[Slasher]

Is there any way to control the small variations in size of the muzzleglow for beam weapons when they fire? 

[Slasher]

Going to tack on a second question here.  Can models sport animated glow points or thruster glows? 

[Arpit]

Is there any way to control the small variations in size of the muzzleglow for beam weapons when they fire? 

Dunno.

Going to tack on a second question here.  Can models sport animated glow points or thruster glows? 

By models you mean 'weapon models' right?
If weapon models then yes. Check the countermeasure model and Shivan MegaBomb in MVPs. You can see animated glow points. You can define custom thruster glows using $Thruster Glow Effect

[FreeSpaceFreak]

Is there any way to control the small variations in size of the muzzleglow for beam weapons when they fire? 

Are you sure that's not just part of the muzzleglow effect?

Going to tack on a second question here.  Can models sport animated glow points or thruster glows? 

Give it a try - specify an EFF effect and see what happens... AFAIK, nobody's tried it before.

[Slasher]

By models you mean 'weapon models' right?
If weapon models then yes. Check the countermeasure model and Shivan MegaBomb in MVPs. You can see animated glow points. You can define custom thruster glows using $Thruster Glow Effect

Yeah, I'm trying to attach either an animated glow point, or if that doesn't work, an animated thruster glow to a missile model.

Are you sure that's not just part of the muzzleglow effect?

I don't think so, since I notice it on single frame beam weapon effects too.  That's why I'm wondering if there's a separate parameter for changing that.  One thing I haven't tried is messing with the Flicker value.  It's possible it controls the muzzleglow as well as the actual beam sections.

Give it a try - specify an EFF effect and see what happens... AFAIK, nobody's tried it before.

My previous efforts had failed.  The effect in question works fine as a regular weapon bitmap, but when specified as a thruster glow in the table file or attached to a weapon model as a glow point it is invisible.

This leads me to conclude animated glow points or thruster glows for weapon models are not possible.  This probably extends to ship models and all other .pofs as well.

[Arpit]

My previous efforts had failed.  The effect in question works fine as a regular weapon bitmap, but when specified as a thruster glow in the table file or attached to a weapon model as a glow point it is invisible.

This leads me to conclude animated glow points or thruster glows for weapon models are not possible.  This probably extends to ship models and all other .pofs as well.

Wait so what do you mean by 'animated glowpoints'? Do you mean by the blinking ones or changing bitmaps? 

[Slasher]

Changing bitmaps, the EFF effect.  It seems they can't be used as glow points or a thruster glow.

[Arpit]

Changing bitmaps, the EFF effect.  It seems they can't be used as glow points or a thruster glow.

Well then it seems they really don't work. I had misunderstood you, sorry.

[Slasher]

No harm done.  I'm using a static bitmap in place of the animation on the weapon model, and the animation will now find use as a non-secondary weapon or countermeasure effect.