Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Black Wolf on March 09, 2011, 04:32:48 am
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So I've begun doing some blob-turret type weapon effects for TI recently, and I've decided I want them to be animated. But I'm not sure what the performance hit for this will be, and I was hoping someone in the know would be able to tell me. So:
If I'm using an animated weapon effect, does that have an impact other than increased RAM requirement? Will I, for example, be able to use an animated effect for a short range, mass fire type weapon that will spawn multiple particles per second? Will the performance hit caused by this be significantly greater because the sprites are animated vs. standard Image files (or for that matter, any greater at all?)?
Is this the sort of thing that should be on by default, or added by an adv.vp?
What's a good length for an animation? If 15fps is the standard, should that just be used as the basis? Say if I want a weapon that lasts 3 seconds, 45 frams would required? Or is this overkill for a weapon effect, where, say, 10fps might suffice? or would that look choppy?
Obviously DDS is the preferred format for this sort of stuff - will it retain my alpha maps?
FYI, I'm only planning capship turrets and heavy weapons should be animated, primarily because of ram requirements, which will presumably shoot up, even if using DDS.
So, yeah, any advice from the more technical people?
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I've put a dozend animated weapon effects into WoD and I have yet to see any kind of performance hit from them.
For the length, I've noticed that for most weapons around 15-20 frames seem to be plenty. The effect will loop when done. Most of the time (especially with high velocity weapons) the weapon will hit something way before the effect loops, or it will move out of view range and you won't see it anyway.
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Yep, animated weapon effects are fine.
Just watch out for the bmpman limit :P