Particle FX
This document describes how to create particle effects.
Particle types
Following particle types are available:
| Particle type | Value | CubeScript handle | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 0 | $FX_PARTTYPE_SINGLE | Single particle |
| Splash | 1 | $FX_PARTTYPE_SPLASH | Splash of multiple particles |
| Shape | 2 | $FX_PARTTYPE_SHAPE | Multiple particles following a shape |
| Flare | 3 | $FX_PARTTYPE_FLARE | Single particle, flare from origin to tip |
| Trail | 4 | $FX_PARTTYPE_TRAIL | Multiple particles, trail from origin to tip |
| Explosion | 5 | $FX_PARTTYPE_EXPLODE | 3D explosion fireball |
| Text | 6 | $FX_PARTTYPE_TEXT | Text particle |
Available particles
Following pre-defined particles are available for use:
| Particle | Value | Explosion/flare/text |
|---|---|---|
| $PART_FIREBALL_LERP | 10 | |
| $PART_PLASMA_LERP | 11 | |
| $PART_FLARE_LERP | 12 | |
| $PART_MUZZLE_FLARE_LERP | 13 | |
| $PART_SMOKE_LERP_SOFT | 14 | |
| $PART_SMOKE_LERP | 15 | |
| $PART_HINT_LERP_SOFT | 16 | |
| $PART_HINT_LERP | 17 | |
| $PART_HINT_BOLD_LERP_SOFT | 18 | |
| $PART_HINT_BOLD_LERP | 19 | |
| $PART_HINT_VERT_LERP_SOFT | 20 | |
| $PART_VERT_BOLD_LERP | 21 | |
| $PART_HINT_HORZ_LERP_SOFT | 22 | |
| $PART_HORZ_BOLD_LERP | 23 | |
| $PART_SMOKE_SOFT | 24 | |
| $PART_SMOKE | 25 | |
| $PART_HINT_SOFT | 26 | |
| $PART_HINT | 27 | |
| $PART_HINT_BOLD_SOFT | 28 | |
| $PART_HINT_BOLD | 29 | |
| $PART_HINT_VERT_SOFT | 30 | |
| $PART_VERT_BOLD | 31 | |
| $PART_HINT_HORZ_SOFT | 32 | |
| $PART_HORZ_BOLD | 33 | |
| $PART_BLOOD | 34 | |
| $PART_EDIT | 35 | |
| $PART_EDIT_ONTOP | 36 | |
| $PART_SPARK | 37 | |
| $PART_FIREBALL_SOFT | 38 | |
| $PART_FIREBALL | 39 | |
| $PART_PLASMA_SOFT | 40 | |
| $PART_PLASMA | 41 | |
| $PART_ELECTRIC_SOFT | 42 | |
| $PART_ELECTRIC | 43 | |
| $PART_ELECZAP_SOFT | 44 | |
| $PART_ELECZAP | 45 | |
| $PART_FLAME | 46 | |
| $PART_FLARE | 47 | Flare |
| $PART_MUZZLE_FLARE | 48 | Flare |
| $PART_LIGHTNING_FLARE | 49 | Flare |
| $PART_LIGHTZAP_FLARE | 50 | Flare |
| $PART_MUZZLE_FLASH | 51 | |
| $PART_SNOW | 52 | |
| $PART_TEXT | 53 | Text |
| $PART_TEXT_ONTOP | 54 | Text |
| $PART_EXPLOSION | 55 | Explosion |
| $PART_SHOCKWAVE | 56 | Explosion |
| $PART_SHOCKBALL | 57 | Explosion |
| $PART_GLIMMERY | 58 | Explosion |
| $PART_LIGHTNING | 59 | Flare |
| $PART_LIGHTZAP | 60 | Flare |
Particle properties
Those properties are only available when the effect type is particle.
| Property name | Type | Min | Default | Max | Modifiers | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| parttype | Integer | 0 | $FX_PART_TYPE_SINGLE | $FX_PARTTYPE_TEXT | Particle type (see “Particle types”) | |
| part | Integer | $PART_FIREBALL_LERP | $PART_FIREBALL_LERP | $PART_FIREBALL_LERP | Particle (see “Available particles”) | |
| num | Integer | 1 | 1 | 100 | Random, Lerp | Number of splash particles generated |
| shape | Integer | 0 | 0 | 58 | Particle shape (for shape type) | |
| colour | Colour | 0 | 0 | 255 | Random, Lerp | Particle colour (unless colorized is enabled) |
| fade | Integer | 1 | 1 | INT_MAX | Random, Lerp | Particle fade (lifetime) (ms) |
| collide | Integer | $FX_PARTCOLLIDE_NOSTAIN | $FX_PARTCOLLIDE_NONE | $STAIN_STAIN | Geometry collision and stain. (see “Particle collision”) | |
| regdelay | Integer | 0 | 0 | INT_MAX | Random, Lerp | Random delay (higher the value the lower emit chance) |
| shapesize | Float | 0 | 4 | FLT_MAX | Random, Lerp | Splash/shape/flare size |
| partsize | Float | FLT_MIN | 4 | FLT_MAX | Random, Lerp | Particle size |
| maxpartsize | Float | FLT_MIN | 16 | FLT_MAX | Random, Lerp | Final particle size (explosion) |
| vel | Float | 0 | 50 | FLT_MAX | Random, Lerp | Splash/shape particle speed |
| gravity | Float | -FLT_MAX | 0 | FLT_MAX | Random, Lerp | Particle gravity |
| vel | Float | 0 | 50 | FLT_MAX | Random, Lerp | Splash/shape particle speed |
| text | String | [n/a] | [n/a] | Text | ||
| parttrack | Integer | 0 | 1 | 1 | Follow entity position (when not using offsets) |
NOTE ON parttrack: This property makes particles follow a bound entity’s position (when an entity calls an FX emitter, it’s considered bound to it). There are two main motivations to use this mechanism:
- Making long-fade particles (single/explosion/flare/text) follow the entity’s position.
- Dealing with model tag positions, being always one frame behind (such as when creating muzzle effects for weapons).
Particle collision
With the use of the collide property one can define how a particle should behave upon collision with map geometry.
By default it passes right through (value: $FX_PARTCOLLIDE_NONE).
By setting collide to a stain index value (for instance $STAIN_SMOKE) (see “Available stains” in Fx-Other.md)
the particle will collide with geometry and leave the set stain.
Alternatively, one can set the value to $FX_PARTCOLLIDE_NOSTAIN in order to simply
enable geometry collision without making the particle leave any stains.
When collision is enabled and a particle hits geometry, the particle simply vanishes.