Restore aura visuals after loading a save

Saving marks effect objects dead, so after a load the Heldenmut /
Klingenblick buff was active but its aura effect (cObjectFX 842) was
gone. A few ticks after a save game has loaded, the effect is created
again for each such buff of a player hero (CreateAt + cEventFX 0x42,
as the art's cast effect does), with the buff's remaining time.

Shared game events (game/engine/events): engine tick and "save game
loaded" callbacks; the WASD mod uses the tick through it.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ add_library(sacred_re SHARED
     src/re/sacred_re.def
     src/game/engine/log.cpp
     src/game/engine/cmdline.cpp
+    src/game/engine/events.cpp
     src/mods/borderless.cpp
     src/mods/widescreen.cpp
     src/mods/hud.cpp
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ add_library(sacred_re SHARED
     src/mods/inventory_save.cpp
     src/mods/skillbar.cpp
     src/mods/arttarget.cpp
+    src/mods/aura_restore.cpp
 )
 target_include_directories(sacred_re PRIVATE src)
 target_compile_options(sacred_re PRIVATE ${SACRED_RE_CXX_FLAGS})

docs/todo.md

@@ -1,18 +1,12 @@
 # To do
 
-## Bug: skill "aura" effects are not drawn
+## Fixed: aura visuals missing after loading (2026-10-15)
 
-Reported 2026-10-14: the aura effects of some skills are missing. Not
-investigated yet. Things to check first:
-
-- whether vanilla (`[widescreen] Enabled=0`) draws them, i.e. whether the
-  widescreen or HUD patches cause it;
-- whether they are missing everywhere or only away from the screen centre;
-  if the latter, a clip test still using 1024x768 bounds, like the creature
-  clip (`0x4c8`/`0x3c8`) was;
-- effect objects (`cObjectFX`) in the object passes (`cWorldView0::DrawObjects`
-  `0x62e580` / `DrawObjects2` `0x6300d0`) and the light/effect list
-  (`+0xce14`, `0x41b1xx`).
+Saving marks effect objects (cObjectFX) dead; loading keeps the buff but drops
+the aura effect (type 842) that follows the hero. `src/mods/aura_restore.cpp`
+recreates it after a load for Heldenmut (0x3f7) and Klingenblick (0x3f8). Spell
+auras (Steinhaut, Lichtschild, ...) use other effects and are not covered
+yet; check them if their visuals go missing too.
 
 ## Better pathfinder (mouse clicks and monsters)
 

src/game/engine/events.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#include "game/engine/events.h"
+
+#include <vector>
+
+#include "re/hook.h"
+
+namespace game {
+namespace {
+
+std::vector<EngineTickFn>& TickCallbacks() {
+    static std::vector<EngineTickFn> callbacks;
+    return callbacks;
+}
+
+std::vector<SaveGameLoadedFn>& LoadedCallbacks() {
+    static std::vector<SaveGameLoadedFn> callbacks;
+    return callbacks;
+}
+
+} // namespace
+
+void OnEngineTick(EngineTickFn callback) {
+    TickCallbacks().push_back(callback);
+}
+
+void OnSaveGameLoaded(SaveGameLoadedFn callback) {
+    LoadedCallbacks().push_back(callback);
+}
+
+void NotifySaveGameLoaded() {
+    for (SaveGameLoadedFn callback : LoadedCallbacks()) {
+        callback();
+    }
+}
+
+// cEngine::Tick (0x60f1d0, 10 Hz): processes queued events, then the mouse's
+// hold-to-move re-aim orders.
+void __fastcall Engine_Tick(void* self, void* edx, void* event);
+RE_HOOK(0x0060f1d0, Engine_Tick);
+void __fastcall Engine_Tick(void* self, void* edx, void* event) {
+    Engine_Tick_original(self, edx, event);
+    if (self) {
+        for (EngineTickFn callback : TickCallbacks()) {
+            callback(static_cast<uint8_t*>(self));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+} // namespace game

src/game/engine/events.h

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#pragma once
+// Game events several mods react to. The hooks behind them live in
+// events.cpp; mods register callbacks at startup (static initialisation).
+
+#include <cstdint>
+
+namespace game {
+
+// cEngine::Tick (0x60f1d0, 10 Hz), after the game's own handling.
+using EngineTickFn = void (*)(uint8_t* engine);
+void OnEngineTick(EngineTickFn callback);
+
+// A save game finished loading its objects (cInventoryManager::Serialize
+// read, the last part of the load); callbacks run on the loading thread.
+using SaveGameLoadedFn = void (*)();
+void OnSaveGameLoaded(SaveGameLoadedFn callback);
+void NotifySaveGameLoaded();
+
+} // namespace game

