Effect flags

A set of bitflags for configuring client-side visual effects.

Usage From Hammer

Effect flags can be configured from Hammer. To do so, turn off SmartEdit and add a new keyvalue pair:

effects <n>

"n" is the sum total of the flags you want to use. For example, 66 would mean EF_BRIGHTLIGHT and EF_NORECEIVESHADOW.

Alternatively, you can add the following code (or similar) to the FGD entries of entities you wish to use effect flags on:

effects(choices) : "Effect Flags" : 0 : "For configuring visual effects. If you want to combine effects, simply type in the sum of the effect numbers, e.g., '72' for 64+8." =
[
	0: "None"
	1: "Bonemerge always (very expensive!)"
	2: "Bright, dynamic light at entity origin"
	4: "Dim, dynamic light at entity origin"
	8: "No movement interpolation"
	16: "Don't cast shadows"
	32: "Don't draw entity (entity is fully ignored by clients, NOT server; can cause collision problems)"
	64: "Don't receive dynamic shadows"
	128: "Bonemerge only in PVS, better performance but prone to disappearing. Use with Bonemerge."
	256: "Unsubtle blink"
	512: "Flag parent as always animating and realign each frame"
]

If you wish to use effect flags on enough entity classes, it may be worthwhile to create or modify a BaseClass instead of adding code to numerous entity classes individually.

Tip:Effect flags are enabled by default in TeamSpen's Hammer Addons.

Flags

1 - EF_BONEMERGE

Merges bones of names shared with a parent entity to the position and direction of the parent's.

2 - EF_BRIGHTLIGHT

Emits a dynamic light of RGB(250,250,250) and a random radius of 400 to 431 from the origin.

4 - EF_DIMLIGHT

Emits a dynamic light of RGB(100,100,100) and a random radius of 200 to 231 from the origin.

8 - EF_NOINTERP

Don't interpolate on the next frame.

Warning:Causes crashes.

16 - EF_NOSHADOW

Don't create a render-to-texture shadow, does not affect projected texture shadows.

Note:Same as disableshadows 1.

32 - EF_NODRAW

Entity is completely ignored by the client, and stops drawing the entity. Can cause prediction errors if a player proceeds to collide with it on the server, so use rendermode 10 instead if this is a problem.

64 - EF_NORECEIVESHADOW

Don't receive dynamic shadows.

Note:Same as disablereceiveshadows 1.

128 - EF_BONEMERGE_FASTCULL

For use with EF_BONEMERGE. If set, the entity will use its parent's origin to calculate whether it is visible; if not set, it will set up parent's bones every frame even if the parent is not in the PVS.

256 - EF_ITEM_BLINK

Blink an item so that the user notices it. Added for original Xbox, and not very subtle.

512 - EF_PARENT_ANIMATES

Assume that the parent entity is always animating. Causes it to realign every frame.

Note:Does not function with the effects keyvalue.

1024 - EF_MARKED_FOR_FAST_REFLECTION

Marks the entity to render in fast water reflections.

Note:Same as drawinfastreflection 1.

2048 - EF_NOSHADOWDEPTH

Stops env_cascade_lighting and env_projectedtexture from making shadows for this entity.

Note:Same as disableshadowdepth 1.

4096 - EF_SHADOWDEPTH_NOCACHE

Don't cache this entity into shadow depthmaps, update it every frame.

8192 - EF_NOFLASHLIGHT

Stops projected textures from making shadows for this entity.

Note:Same as disableflashlight 1.

16384 - EF_NOCSM (in all games since )

Don't cast shadows from cascade shadow maps.

Functions

• AddEFlags() / SetEFlags()
• RemoveEFlags()
• GetEFlags()
• IsEFlagSet()

See Also

• entities.constants
• Non-FGD features
• Render Modes