Shake

This page describes SOMA’s Shake effect.

Shake moves the camera for a specified hold period plus fade-in and fade-out periods. Its helper documentation says the largest of multiple requested shakes is used; spatial sources increase its strength as the player approaches.

Before you start

1. Open the map script inside your own mod. Keep its generated includes, cScrMap : iScrMap class and callback structure. See Add your first script if you have not edited a map script yet.
2. Add the helper include shown below alongside the script’s other includes.
3. Read the stock example before copying its calls: named entities, voice subjects, materials and callbacks must belong to the map or resources you are using.

Follow the stock example

#include "helpers/helper_effects.hps"

Effect_Shake_Start

Makes the screen shake for a certain amount of time. Returns id to the current shaking. If several calls to shake has been made the largest one is used.

Parameter	Meaning
afAmount	The strength of the shake.
afTime	The time it shakes at full intensity (fade in and fade out are added to this).
afFadeInTime	The time before it reaches full strength.
afFadeOutTime	The time, after afTime is up, that it will take for the shake to reach zero strength.
avDirAmount	The amount it will shake in each direction in camera space
afFrequency	Times per seconds the shake will change offset. 0=every update (ie max).

In maps/chapter02/02_04_theta_outside/02_04_theta_outside.hps, SOMA calls Effect_Shake_Start as follows.

Effect_Shake_Start(0.2, 2, 12, 0);

Parameter	Value in this stock call
afAmount	0.2
afTime	2
afFadeInTime	12
afFadeOutTime	0

This is an excerpt from that stock script; its referenced names and variables belong to that script.

Effect_Shake_SetSourceEntity

Sets an entity as the source of a shake instance. The shake instance will increase in strength as the player gets closer to the entity.

Parameter	Meaning
alID	The id of the shake (returned by Effect_Shake_Start).
asSourceEntity	entity to be used as source.
afMinDist	distance to entity where the shake will be at its most powerful.
afMaxDist	distance where shake will have faded out completely.
aEasingType	the curve the strength of the shake will follow as you move further from the entity.

In maps/_e3/_e3_01_02/_e3_01_02.hps, SOMA calls Effect_Shake_SetSourceEntity as follows.

Effect_Shake_SetSourceEntity(lID, "StairsDoor", 2, 7);

Parameter	Value in this stock call
alID	lID
asSourceEntity	"StairsDoor"
afMinDist	2
afMaxDist	7

This is an excerpt from that stock script; its referenced names and variables belong to that script.

Effect_Shake_FadeOut

Fades out one or all shake instances.

Parameter	Meaning
alID	The id of the shake (returned by Effect_Shake_Start). -1 = fade out all active shakes.
afFadeOutTime	the time it takes to fade out.

Check your change

Save the script and restart the map in development mode with F5. If the script fails, open F1 and use Show Error List or Show HPL Log. See the development loop for the launch and debugging steps.

See also

• SOMA effects helpers