src/mods/aura_restore.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+// Aura visuals after loading a save.
+//
+// Casting a lasting self aura (Heldenmut 0x3f7, Klingenblick 0x3f8) adds a
+// buff to the hero's active effects and, separately, creates an aura effect
+// object (cObjectFX type 842) that follows the hero: the art's cast effect
+// (0x4feef0) creates it with cObjectManager::CreateAt at the hero and sends it
+// a cEventFX 0x42 (owner, duration, art). Saving marks effect objects as dead;
+// loading restores the buff but drops the effect, so the aura works but is
+// invisible. A few ticks after a save game has loaded, the effect is created
+// again for every such buff of a player hero, with the buff's remaining time.
+
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <cstring>
+
+#include "game/engine/events.h"
+#include "game/engine/objects.h"
+#include "re/log.h"
+
+namespace mods::aura_restore {
+namespace {
+
+constexpr uint32_t kAuraEffectType = 842;  // cObjectFX: aura following its owner
+constexpr uint16_t kAuraArts[] = {0x3f7, 0x3f8};  // Heldenmut, Klingenblick
+constexpr uint32_t kPlayerIds = 0x11;  // object ids below this are player heroes
+constexpr int kTicksAfterLoad = 5;  // wait for the load to finish (0.5 s)
+
+// Active effects of a creature: vector of 0x20-byte entries at
+// (creature + 0x3a8) + 0x11a / + 0x11e (cCreatureArts, AddEffect 0x582c10).
+constexpr size_t kCreatureArts = 0x3a8;
+constexpr size_t kEffectsBegin = 0x11a;
+constexpr size_t kEffectsEnd = 0x11e;
+constexpr size_t kEffectSize = 0x20;
+constexpr size_t kEffectKind = 0x0;
+constexpr size_t kEffectRemaining = 0x18;  // float, seconds
+constexpr size_t kEffectArt = 0x1c;  // u16
+constexpr uint32_t kKindCooldown = 0x22;  // the art's cooldown (0x539ce0), not the buff
+
+// cEventFX (0x7c bytes, built by 0x41e0a0).
+constexpr uint32_t kEventFXVtable = 0x0088e9b4;
+constexpr uint32_t kFxAttach = 0x42;
+
+int g_ticksUntilRestore = -1;
+
+// cObjectManager::CreateAt (0x5fbaa0): object `type` at `position`; its id.
+uint32_t CreateAt(uint32_t type, const void* position) {
+    using Fn = uint32_t(__fastcall*)(void* manager, void* edx, uint32_t, const void*, uint32_t, uint32_t,
+                                     uint32_t);
+    void* manager = *reinterpret_cast<void**>(0x00ad3bc0);
+    return manager ? reinterpret_cast<Fn>(0x005fbaa0)(manager, nullptr, type, position, 0, 0, 0) : 0;
+}
+
+void AttachAura(uint8_t* hero, uint16_t art, float remaining) {
+    const uint32_t heroId = *reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(hero + 0xc);
+    const uint32_t id = CreateAt(kAuraEffectType, hero + 0x18);  // the hero's position
+    auto* effect = static_cast<uint8_t*>(game::GetObjectById(id));
+    if (!effect) {
+        return;
+    }
+    uint32_t event[0x1f] = {};
+    event[0] = kEventFXVtable;
+    event[1] = kFxAttach;
+    event[2] = heroId;
+    std::memcpy(&event[11], &remaining, 4);
+    event[15] = art;
+    using ReceiveFn = int(__fastcall*)(void*, void*, void*);
+    reinterpret_cast<ReceiveFn>((*reinterpret_cast<void***>(effect))[6])(effect, nullptr, event);
+    re::Log("aura: restored art %x on hero %u (%.1f s left)", art, heroId, remaining);
+}
+
+// Longest remaining time of the buffs (any kind but the cooldown) of `art`.
+float RemainingBuff(uint8_t* hero, uint16_t art) {
+    uint8_t* arts = hero + kCreatureArts;
+    auto* entry = *reinterpret_cast<uint8_t**>(arts + kEffectsBegin);
+    auto* end = *reinterpret_cast<uint8_t**>(arts + kEffectsEnd);
+    float longest = 0.0f;
+    for (; entry && entry < end; entry += kEffectSize) {
+        float remaining;
+        std::memcpy(&remaining, entry + kEffectRemaining, 4);
+        if (*reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(entry + kEffectKind) != kKindCooldown &&
+            *reinterpret_cast<uint16_t*>(entry + kEffectArt) == art && remaining > longest) {
+            longest = remaining;
+        }
+    }
+    return longest;
+}
+
+void RestoreAuras() {
+    for (uint32_t id = 1; id < kPlayerIds; ++id) {
+        auto* hero = static_cast<uint8_t*>(game::GetCreature(id));
+        if (!hero) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        for (uint16_t art : kAuraArts) {
+            const float remaining = RemainingBuff(hero, art);
+            if (remaining > 0.0f) {
+                AttachAura(hero, art, remaining);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void OnLoaded() {
+    g_ticksUntilRestore = kTicksAfterLoad;
+}
+
+void OnTick(uint8_t*) {
+    if (g_ticksUntilRestore >= 0 && g_ticksUntilRestore-- == 0) {
+        RestoreAuras();
+    }
+}
+
+struct Registration {
+    Registration() {
+        game::OnSaveGameLoaded(&OnLoaded);
+        game::OnEngineTick(&OnTick);
+    }
+} g_registration;
+
+} // namespace
+} // namespace mods::aura_restore

