Lady Rowena on 17/1/2014 at 12:34
I have a brazier with a fire made of particles (modified FireElementalYellow), but I want the fire to start turned off, and an AI to start it. Is there a way to do it without teleporting the whole thing?
Also, I would like to start another group of particles in game, a nebula or a similar thing.
I think that the two can be done the same way, but I don't know how. Help please?
As I'm here, I have another question, which is related to the first two. How to simulate a Mage/Priest attack even if he is not alerted since there are no enemies in sight?
I know how to make the motion, but the attack?
ZylonBane on 17/1/2014 at 13:36
What's wrong with teleporting the whole thing? That approach is simple and works fine.
Yandros on 17/1/2014 at 13:38
Create a lever in solid or a blueroom and start its joints to On, Reverse (like you would if it were linked to a light you wanted to start off), CD link it to the Flame object and it should start off. Have the AI frob the lever to turn it on. To be safe, I would actually also have a button linked to the flame and have the AI frob it instead, since if they somehow frob the lever twice they will turn it back off; a button can only send TurnOn.
The nebula or other particles should work the same way, although you may need to add the StdParticleGroup script to them if it doesn't work initially.
For the mage, you could just play the casting motion, but that wouldn't cause the spell FX to also happen, which I assume you want. Maybe someone else has an idea on that.
Edit: ZB, teleporting a flame object will only work if it only uses dynamic light. By just turning it off and on, you can use standard AnimLight properties, and also the particles will fade in and out if that is desired.
Lady Rowena on 17/1/2014 at 15:32
@ ZB, Yes, I did it in my previous FMs, but I think that a fire looks more natural if it starts while the player is watching.
@ Yandros, thanks. :) I will go with the motion, the spell is not so important, after all.
Nameless Voice on 17/1/2014 at 17:08
You can also make a light start off by picking the appropriate disabled light type (e.g. Smoothly Dim), and make the particles start off by unticking "Active" - then it won't start on when the mission starts. Then you don't need the lever-turning-off-at-the-start-of-the-mission trick.
There's a mage who fires a projectile (to relight a torch if you douse it) without being alert in The Affairs of Wizards. I can't quite remember how I did it - I think I might have attached an EmitterTrap to his hand? Luckily, I think the area he's in is "in place" in the mission (not packed away in the blue room), so he's actually one of the few things in that mission you can easily look at in DromEd.
ZylonBane on 17/1/2014 at 18:12
Fair enough about the dynamic lighting, but if you have always simulate disabled on the particle system, won't it visibly "start up" if it teleports in while the player is watching?
Lady Rowena on 17/1/2014 at 19:44
Quote Posted by Nameless Voice
You can also make a light start off by picking the appropriate disabled light type (e.g. Smoothly Dim), and make the particles start off by unticking "Active" - then it won't start on when the mission starts. Then you don't need the lever-turning-off-at-the-start-of-the-mission trick.
There's a mage who fires a projectile (to relight a torch if you douse it) without being alert in The Affairs of Wizards. I can't quite remember how I did it - I think I might have attached an EmitterTrap to his hand? Luckily, I think the area he's in is "in place" in the mission (not packed away in the blue room), so he's actually one of the few things in that mission you can easily look at in DromEd.
I've already set the levers and everyghing works well. Anyway, apart of the light, how was I supposed to turn on the particles?
I just checked The Affairs of Wizards yesterday, since I remember well the mage. He made my life hard by relighting the torch! But I wasn't able to pinpoint him. That mission is a nighmare of objects! :D
Also, I was continuously thrown at the starting point, so I gave up.
darthsLair on 17/1/2014 at 19:57
Quote Posted by Lady Rowena
I've already set the levers and everyghing works well. Anyway, apart of the light, how was I supposed to turn on the particles?
On your particles add to the scripts:StdParticleGroup, and any turn on will activate your particles.
On your particles: Not Active, and do not start particles launched.
Lady Rowena on 17/1/2014 at 20:31
Quote Posted by darthsLair
On your particles add to the scripts:StdParticleGroup, and any turn on will activate your particles.
On your particles: Not Active, and do not start particles launched.
The FireElementalYellow already has the script StdParticleGroup. As I said, every thing works fine, I started the fire with the lever.
But NV said that I don't need the lever, so I was curious to know: what/who gives the "turn on"?
darthsLair on 17/1/2014 at 20:42
Quote Posted by Lady Rowena
The FireElementalYellow already has the script StdParticleGroup. As I said, every thing works fine, I started the fire with the lever.
But NV said that I don't need the lever, so I was curious to know: what/who gives the "turn on"?
A Turn on is activate, an example is your lever or button, the opposite turns off, or deactivates.
If you uncheck start particles launched, use a cd link from a lever or button, your particles should activate.
