[m!m]

A recent commit to the master branch has added the new particle effect system. The idea is similar to my "Particle trails script" I wrote a few years ago but this is tightly integrated into the engine and is built to be much faster.

There is currently no nightly build containing this feature but the next one should contain it. The available effect types is pretty limited currently but it can be easily expanded in the future. Let me know what you think about it or if you find any bugs.

[Spoon]

"Particle trails script"
It's pretty great

So I kind of scanned over it all, it looks neat and all that. But I'm having a bit of a hard time visualizing how all of these options can be used.
Like for example, can this be used to create cool impact sparkle effects like seen in FEAR? Or like balistic weapon particle impacts as in MWO? (https://my.mixtape.moe/sljawk.webm & https://my.mixtape.moe/wvkquo.webm )

[m!m]

That sort of effect is definitely possible but currently the options are pretty limited. The wiki has an example table which I used for testing these changes which create small particle cones when a BP gauss cannon or mass driver impact the hull of something. The possible effects will be expanded in the future so even if the effects you showed may not be possible currently, they certainly will be possible in the future.

EDIT: I added the documentation for the added weapons.tbl options.

[chief1983]

The August 5 nightly build now released has the particle system in it.

[Spoon]

That sort of effect is definitely possible but currently the options are pretty limited. The wiki has an example table which I used for testing these changes which create small particle cones when a BP gauss cannon or mass driver impact the hull of something. The possible effects will be expanded in the future so even if the effects you showed may not be possible currently, they certainly will be possible in the future.

EDIT: I added the documentation for the added weapons.tbl options.

Coo' Coo'
I'll keep an eye out for future development

[m!m]

I added a new type of effect that creates a sphere of particles. This can be used in combination with the new $Ship Death Effect option for creating effects similar to my particle script.

[Bryan See]

Hello, I tried starting my mission for Shattered Stars, one that tests FS2_Open's new particle system. However, it crashed terrible after briefing and before a mission start. It's frustrating.

And when I tried to start a Debug build, I still cannot access it due to the Avast AV checking. Avast reports that the executables are safe.

And, what of custom shaders? Can shaders render particles, as in modern game engines? If so, then why can't you implement the functionality?

[The E]

And, what of custom shaders? Can shaders render particles, as in modern game engines? If so, then why can't you implement the functionality?

Custom shaders are a bad idea and should not be used.

[m!m]

And, what of custom shaders? Can shaders render particles, as in modern game engines? If so, then why can't you implement the functionality?

I have no idea what you wanted to say with this. Particles are rendered using shaders. I'm pretty sure that modern game engines do the same thing since there is no other way of displaying things than to use shaders.

[Bryan See]

The E, let me tell you that I'm having problems with this nightly build (and subsequent ones). It keeps on being scanned by Avast AV and yet they are clean. While access/execution to them remains denied due to insufficient rights.

[FrikgFeek]

That sounds like an avast problem, not a FSO problem. Avast is very catious about what it calls "very rare files" so any of the recent FSO executables, especially less used ones like FASTDEBUG won't have a lot of samples(or any at all) in their file database.

If you're the administrator on your PC you can add the whole FS2 folder as an exclusion to Avast's file system scan or set it up to let you run "very rare" files.

[AdmiralRalwood]

That sounds like an avast problem, not a FSO problem.

Yeah, there's literally nothing the SCP can do about Avast being overcautious about our executables.

[The E]

The E, let me tell you that I'm having problems with this nightly build (and subsequent ones). It keeps on being scanned by Avast AV and yet they are clean. While access/execution to them remains denied due to insufficient rights.

As Frikgfeek and Ralwood said, there is literally nothing we can do about that. Those are problems that you need to solve yourself.

[Bryan See]

The E, let me tell you that I'm having problems with this nightly build (and subsequent ones). It keeps on being scanned by Avast AV and yet they are clean. While access/execution to them remains denied due to insufficient rights.

As Frikgfeek and Ralwood said, there is literally nothing we can do about that. Those are problems that you need to solve yourself.

I've solved it, by excluding the entire FS2 Open folder via the AV. Thanks a lot.

For the crash, I've opened up a thread in the FSO Support section.

Regarding the particle system, are there any plans by the MediaVPs to make use of it? Are they soft particles, or volumetrically rendered? Or rendered by shaders? I know custom shaders are not allowed for this system.

[m!m]

Regarding the particle system, are there any plans by the MediaVPs to make use of it? Are they soft particles, or volumetrically rendered? Or rendered by shaders? I know custom shaders are not allowed for this system.

You seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a "shader" is. The shader is the part of the graphics pipeline that is responsible for assigning the pixels a color. Everything in our engine is rendered using a shader.

Now, for your other questions. We are currently using soft particles. You have to ask the MediaVPs team if they plan to use these effects.

[Bryan See]

Regarding the particle system, are there any plans by the MediaVPs to make use of it? Are they soft particles, or volumetrically rendered? Or rendered by shaders? I know custom shaders are not allowed for this system.

You seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a "shader" is. The shader is the part of the graphics pipeline that is responsible for assigning the pixels a color. Everything in our engine is rendered using a shader.

Now, for your other questions. We are currently using soft particles. You have to ask the MediaVPs team if they plan to use these effects.

For the time being, the Blue Planet team and I are the only ones taking advantage of it. What about volumetric particle shadows, lighting and smoke (with atmospheric and vacuum conditions)?

[The E]

What about volumetric particle shadows, lighting and smoke (with atmospheric and vacuum conditions)?

If you want to have these effects in the engine, you should prove your "Visionary coder" description and implement them.

[Bryan See]

What about volumetric particle shadows, lighting and smoke (with atmospheric and vacuum conditions)?

If you want to have these effects in the engine, you should prove your "Visionary coder" description and implement them.

Good. This is what I like to do.

[Spoon]

Top. Kek.

[LaineyBugsDaddy]

If he does try to submit some sort of patch, I know you folks with the SCP will go over it character by character. I wouldn't trust any code he gave me any farther than I could throw a Tri-Met MAX train.