LarryG on 12/4/2014 at 03:17
For some reason I'm getting different particle stream behavior for the 1st TurnOn compared with any TurnOn subsequent to a TurnOff. It should always be a continuous stream, but it becomes discontinuous after the initial TurnOn. Any ideas?
<embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/kidAQd5sBAY?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="315" width="420">
This is a typical particle definition exhibiting the behavior:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1953[/ATTACH]
Yandros on 12/4/2014 at 04:35
I hope someone knows the solution to this, I've not figured it out yet. It's very apparent on the big yellow plasma doohickey in the basement in The Drymian Codex, it's a continuous flow between the flux capacitors initially, but if you turn it off and back on, it's no longer continuous and pulses like yours does. I suspected it has something to do with particles which start launched being different somehow from the particles being (re)started from an off state, but I noticed yours are not starting launched, so I'm still stumped.
Xorak on 12/4/2014 at 22:04
Larry, in the Particle Launch Info box, try changing the Min Time and Max Time to something like Min Time: 1 and Max Time: 2.2
I'm not sure why, but having those numbers too close causes it to pulse like that. Obviously, you're going to have to play around with it though to still get the exact effect you're happy with.
LarryG on 12/4/2014 at 23:49
Those parameters seem to be the key ones to play with. I was using the values from an LGS particle SFX setting, and that clearly isn't appropriate. I'm still getting a pulsing before it settles down to a steady flow on the 2nd TurnOn, but it is better. I'll play with it some more, though I may take away the player's ability to turn it on and off, and keep that control for myself, eliminating any issues.
Thanks.
I just wish there someone would write instructions for all the possible particle parameters. Just when I think I know what it means, something like this kicks me in the teeth. What does min and max time actually do?
Xorak on 13/4/2014 at 01:17
The (
http://thief.wikia.com/wiki/DromEd/Properties/SFX/Particle_Launch_Info) Thief Wikia says that it defines the maximum lifespan of the particles, in seconds, and that a lifespan between the min and max will be randomly chosen for each particle. I guess the pulsing was caused because in your example both numbers were 2.2, which means each particle would have a lifespan of 0. So the pulse is Dromed creating and then immediately killing the particles and then creating them, etc.
Though it also seems that the min/max has an effect on the size of the bounding box too. If the bounding box was defined as 0, but the particle had a lifespan of 3 seconds, it seems to automatically increase the bounding box so that the particle can exist for 3 seconds.
Yandros on 13/4/2014 at 02:14
Quote Posted by Xorak
The (
http://thief.wikia.com/wiki/DromEd/Properties/SFX/Particle_Launch_Info) Thief Wikia says that it defines the maximum lifespan of the particles, in seconds, and that a lifespan between the min and max will be randomly chosen for each particle. I guess the pulsing was caused because in your example both numbers were 2.2, which means each particle would have a lifespan of 0. So the pulse is Dromed creating and then immediately killing the particles and then creating them, etc.
I don't think that's right, with both set to 2.2 every particle will have a lifespan of exactly 2.2 seconds, not 0 seconds. This is useful for when you want the particles to always end at the same point, assuming they are moving with the same velocity (with little randomness) and spawn from a single point (or a very small BB). Setting Min and Max differently will mean some particles live longer than others; the Min and Max define the min and max lifespan of a given particle.
The launch period I believe is the delay in seconds between particles, so increasing that should make your stream last longer, without increasing the number of particles, although it will thin it out of course since there is more time between each particle being fired. So Larry, if you don't want to increase the number of particles any more, try increasing Launch period instead.
LarryG on 13/4/2014 at 03:10
That's just it, I don't think there is any definitive information on these parameters. It's basically find an LGS original particle setup that's closest to what you want to do, and start tweaking, not quite blindly, but not exactly with good information about what the effects will turn out to be.
john9818a on 20/5/2015 at 06:32
I had the same problem and just set the min to 0. That eliminated the subsequent pulse.
I actually found this thread while searching for something else. Does anyone know how to set a delay on a Particle SFX? I have a hot water stream coming out of a faucet and steam coming up from the bottom of the sink. I would like to set it up so that the steam starts when the hot water stream reaches the sink.
Yandros on 20/5/2015 at 11:43
Put an NVRelayTrap between the handle and the steam FX, then you can specify different delays for On and Off, so there's a slight pause before it turns on (once the water is flowing) and a longer pause on Off (to make the steam hang around a few seconds after the water is turned off).
john9818a on 21/5/2015 at 05:13
Ok thanks Russ. I was hoping the Animation Delay would do the trick but it didn't seem to affect anything. I'm glad NV wrote his scripts to save us in sticky situations. :)
