[Feature Request] Additional Particle Generators

[Cutmanmike]

Dear enjay,

W_GetNumForName : STCFN033 not found!

-Cutty

[Tormentor667]

C'mon, get back to topic, this is really fucking stupid, so stop that. I don't think you would like it, if I destroy your topics with other uninteresting - concerning the thread - talk and discussion!

[Cutmanmike]

I was serious, his snow thing doesn't work.

But if you want me to get on topic fine,

OH HI WOW I LOVE PARTICLES I WISH ZDOOM HAD THIS FEATURE BECAUSE THEY'RE SO PARTICLEY AND PRETTY EVERYONE LOVES THEM OOOHH I SURE LOVE PARTICLES, INFACT I THINK THEY MAKE ME FEEL HAPPY INSIDE WHEN I SEE THEM. IT WOULD BE SO NICE IF ZDOOM WAS FULL OF PARTICLES EVERWHERE. PARTICLES MAKE ME SING LALALALDODODOEELEEEEE. BLOOD PARTICLES ARE NICE TOO BECAUSE I LIKE THEM LOL THAT DIDNT MAKE MUCH SENSE SORRY. WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A PARTICLE BECAUSE THEY MAKE ME TINGLE WHEN I TOUCH THEM IN ZDOOM. YAY FOR PARTICLES HEY LETS SING A PARTICLE BIRTHDAY THEME. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARTICLES HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! WOW I FEEL BETTER NOW I WAS A BIT SAD EARLIER BECAUSE MY MOTHER BEATS ME EVERY DAY BUT THANKS TO PARTICLES I'M HAPPY AGAIN. OH THANK YOU ZDOOM FOR HAVING PARTICLES BUT I WANT MORE PLEASE. I WISH PARTICLES WERE REAL SO I COULD PUT PARTICLE FOUNTAINS EVERWHERE AND MAKE MY LIFE PRETTY. I WOULD HAVE RED PARTICLES IN MY ROOM AND BLUE ONES DOWNSTAIRS AND PINK ONES IN THE BATHROOM AND YELLOW ONES ALL OVER THE HOUSE. I THINK GOD IS A PARTICLE FOUNTAIN BUT A PRETTY ONE LIKE EVERY OTHER PARTICLE. WOW I THINK I WILL MAKE PARTICLES WAD TO SHOW HOW MUCH I LIKE PARTICLES BECAUSE YOU OBVIOUSLY DIDNT NOTICE THAT I LOVED PARTICLES DIDNT YOU LOL. I WANT A PET PARTICLE THAT WOULD LOVE ME AND PLAY WITH ME ALL DAY THAT WOULD MAKE ME VERY HAPPY BUT THEY ARE ONLY ON ZDOOM AND DONT INTERACT MUCH SO I CANT MAKE IT A PET. I WANT ZDOOM TO HAVE PARTICLES THAT MOVE AND BARK AND YOU HAVE TO FEED THEM NOW AND AGAIN LIKE A TAMAGOTCHI I LIKE THOSE TOO BUT NOT AS MUCH AS PARTICLES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE PARTICLE FAMILIES LIKE IN THE SIMS AND MAKE THEM HAVE PARTICLE BABIES AND LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. DID I MENTION I LOVED PARTICLES? OK I'M OFF TO GO DREAM ABOUT PARTICLES NOW BYEE.

PS I LOVE PARTICLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Caligari87]

Oooooooookaaaaaay....

Oh, me too!

Please, Randy, include an editable particle system in the next big release. I've wanted this for a while now, and it would really make my day ( or month, or year. Or two. However long it takes)

[Enjay]

The request for particle weather (etc) was on page one. It's been requested numerous times before. Randy will have read the thread and may have made a decision by now. I don't think something on page three is likely to sway it much one way or the other. Also, the thing Cutman was asking about was a modified version of Zdoom with particle snow, so it is on topic.

For the record, I would like a particle system similar to what has been requested. Snow, rain, fireworks, dust devils, sideways fountains, the lot.

W_GetNumForName : STCFN033 not found!

Ahhh! they don't write-em like that anymore. That's the error that older versions of Zdoom used to give you when either you were running with an out of date version of doom2.wad or no doom2.wad in the directory.

