PPChain files are saved from the World Editor's Post Processing editor panel. They describe an entire chain, or a partial chain. By default they are located in the <res>/system/post_processing/chains folder. A .ppchain file has the grammar described below:
<file_name>
+<Effect>
+<bypass> Vector4 </bypass>
*<PyPhase>
<name> string </name>
<clearRenderTarget> [true|false] </clearRenderTarget>
<material> material section </material>
<renderTarget> string </renderTarget>
<filterQuad>
[ <PyFilterQuad>
*<filterTap> Vector4 </filterTap>
</PyFilterQuad>
| <PyPointSpriteTransferMesh> </PyPointSpriteTransferMesh>
| <PyTransferQuad> </PyTransferQuad>
| <PyVisualTransferMesh>
<resourceID> string </resourceID>
</PyVisualTransferMesh>
]
</filterQuad>
</PyPhase>
*<PyCopyBackBuffer>
<name> string </name>
<renderTarget> string </renderTarget>
</PyCopyBackBuffer>
*<PlayerFader>
<name> string </name>
<renderTarget> string </renderTarget>
</PlayerFader>
</Effect>
</file_name>Grammar of ppchain file
The list below describes the tags in the ppchain file:
-
Effect
A .ppchain file consists solely of a list of Effects.
-
bypass
Set to (0,0,0,0) to bypass an effect, or any non-negative value to enable. This bypass value is often overriden for dynamic control by Python game scripts.
-
PyPhase
Tag for PyPhase style phase section. A PyPhase is a generic post-processing phase that is used in the majority of circumstances.
-
name
String identifier for this phase.
-
renderTarget
The string identifier of the render target to which this phase will render.
-
clearRenderTarget
Whether or not the render target should be cleared before rendering this phase.
-
material
Effect Material section, see EffectMaterial section
-
filterQuad
The filter quad geometry that will be used to render with. See available Filter Quad sections below
-
-
PyCopyBackBuffer
Tag for PyCopyBackBuffer style phase section. This type of phase performs a StretchRect copy of the device's back buffer into the render target. When making a copy of the device's back buffer it is preferable to use this phase rather than a generic transfer phase, as the StretchRect operation resolves any hardware antialiasing at this time. Additionally, this phase knows when the back buffer surface has not yet been modified by another phase and will temporarily bypass the operation in this case.
-
name
String identifier for this phase.
-
renderTarget
The string identifier of the render target to which this phase will render.
-
-
PlayerFader
Tag for PlayerFader style phase section. The PlayerFader works in conjunction with the CursorCamera to fade out the player model when the camera moves forward and intersects with the player's bounding box due to the camera colliding with scene geometry.
-
name
String identifier for this phase.
-
renderTarget
The string identifier of the render target to which this phase will render.
-
-
PyFilterQuad
Tag for PyFilterQuad style filter quad. This filter quad has an arbitrary number of filter taps, and draws in multiple passes doing 4 taps per pass.
-
filterTap
Vector4 (uOffset, vOffset, weight, unused).
-
-
PyPointSpriteTransferMesh
Tag for PyPointSpriteTransferMesh style filter quad.
-
PyTransferQuad
Tag for PyTransferQuad style filter quad.
-
PyVisualTransferMesh
Tag for PyVisualTransferMesh style filter quad.
-
resourceID
The string identifier of the .visual file with which this phase will render.
-