RF VFX Tools

A Blender add-on for creating and editing Red Faction 1 .vfx files — without requiring 3ds Max or any Volition tools.

Built for the Alpine Faction community.

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What is this?

Red Faction's .vfx format stores animated mesh effects — explosions, thrusters, flags, shield effects, and more. Previously the only way to create or edit these files was through Volition's 3ds Max exporter, which is no longer accessible. RF VFX Tools brings the full pipeline into Blender.

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Features

• Import and export .vfx files — edit existing effects or build new ones from scratch
• Morph animation — bake any Blender animation (shape keys, armatures, modifiers, cloth sim) into RF per-vertex morph frames
• One-click Mixamo / armature → shape keys — import a Mixamo FBX, click once, done
• One-click pre-keyed shape keys → RF timing — for Quake/MD2-style models with existing shape key geometry
• Particle emitters — create and configure PART sections with full settings
• Dummies (attachment points) — one-click presets for all engine-recognised dummy names
• Materials panel — per-slot texture assignment with .tga, .vbm, and .dds support
• RFG map importer — import Red Faction level geometry directly into Blender for reference
• File > New > RF VFX — installable scene template for a clean starting point every time
• Blender 3.6 through 5.0 compatible

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Installation

1. Download rf_vfx_tools_vX.Y.Z.zip from Releases
2. Open Blender → Edit > Preferences > Add-ons
3. Click Install... and select the zip
4. Enable RF VFX Tools
5. An RF VFX tab appears in the 3D Viewport sidebar (press N)

If upgrading from a previous version, remove the old version first, restart Blender, then install the new one.

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Quick Start

Create a new VFX

1. Click New RF VFX Scene
2. Model your mesh and assign a texture in the Materials panel
3. Click Add Selected To RF_VFX
4. Set flags if needed (optional)
5. Set the output path → Export VFX

Edit an existing VFX

1. Click Import VFX... → edit the mesh
2. Export — Patch mode auto-detects the template
3. Vertex count must stay the same

Morph animation (custom)

1. Animate your mesh (shape keys, modifiers, armatures, etc.)
2. Click Bake Animation to Shape Keys
3. Set Morph FPS in Advanced Options
4. Click Export VFX

Morph animation (Mixamo / rigged mesh)

1. Import your Mixamo FBX into Blender
2. Select the mesh or armature
3. Click Armature → Shape Keys (Mixamo) — handles everything automatically
4. Click Export VFX

Morph animation (Quake / pre-keyed shapes)

1. Import a model that already has shape keys with geometry data
2. Click Shape Keys → RF Timing (Quake)
3. Click Export VFX

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File > New Template

Install a clean RF VFX scene template directly into Blender's File > New menu:

• In the New VFX / Import panel, click Install RF VFX Template
• Restart Blender
• Use File > New > RF VFX for a guaranteed-clean starting scene every time

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Panel Overview

Panel	Purpose
Workflows	Step-by-step cheat sheets
New VFX / Import	Create scenes, import VFX, import RFG maps
Materials	Per-slot texture assignment and Additive toggle
Object Flags	Billboard, Rod, Fullbright per mesh
Dummies	One-click attachment point presets
Particle Emitters	Create and configure particle emitters
Export	Output settings, prepare tools, Export VFX button

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Object Flags

Flag	Description
Billboard	Always faces camera. Use for flat effects: sparks, flares. Mutually exclusive with Rod.
Rod	Cylindrical facing locked to longest axis. Use for beams and streaks. Auto-enables Fullbright.
Fullbright	Ignores scene lighting. Always fully lit.

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Dummies (Attachment Points)

Dummy	Description
$prop_flag	CTF flag attachment — must be parented to the flag mesh
muzzle_1	Weapon muzzle flash (arrow)
thruster	Thruster VFX (auto-increments)
corona	Glare/corona position (auto-increments)
chaingun_1	Vehicle mounted weapon
primary_1	Primary weapon position
secondary_1	Secondary weapon position
interface_1	Player interaction / entry point

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Morph FPS

FPS	Best for
5 fps	Cloth, foliage, water, long ambient loops
10 fps	Moderate animations
15 fps	Explosions, impacts, sharp fast animation

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Limits

• All meshes must have at least one UV map
• end_frame must be ≥ 5
• Vertex count must stay constant across morph frames
• Billboard and Rod are mutually exclusive
• Alpine Faction removes vanilla RF hard limits — be sensible with morph animation file sizes

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Troubleshooting

Problem	Fix
Invisible in-game	Check texture filename exists in RF's data files
Inside-out faces	Enable Flip Faces in Advanced Options
Wrong position/rotation	Apply transforms before export (Ctrl+A)
Particles going wrong direction	Rotate the arrow emitter — tip = emit direction
VFX skipped / crash on load	Run Readiness Check; ensure end_frame ≥ 5
Mesh too dark	Enable Fullbright flag
No animation in-game	Bake Animation to Shape Keys before export
Animation cuts off halfway	Re-bake — scene frame_end updates automatically
$prop_flag not attaching	Dummy must be parented to the flag mesh, not Scene Root

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Community & Support

• Discord: discord.gg/factionfiles — ask in the RF modding channels
• FactionFiles: factionfiles.com
• Alpine Faction: github.com/GooberRF/alpinefaction
• Contact: romekaddams on Discord

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Documentation

Full documentation is included in each release:

• RF_VFX_Guide.pdf — comprehensive guide covering every panel and feature
• RF_VFX_Quick_Reference.pdf — cheat sheet for common workflows
• RF_VFX_Reference.pdf — engine integration reference (dummies, .tbl mappings, cockpit HUD naming, binary flags)

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Created by Romek and Claude