I know you are a very experienced Zdoomer, but that must be what it is. Unzip the file I posted into a new directory, copy a version 1.9 doom2.wad into that directory and then double click the xmas99 exe. Works for me™.

[Risen]

I don't think something on page three is likely to sway it much one way or the other.

I think making reasonable suggestions on how this could be accomplished could help.

I could see something like this falling into a DECORATE-style definition.

Code: Select all

Particle spark {
   color FF8800
   grav_response 1.0
   alpha 0.7
   renderstyle add
   +NOCLIP
   states {
      spawn:
      wait 1.0;
      fadeout 1.0;
   }
}

Particle sleet {
   color FFFFFF
   grav_response 0.2
   bounce 0.2
   alpha 0.5
   renderstyle translucent
   states {
      spawn:
      stay;
      die:
      fadeout 5.0;
   }
}

Generator sparks 10000 { // emits sparks when activated
   emit(spark, 20, 10, 0, 360); // type, amount, x-speed, y-speed, angle variance)
}

Generator sector_sleet 10001{
   +INSECTOR // randomly selects start position within a sector
   emit(sleet, 1, 10, 0, 45);
   wait(1, 5); // random waiting period
   loop; // restarts automatically
}

Someone else can improve that, I'm sure, but it's a start!

[Tormentor667]

@Risen . This is fantastic and actually do the job

[Enjay]

I'm not quite sure what people are envisaging for the snow/rain weather effects but I think that, rather than being a single point where snow (etc) is generated from - possibly necessitating placing hundreds of them on a map - might it not be better to have them as sector effects? (Perhaps this is what Risen means by +INSECTOR)

This could be done either by making snow/rain a sector special (which could be switched on or off by ACS) or it could be done by placing a single snow thing in a sector to affect the entire sector (which could be activated/deactivated). I think the second option is what Risen is suggestion.

The only obvious problem I can think of with how I think Risen's suggestion would work, is if sectors are regarded as individual entities rather than the weather being regarded as a single entity throughout the whole map. If sectors were regarded as individual entities, then sector size would become an issue. Eg a snow thing above a 64x64 teleport in a wide open field would mean a column of blizzard above the teleport and an occasional flutter in the rest of the field. That is unless snow generators of different intensity were created for every sector and finely balanced to ensure they provided the correct intensity for each sector to ensure a constant shower throughout the map.

A MAPINFO command would seem logical for rain/snow - creating the weather effect in any sector with f_sky, like outside fog is. I do think it is important to be able to switch weather on/off though. I personally prefer the sector special/sector thing idea but using a level wide snow/rain intensity.

Not sure how clear that all is. I was interrupted half way through typing.

[Anakin S.]

If it's possible, it would be cool to create particles through decorate functions. Then lightning bolt projectiles can make sparks when they hit and we can make projectiles with similar particle trails as the reiver fireball without the use of actors.

[Enjay]

Hmmm, yes, the ability for custom actors to generate particle trails, auras, fountains, whatever around themselves would be very cool.

[Tormentor667]

Indeed, this would be very amazing ... imagine particle projectiles like the rocket, but just much more interesting *wwwoooohooo*

[Risen]

A simple action of A_ParticleEffect(generator) would be sufficient to add this anywhere. Perhaps an argument to 'attach' the effect to the actor or just spawn it in place could be included.

Enjay, you make good points about the sector implementation. Maybe something like Sector_SetParticleEffect with ACS would work well?

[Tormentor667]

The ideas get more and more interesting and useful

[Chilvence]

I'm not quite sure what people are envisaging for the snow/rain weather effects but I think that, rather than being a single point where snow (etc) is generated from - possibly necessitating placing hundreds of them on a map - might it not be better to have them as sector effects? (Perhaps this is what Risen means by +INSECTOR)

jDoom differentiates between generators that spit particles out from a point and ones that cover a large area of the map and spew from the floor/ceiling. I think the best option would be to emulate that, like you are implying. This way you just put single generators in your outside sectors, or lava sectors, or whatever.

[Tormentor667]

Well, still Risen has provided a very great idea how this all could look like. Any progress made so far? Or any report if this is going to be implemented or not?