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Spellbound's Custom Lightning Effects

This is a collection of lightning effects I made. I don't really like Warcraft 3's vanilla lightning effects, so I decided to make my own. This pack contains 7 new types of lightning, each with 8 colours, and two bonus ones. You may use them as replacers, but in the LightningData.slk provided below has been edited to make these ligthning effects standalone.

Demo:

SD: LightningData.slk
HD: If you intent to use these lightning effects with HD graphics, import this LightningData.slk instead. Same import path.

Usage and import instructions:

Version history:
v2.0 - Targeting Laser, Chain, Chain Alt, and Constellation. Added white variant for all coloured lightning effects.
v1.0 - Initial release

New Lighning
The string to create this First two letter of the colour/concept + NL. So a blue New Lightning would be BLNL.

Sleek Beams
The same concept applies. Red Sleek Beam == RESB. Initially the code was SL, but I changed it to SB and only realised that some vanilla lightning effect use SB. Not really a problem, just can be slightly confusing.

Partcle Beams
Since vanilla lightning effects tend to go with PB and SB for Primary Beam and Secondary Beam, I went with PA for Particle Beams. Yellow Particle Beam == YEPA.

Beams
This is a more futuristic-looking beam. Use BM for the code. Green Beam == GRBM.

Targeting Laser
If you've played Starcraft II, you'll know of this unit called a Raven that can basically annihilate your entire army with seeker mines. These things use targeting lasers to identify their target, and that's basically what this is. Spirit Targeting Laser == SPTL

Chain
It's a chain design specifically for reeling things in. If you do not wish for it to move, you can edit the slk that accompanies the zip file. Fiery Chain == FICH

Chain Alt
This is somewhat of a slack version of the chain that doesn't move. Useful for if you want to link units together like the Demon Hunter does in Diablo 3, preferably with some immobilisation effect. Red Chain Alt == RECA

Other
There are additional lightning effects that I made just for fun. They are:
HLFX - Healing Flux
CONS - Constellation

The available colours/concepts are:
• Blue
• Red
• Yellow
• Green
• Fiery
• Mystic
• Spirit
• White, for if you want to colour the ligthning effects yourself.

HOW TO IMPORT
These lightning effects are not replaces. To import them, you require your lightning effect .blp file, and the LightningData.slk. Your import paths must be the following:

ReplaceableTextures\Weather\SBL_[TheLghtningEffect].blp
Splats\LightningData.slk

You don't HAVE to import all the lightnings. Just import those that you'll use. If you want to see the lightning effects in-game, download this test map and try it for yourself.
Give credit if you use.
Contents

Constellation (Texture)

Healing Flux (Texture)

Blue Beam (Texture)

Blue Sleek Beam (Texture)

Blue Chain (Texture)

Blue Chain Alt (Texture)

Blue New Lightning (Texture)

Blue Particle Beam (Texture)

Blue Targeting Laser (Texture)

Fiery Beam (Texture)

Fiery New Lightning (Texture)

Fiery Particle Beam (Texture)

Fiery Sleek Beam (Texture)

Fiery Targeting Laser (Texture)

Green Beam (Texture)

Green Chain (Texture)

Green Chain Alt (Texture)

Green New Lightning (Texture)

Green Particle Beam (Texture)

Green Sleek Beam (Texture)

Green Targeting Laser (Texture)

Mystic Beam (Texture)

Mystic Chain (Texture)

Mystic Chain Alt (Texture)

Mystic New Lightning (Texture)

Mystic Particle Beam (Texture)

Mystic Sleek Beam (Texture)

Mystic Targeting Laser (Texture)

Red Beam (Texture)

Red Chain (Texture)

Red Chain Alt (Texture)

Red New Lightning (Texture)

Red Particle Beam (Texture)

Red Sleek Beam (Texture)

Red Targeting Laser (Texture)

Spirit Beam (Texture)

Spirit Chain (Texture)

Spirit Chain Alt (Texture)

Spirit New Lightning (Texture)

Spirit Particle Beam (Texture)

Spirit Sleek Beam (Texture)

Spirit Targeting Laser (Texture)

White Beam (Texture)

White Chain (Texture)

White Chain Alt (Texture)

White New Lightning (Texture)

White Particle Beam (Texture)

White Sleek Beam (Texture)

White Targeting Laser (Texture)

Yellow Beam (Texture)

Yellow Chain (Texture)

Yellow Chain Alt (Texture)

Yellow New Lightning (Texture)

Yellow Particle Beam (Texture)

Yellow Sleek Beam (Texture)

Yellow Targeting Laser (Texture)

Fiery Chain (Texture)

Fiery Chain Alt (Texture)

Reviews
Heinvers
Pretty handy effects. I love the variations and how they were portrayed. Approved!
Level 12
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
228
Maybe my noobism is showing, but I've never seen anything quite like this before (certainly not in this volume), so I'm very impressed. You're going to make me rethink so many of my practical effects in my campaign, which is not what I should be spending my time doing but I'm easily distracted HEY LOOK A QUARTER

I'm sorry. Sometimes I like to think I'm funny. Anyway, a simple but very useful asset. Thank you for providing an explanation for adding these to the game rather than replacing because I had no idea you could do that. I will review this (which means I will probably forget but keep this tab open on my computer for days on end anyway) once I've taken a look at these in-game.

