Depth of Field

This page describes SOMA’s Depth of Field effect.

Depth of field creates a focus range and blurs outside it. The helper returns an instance ID so its focus range and falloff can be faded or the instance removed.

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_DoF_Start

Starts an instance of depth of field and returns the id

Parameter	Meaning
afFocusStart	near plane of the instance
afFocusEnd	far plane of the instance
afFalloff	how smooth the transition from sharp to blurr should be
afTime	time to fade to this value

In maps/chapter02/02_02_ms_curie_inside/02_02_ms_curie_inside.hps, SOMA calls Effect_DoF_Start as follows.

Effect_DoF_Start(0, 6, 0.5, 0);

Parameter	Value in this stock call
afFocusStart	0
afFocusEnd	6
afFalloff	0.5
afTime	0

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

Effect_DoF_FadeFocus

Fade the start and end of the focus plane

Parameter	Meaning
alID	id of the instance
afFocusStart	near plane of the instance
afFocusEnd	far plane of the instance
afTime	time to fade to this value

In maps/chapter04/04_03_tau_escape/04_03_tau_escape.hps, SOMA calls Effect_DoF_FadeFocus as follows.

Effect_DoF_FadeFocus(mlDoFId, 0.05, 10, 2);

Parameter	Value in this stock call
alID	mlDoFId
afFocusStart	0.05
afFocusEnd	10
afTime	2

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

Effect_DoF_FadeOut

Fade out the instance of depth of field, the instance is removed after fading out

Parameter	Meaning
alID	id of the instance
afTime	time 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