top view:
side view:
"Wisp" effect:
So, I currently have this in the tables, modeled after the GTW-99, from the FS1 Port:
$Name: Railgun
$Model File: none
@Laser Bitmap: laserglow02
@Laser Color: 150, 150, 250
@Laser Length: 10.0
@Laser Head Radius: 0.50
@Laser Tail Radius: 0.10
$Mass: 0.2
$Velocity: 50000.0 ;; speed of the weapon (initially) -- may or may not change
$Fire Wait: 4.0 ;; in seconds
$Damage: 4000 ;; Note, as a puncture weapon, hull damage is reduced by 75%. Base amount done to subsystems.
$Armor Factor: 1.0
$Shield Factor: .81
$Subsystem Factor: 1.0
$Lifetime: 1.5
$Energy Consumed: 5.0 ;; Energy used when fired
$Cargo Size: 0.0 ;; Amount of space taken up in weapon cargo
$Homing: NO
$LaunchSnd: 163 ;; The sound it makes when fired
$ImpactSnd: 85 ;; The sound it makes when it hits something
$Flags: ( "player allowed" "particle spew" )
$Trail: ;; Trail cannot be set if Exhaust is set
+Start Width: 0.6 ;; Width of trail nearest missile
+End Width: 0.03 ;; Width of trail before it "evaporates"
+Start Alpha: 1.0
+End Alpha: 0.0
+Max Life: 1.0 ;; how many seconds before trail disappears
+Bitmap: MissileTrail02 ;; Bitmap used to draw trail
$Icon: IconNewton
$Anim: newton
$Impact Explosion: Maxim_Impact
$Impact Explosion Radius: 3.3
The trail, although not perfect, especially from the cockpit, works, for now.
What I want to know is; how the heck can we get at least a 3d-*looking* swirl effect around the "beam" (or better, incandescent wake) of the slug, like in tachyon's original gun above? From the side, you see the helix-like pattern you also see in the third pic. From the top, you see the "swirl" effect in a big way. How would I make a lazy swirl effect like that, and still be able to see it from inside the cockpit? Any ideas?
I have messed with particle spews a bit, and I know how to make effs, even if I'm not the most artistic. What I'm stuck on is how to make flat planes look 3-dimensional, like it seems I'll need here. Suggestions, intrepid modders and devs of all sorts?
