Author Topic: yay or nay  (Read 23576 times)

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Offline Taristin

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I rather liked the frizzy nature of Flipside's particles, but it was innapropriate for the Herc II, so I put Thunder's in there... It looks good on the Mara too (I had to change the blue to red though)
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Offline Rictor

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Why not get rid of the particles alltogether? THe basic thruster glows (without the particle spew) look great to me.

 

Offline Bobboau

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people wanted them, they now have the option
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Offline Taristin

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Quote
Originally posted by Rictor
Why not get rid of the particles alltogether? THe basic thruster glows (without the particle spew) look great to me.


What an incredibly... *thinks of word* stupid thing to say...

We fight for so long to get it, and someone asks for it to be removed?
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Offline Goober5000

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At least make it optional.  I prefer the original look as well.

 

Offline Bobboau

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I have yet to see a particle system that I thought looked better thank the newer glow effedt, but I think the newer glow effect looks better than the origonal,
 these are all optonal with the defalt set to off
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DEUTERONOMY 22:11
Thou shalt not wear a garment of diverse sorts, [as] of woollen and linen together

 

Offline Rictor

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Perhaps I minsunderstood the whole innovation of this thread. I was under the impression that the big thing here was the new and improved (thorugh use of the source-code) thruster glows+trails. Don't think that I'm putting down the effort or anything, I'm just stating what I think from a purely aesthetic point of view.

The particles are certainly commendable. Perhaps grouping them more closely would result in an effect that resembles a cohesive uh.. particle group. I think you understand what I mean.

 

Offline Flipside

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Well, from my point of view, it's not jets that are the important part, it the definable particle emitter.

The ani's I used for the jets are a disruption, and explosion and one little 128 x 128 'puff' ani I made up, so they are only really just to see what the engine (of the game) is capable of.
My own thoughts are that if you put a tiny little object in a game, with 'thrusters' pointing on 4-6 directions, emitting very large, long lived textures (1 fps ani's?),  it would be interesting to see what kind of particle effects you could come up with?
All the emitters are optional, if they are not in the table file, they won't appear in the game, simple as that. I'm not certain how Vanilla FS2 would cope with them being there though.
At the moment, for certain ships, yes those particles are a little too 'Fluffy' for my tastes also (Though I still like the idea of breaking one 'particle' down into multiple ones), but you've seen what was done with the standard effects in Inferno, and that was just using the inventiveness of modders coupled with the standard(ish) game Engine :)

Flipside :D

Edit : Bobboau, is there any chance of LOD settings similar to the explosions for this? That way I think I might be able to come out with a little something interesting ;)
« Last Edit: September 08, 2003, 06:18:00 am by 394 »

 

Offline J.F.K.

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I can't get this latest feature to work, anyone mind posting screenies of the latest progress? Particles have got me really interested... :)
.
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Offline Taristin

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Quote
Originally posted by Flipside

*snipitty snip*
 


Quote
Originally posted by Flipside
*Snippity snip snip*
 



Quote
Originally posted by Flipside
$Thruster Particles:
   $Thruster Particle Bitmap:   disruption
   $Min Radius:         0.2
   $Max Radius:         1.2
   $Min created:         15
   $Max created:         25
   $Variance:            0.05
$Thruster Particles:
   $Thruster Particle Bitmap:   Puff
   $Min Radius:         0.5
   $Max Radius:         1.6
   $Min created:         15
   $Max created:         40
   $Variance:            0.05
$Thruster Particles:
   $Afterburner Particle Bitmap:   exploAeA
   $Min Radius:         0.2
   $Max Radius:         1.2
   $Min created:         25
   $Max created:         60
   $Variance:            0.1

This is a bit heavy on the particles, but it needs to be for the effect to work. I'll try doing some more ANI's and seeing what effects I can get :)

Here

Flipside :D
« Last Edit: September 08, 2003, 12:07:51 pm by 273 »
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Offline Fineus

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Did you have to quote all that? :doubt:

 

Offline Flaser

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I have to agree that I better particle generator would be extremely useful.

I belive with small enough particles almost anything with liquid/gaseous qualities could be modeled (thrusters for instance, but before you argue with the FL type bendy beams, let me interject: if you gave the particles a high speed and a low lifespan, then you could simulate a thruster quite well without the FL bend part), lcoalised nebulas for instance.

This is just a wish, and may not fit with Bobbau's plans for his development I just wanted to cast some light on the usefullness of a particle system in the future.
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Offline vyper

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I prefer Bob's effect. The particles look horribly..... pixelly.
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Offline Flaser

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Quote
Originally posted by vyper
I prefer Bob's effect. The particles look horribly..... pixelly.


They are too big.

BTW I don't think that the fine particle system we talk about has to use the actual particles to simulate the effects we want.
They could be used as a base for other type of graphics - right now I can only think of some aplha blend, but still it could do wonders since you can leave the particles to act as the definers of the movement.
"I was going to become a speed dealer. If one stupid fairytale turns out to be total nonsense, what does the young man do? If you answered, “Wake up and face reality,” you don’t remember what it was like being a young man. You just go to the next entry in the catalogue of lies you can use to destroy your life." - John Dolan

 
Can those particles be used in a flamethrower-style beam cannon?

 

Offline Flipside

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I think theres already particle emitter tags for weapons, that could produce a similar effect :)
As for the particles, for the third time in this thread, they are an explosion, an electric disruption and a little 6 frame puff I made up in about 5 minutes, I know they are too big, just as specular ships were too shiny, the pics were only supposed to give you an idea of the particle system working, not to give you a finished product.

Flipside :D

 

Offline redmenace

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hey we could use the particle genrator to greatly enhance the exhaust of weapons as well. Think a helious leaving a vapor trail.
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Offline Nico

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Quote
Originally posted by vyper
I prefer Bob's effect. The particles look horribly..... pixelly.
just needs better bitmaps imho.
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Offline Flipside

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Bobboau, am I right in assuming the volecity of the particles is directly proportional to the speed of the vessel, so when the vessel is not moving, the particles don't go anywhere? Also, it might well be better NOT to use LOD support, else it tries to draw the particles in the HUD display and things go splat :(

Flipside :)
« Last Edit: September 09, 2003, 03:09:48 am by 394 »

  

Offline Flipside

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Quote
Originally posted by Woolie Wool
The particles would only be useful for a ship with damaged engines. Those Serapis fighters look like their engines are about to blow up.


Just noticed this and thought I'd say that those Serapis ARE about to blow up, it's the first mission on the campaign where you have to escort freighters with the damaged Serapis escorting them ;) There are no thruster particles on them at all :)

Flipside :)