SpecialFX tec for Race07 GTR2 and related games 202402

I think that specialfx should contain two types of reactions "drive on material" and "crash with material".
Crashing with concrete, metal, glass causes different visual effects that driving on a material with the same name.
Unfortunately, the effects for crashing are stored in car audio files, different for every car.
I will take a look if it is possible to add these basic crash effects to specialfx.tec.
These effects should not have priority over car .aud files.
Whatever can be done, soon a new release of specialfx together with Surface Test track.

Minor updates of spark textures
Added a few textures that may be usable
List of all materials (a text file)

SpecialFX pack (file + textures + sounds) will be distributed together with the test track Surface Test

The pack may be used both in GTR Evo and GTR 2
If it asks to replace files - what to do?
specialfx.tec - make a backup of the original, then replace.

Textures - the original specialfx uses .tga textures, this one uses .dds only.
Leave all .tga textures in GTR2 (the game is known for crashing if a single texture is missing)
Delete (or backup) .tga textures from GTR Evo.
Replace .dds textures.

The track
It works both in GTR2 and Evo.
For GTR 2 there is a different .trk file only (in a subfolder, to replace the Evo .trk)

It is unfinished.
There is a bug at start (some cars may jump up right after start). I cannot remove it, because there is no object there.

Specialfx.tec for GTR game series
Tested in GTR 2, GTR Evolution, Race 07, Alltimer GrandTour
Not tested in GTL, GTR, Race, Power&Glory, Ultramod, RaceRemaster

This 2023 version features .dds textures instead of .tga
Textures go to GameData\Teams
Sounds go to GameData\Sounds
The file specialfx.tec goes to GameData\Locations (make a backup of the previous version)

Not all textures are used.
This is possibly the very beginning of building a versatile specialfx.tec
Some textures are numbered, for example spark, dustbrown, raceline, rainspray, smokeblack, smokewhite.
They were found in various tracks - the same name, different texture.
They are numbered this method:
without number = the original texture (or this one that looks the best)
number 1 is the lightest effect, higher number is stronger.

By default the texture without a number is used (or no 1)
but if you want stronger or lighter effect on selected tracks,
copy the numbered texture to a track folder and rename it (for example spark3 to spark)

These numbered textures may be also used to split the defined materials in specialfx.tec
For example: smaller sparks on road, larger on stone, white sparks on metal

3 variants of Dustbrown, numbered.

Textures numbered with two digits 00 to XX are animation sequences.
They should not be used as a single texture effect.
If you want to use snow05 for a new effect, copy it and give it a new name, for example snowfall

Different games:
rFactor uses different textures for effects.
They are also converted to .dds and placed in a folder
GameData\Locations\Shared\Commonmaps
So, if you want these effects on a track, add this link to the .trk file
SearchPath=GameData\Locations\Shared\Commonmaps
before
SearchPath=GameData\Locations\Shared

I haven't seen a noticeable difference, not sure if they are usable.
They may be added to Teams, with a new number, but there will be no effect, if they are undefined in specialfx.tec

Previous versions of specialfx and .tga textures are in the folder backup.
They don't go to the game

The question
The textures working with specialfx are in the folder Teams, with shared parts of cars.
This is why every car uses <Teamdir> in SearchPath.
But, the textures refer to effects on tracks, however caused by cars.
Then... why aren't they in the folder Locations?

There is still a problem with the water definition.
Here is static water, material named water, hit by a car.
It displays the texture Roostertail dedicated for waterfall. Waterfall effect is now only for the material named s64, with the texture Roostertail.
This texture should not appear here, for material water, it should be Rainspray.

Other effects for water are ok, but I see them for the first time as static screens.
There is still a lot to do. The skid marks are for snow or ice. This is visible on screenshots, that for water the texture should be softer, without tire trail.

This is really strange. The texture Snowsplash is displayed here, in water.
It is also not used in water definition. For water the defined texture is Rainspray not Snowsplash.
What is wrong here?

Added texture: camglow02, because there were textures for "effect on" and no "effect off".
Camglow (camera flash) is unused in specialfx.tec yet
View attachment 638431
Everyone is welcome to participate and update.