normalize' the LERPed transform
DelayCommand(5.1, SetObjectVisualTransformWrapper(oPLC, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_TRANSLATE_X, 2.0, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_LINEAR, 5.0)); //apply new transform, which will now not re-play the previous LERP

(NB: SetObjectVisualTransformWrapper here is just a helper function that duplicates SetObjectVisualTransform without an object return, so it can be delayed.)

Doing it in the above way will rotate the object to 30 degrees (Y axis), then will translate it 2.0m in X axis without re-playing the rotation...most of the time. You will still see some strangeness if the client is losing perception of the object at any point, as this will restart the LERPed transforms for that client. To work around this partially at least for placeables you can use SetObjectVisibleDistance. Update: note that in the 'normalize' step (the middle step in the above example) you now as of April 2026 seem to have to add a small e.g. 0.001 amount to the original transform amount, otherwise the 'normalization' will not take. Per El Grillo and Kira's testing.


Version

This function was added in 1.74.8169 of NWN:EE.

This function was updated in 1.83.8193.21 of NWN:EE. It added the Interpolation options to allow transforms to be made over a number of seconds instead of instantly.


Example

The following script is an example from an OnAOEEnter script that fires when a PC object enters an AOE that set around a placeable. It will visually transform the placeable a specific distance (Unit Vector * Unit Multiplier) from the PC, in the same direction the PC is facing when they entered the AOE. The placeable "target" is set as a LocalObject on the AOE when the AOE was created.

Note: Checks to ensure the validity of the destination are not included. 

void main()
{
    // Get the entering object and filter for PCs
    object oPC = GetEnteringObject();

    if (GetIsPC(oPC) == FALSE)
        return;

    // Set the vector multiplier to determine the transform distance from
    // the original location and get the unit vector
    float fUnitMultiplier = 3.0;
    vector vUnitVector = AngleToVector(GetFacing(oPC));

    // Get the starting position
    object oTarget = GetLocalObject(OBJECT_SELF, "AOE_TARGET");
    vector vTarget = GetPosition(oTarget);

    // Create new coordinates with the modified unit vector
    float fX = vUnitVector.x * fUnitMultiplier;
    float fY = vUnitVector.y * fUnitMultiplier;

    // Set the new coordinates onto the target object (for visual purposes only)
    SetObjectVisualTransform(oTarget, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_TRANSLATE_X, fX);
    SetObjectVisualTransform(oTarget, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_TRANSLATE_Y, fY);
}


If you need to reset an object back to it's normal visual transformation it can be done like so.

Note: rotate/transform is 0.0f and scale is 1.0f. 

// This resets a creature, placeable, door or item back to it's normal visual transform.
void ResetVisualTransformations(object oTarget)
{
	if (!GetIsObjectValid(oTarget))
	{
		// SendMessageToAllDMs("ResetVisualTransformations was passed an invalid object");
		return;
	}

	int nObjectType = GetObjectType(oTarget);
	if (nObjectType != OBJECT_TYPE_CREATURE && nObjectType != OBJECT_TYPE_PLACEABLE && nObjectType != OBJECT_TYPE_DOOR && nObjectType != OBJECT_TYPE_ITEM)
	{
		// SendMessageToAllDMs("ResetVisualTransformations is not a valid object type.  It is a : " + IntToString(nObjectType));
		return;
	}

	SetObjectVisualTransform(oTarget, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_ROTATE_X, 0.00f);
	SetObjectVisualTransform(oTarget, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_ROTATE_Y, 0.00f);
	SetObjectVisualTransform(oTarget, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_ROTATE_Z, 0.00f);

	SetObjectVisualTransform(oTarget, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_TRANSLATE_X, 0.00f);
	SetObjectVisualTransform(oTarget, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_TRANSLATE_Y, 0.00f);
	SetObjectVisualTransform(oTarget, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_TRANSLATE_Z, 0.00f);

	SetObjectVisualTransform(oTarget, OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_SCALE, 1.00f);
}

See Also

functions: GetObjectVisualTransform()
constants: OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_* Constant Group

OBJECT_VISUAL_TRANSFORM_LERP_* Constant Group

 author: Shadguy

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