EDIT: Tested in-game, they all look amazing! And by the way, the map link in your description has expired.

For anyone who needs them, here are the codes for the bonus ones that don't fit the normal code system:
HLFX - Healing Flux
CONS - Constellation
 
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Level 11
Joined
May 16, 2020
Messages
660
Hi Spellbound, I'm using your "Red Target Laser", but I have some issues.

First: Do you use Reforged?

My MPQ Editor does not find LightningData.slk, so I just used yours (which I guess is from Classic). However, doing so transforms all of the new Reforged Lightning Effects into the Classic ones. The Red Target Laser works properly though. Do you know how to fix this?

Cheers
 
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I did briefly look at the RF lightning and why importing the slk would overwrite all lightning effects, and I think it's because when you have an imported the file the game prioritises that over whether you're in SD or HD mode. The LightningData.slk in _hd has an extra field to it so I guess just add those in and it'll work?

Unsure. I've attached an slk with the HD entries, so this should technically retain the HD lightning effects, but I'm not sure as to the import path. I think it should still be Splats\LightningData.slk.
 

Attachments

  • LightningDataRF.slk
    24.5 KB · Views: 376
Since the download link on this resource's thread is broken, I took the time to upload the rest of the lightning effects here. This is the LightningData.slk for SD, although I think the Reforged one should work as well for SD. In case that doesn't, use this. Instead.
 

Attachments

  • LightningData.slk
    23 KB · Views: 348
Level 9
Joined
May 25, 2021
Messages
315
Oops. How can I use them as SFX for abilities, missiles or lightning type?
I download everything of this pack, and there is no MDX or MDL file.

I am editing a custom spell (named Volatile Light) of another HIVE user.

FYI: I am a newbie . :grin::grin::grin:

Lightning Type Preset.jpg
 
Level 9
Joined
May 25, 2021
Messages
315
Secondly, about this:

HOW TO IMPORT
These lightning effects are not replaces. To import them, you require your lightning effect .blp file, and the LightningData.slk. Your import paths must be the following:

ReplaceableTextures\Weather\SBL_[TheLghtningEffect].blp
Splats\LightningData.slk

You don't HAVE to import all the lightnings. Just import those that you'll use. If you want to see the lightning effects in-game, download this test map and try it for yourself.
Give credit if you use.

WHAT IS "Splats"? And where should I put "Splats\LightningData.slk" to?
 
I don't know what variable type VL_L_SFX is supposed to be but lightning effects are strings, so you input the string name. For the custom lightning effects, eg Red Sleek Beam, the string is RESB, after REd Sleek Beam. Check the main post above.

As for Splats, that's a path in the Asset Manager. Import the LightningData.slk the same way you import anything and change it's path to Splats\LightningData.slk
 
Level 5
Joined
Apr 3, 2016
Messages
94
This is so awesome, I'm gonna use the healing flux as a spell like transfer of soul per say based on the current patch in WOW.
 
As long as they file dimensions are multiples of 8 I think it should be fine. Some lightning effects are 256x64 whereas others are 256x128, so if you want to widen some beams, you can definitely do it.
I never found any free option that worked though a friend did mention a possible fix to manually add something for fixing .slk files after editing them without the proper program. Not even sure if I want to since dummy units or effects is likely the better option due to lightnings being so laggy, however is it possible to make them like 1024x1024 so that it is a single lightning instead of using multiple lightnings to make a single beam on the level of something like a kamehameha from dbz?
 
I never found any free option that worked though a friend did mention a possible fix to manually add something for fixing .slk files after editing them without the proper program. Not even sure if I want to since dummy units or effects is likely the better option due to lightnings being so laggy, however is it possible to make them like 1024x1024 so that it is a single lightning instead of using multiple lightnings to make a single beam on the level of something like a kamehameha from dbz?
I'm not sure why lightning effects are laggy for you but I've never had issues with them dropping frames. I'm not sure if a lightning effect of 1024x1024 would do anything better than a regular 256x64/128. In fact, if it works, you're basically rendering a higher-res image so if the regular lightnings are lagging, I assume one with higher-res texture would lag even worse.

As for the slk, the only software that I found that was able to save it properly was Microsoft Excel. Nothing else I've tried (Libre Office, Open Office, etc) has worked. Only Excel.
 
I'm not sure why lightning effects are laggy for you but I've never had issues with them dropping frames. I'm not sure if a lightning effect of 1024x1024 would do anything better than a regular 256x64/128. In fact, if it works, you're basically rendering a higher-res image so if the regular lightnings are lagging, I assume one with higher-res texture would lag even worse.

As for the slk, the only software that I found that was able to save it properly was Microsoft Excel. Nothing else I've tried (Libre Office, Open Office, etc) has worked. Only Excel.

hmmfatbeam.jpg

Is this because the texture is too small? I changed the lightning width to 800 since I figured making them wider/bigger had to be more then a bigger texture? Also found out I can just use notepad to edit lightnings... :infl_thumbs_up:
 
Last edited:
Level 6
Joined
Apr 18, 2023
Messages
201
Since the download link on this resource's thread is broken, I took the time to upload the rest of the lightning effects here. This is the LightningData.slk for SD, although I think the Reforged one should work as well for SD. In case that doesn't, use this. Instead.
SD is working normally, but HD seems to be not working properly
 
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