src/mods/inventory_save.cpp

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
 
+#include "game/engine/events.h"
 #include "mods/skillslots.h"
 #include "re/hook.h"
 #include "re/log.h"
@@ -376,6 +377,7 @@ int __fastcall InvManager_Serialize(void* self, void* edx, void* stream, int wri
     --g_heroFileDepth;
     if (!static_cast<char>(write)) {
         re::Log("inventory: save game read, %d JSON / %d vanilla inventories", g_readJson, g_readVanilla);
+        NotifySaveGameLoaded();
     }
     return result;
 }

src/mods/wasd.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 #include <windows.h>
 
+#include "game/engine/events.h"
 #include "game/engine/objects.h"
 #include "mods/input.h"
 #include "re/hook.h"
@@ -126,19 +127,11 @@ void Update(uint8_t* engine) {
     g_move.moving = true;
 }
 
+namespace {
+struct Registration {
+    Registration() { game::OnEngineTick(&Update); }
+} g_registration;
+} // namespace
+
 } // namespace mods::wasd
 
-namespace game {
-
-// cEngine::Tick (0x60f1d0, 10 Hz): processes queued events, then the mouse's
-// hold-to-move re-aim orders.
-void __fastcall Engine_Tick(void* self, void* edx, void* event);
-RE_HOOK(0x0060f1d0, Engine_Tick);
-void __fastcall Engine_Tick(void* self, void* edx, void* event) {
-    Engine_Tick_original(self, edx, event);
-    if (self) {
-        mods::wasd::Update(static_cast<uint8_t*>(self));
-    }
-}
-
-} // namespace game

tools/names.txt

@@ -141,3 +141,15 @@
 0x00548e70 cCreature::IsEnemy              # (object id)
 0x00611f10 cEngine::UpdateCursorPick         # cursor target for the selected art
 0x00548060 cCreature::ChooseAiArt          # monsters: art per creature class
+0x00582c10 cCreatureArts::AddEffect          # (kind, value, factor, duration, art, notify, ...): active effects at +0x11a
+0x00539ce0 cCreature::StartArtCooldown      # AddEffect(0x22, ...)
+0x004feef0 cCreature::ArtCastEffect         # per-art effect of using an art (switch on art id)
+0x005fbaa0 cObjectManager::CreateAt         # (type, position, ...): object placed in the world
+0x005fb590 cObjectManager::CreateFX
+0x005fb040 cObjectManager::Allocate
+0x004514d0 ObjectFactory::Create            # (class, ...)
+0x005fcd10 cObjectManager::Place            # (id, position); refuses dead objects (+0x14 & 0x10)
+0x00602d70 cObjectManager::Load             # objects from a save stream
+0x005a0980 cObjectFX::Construct
+0x005a37b0 cObjectFX::ReceiveEvent         # vf18; cEventFX 0x42 attaches it to an owner
+0x0041e0a0 cEventFX::Construct