It was brought to my attention in another thread that custom impact data entries don't seem to function correctly for creating proper impacts for spells. And all testing that I've done seems to confirm that fact.

Here's what I did...

~ Tested Wall of Frost spell with no changes. Obviously this creates hazards on the ground, as intended.

~ Created a duplicate of the "MAGFrostBarrierImpactSet". Editted the "BarrierFrostConcAimed" effect to use the duplicate impact data set. Tested spell, still works perfectly.

~ Created a duplicate of the "MAGFrostBarrierImpact" entry. Editted "MAGFrostBarrierImpactSetCOPY0000" so that it uses the duplicate impact data instead of the default. Tested spell, no impact. The spell touches the wall or floor and no hazard is placed, no decal, nothing. The spell basically just disappears when it touches the wall.

~ Created a from-scratch impact data entry named "FrostBarrierImpactTest". Set every value for the entry to exactly match the original (working) "MAGFrostBarrierImpact" entry by hand. For the impact .nif I used "ImpactFrost01.nif" file, which I extracted from the Meshes BSA (because without duplicating its impossible to set it to the file in the BSA). Tested spell, no impact.

~ Created a from-scratch impact data set entry named "FrostBarrierImpactSetTest". Set all entries to "FrostBarrierImpactTest". Set the "BarrierFrostConcAimed" effect to use "FrostBarrierImpactSetTest". Tested spell, no impact.

~ Went in and set all values in "FrostBarrierImpactSetTest" to the original impact data (MAGFrostBarrierImpact). Tested spell, works correctly, hazards placed on the ground.

Resaults of the test being...

Default Data Set + Default Impact Data = http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1355210-custom-impact-data-for-spells/Working spell
Duplicate Data Set + Default Impact Data = http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1355210-custom-impact-data-for-spells/Working spell
Duplicate Data Set + Duplicate Impact Data = http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1355210-custom-impact-data-for-spells/Failed spell
Duplicate Data Set + Newly created Impact Data = http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1355210-custom-impact-data-for-spells/Failed spell
Newly created Data Set + Newly created Impact Data = http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1355210-custom-impact-data-for-spells/Failed spell
Newly created Data Set + Default Impact Data = http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1355210-custom-impact-data-for-spells/Working spell


Or basically, any time a custom Impact Data is involved (be it an exact duplicate of the original working entry or completely new created from scratch) the impact won't function. The impact data set doesn't matter, it can be a duplicate or new and still work as long as no custom impact data is used. Even the art file used doesn't matter, I thought maybe custom data just couldn't access the BSA for whatever reason but even an extracted NIF won't solve the issue.

I could figure that its just another one of those stupid bugs in the CK, that for some reason custom impact data entries don't work at all. Which would be a rather annoying problem for creating completely new spells. But then I went ahead and checked Midas Magic, assuming that he probably has some spells with custom impact data. And indeed he does. The Black Hole and the Entangle spells both have custom impact data, both even placing hazards at the impact site. Pretty much exactly what I'm trying to use to test.

But his spells work. Custom impact data entry, custom impact data set. Works perfectly, lays hazards at the impact location, everything. Looked at the actual entries and they look pretty much identical to what my tests do. Other than using his own art file obviously, the values I entered for my data set and the ones he's using for his are exactly the same between his Entangle impact data and my test Frost Wall impact data.

So what am I missing? Why can't I get any impact data besides the defaults to work, when it obviously is possible to have working customs as evidenced by Midas Magic?

No one? Might need to PM Xilver, he got it to work for Midas so maybe he knows a trick or something to get it to work.

I haven't checked yet since I ran afoul of this in the Magelight threa, but Midas has been out for a while. Before the CK, so he/she might have used Skyedit to create the custom impact data.

I have to use Skyedit to create better custom Leveled List for me personal mod. The CK doesn't allow modifying the spawn numbers, while Skyedit does. And the Skyedit modified spawn numbers work in game.

I'll check Skyedit tomorrow.

Another alternative might be creating one using TesVSnip and copying that into a mod. I did that for custom texture sets before the CK was released.

Bats

Before I say this isn't bug:

It works fine for me in game. I use both a custom made magic effect and spell, using a default impact data that was duplicated and renamed(MAGAbsorbRedImpactSetCOPY0000 → MAGAbsorbRedImpactSet1) I even removed a few default entries that carried over from the duplication. Still works. Creating a new impactdataset using exact values also works.

Edit: I've just discovered something..weird while trying to somehow duplicate this problem you're having.

When I changed the archetype to Disarm, the impact data stopped working. When I change it back to script(the effect uses one) the impact data works fine.

I have exactly the same issue with a custom version of MageLigth spell. I progressively duplicate each element (spell, spelleffect, impactset ...) to find the issue is located in the Impact. Duplicating the impact doesn't to make it work with creationkit.

I looked into skyedit but it doesn't allow editing impact.

Any new clue on this issue?