FX Update torpedo splash back!

[gap]

Let's see if I can throw some light on the whole matter, as I see that there is a bit of confusion:

- Wth Fx update, TDW has defined new torpedo splash particles and materials, and has assigned them new effect to existing torpedoes through the splash property of their amun_torpedo controllers. Stock torpedo splash materials and particles, respectively located in materials.dat and particles.dat are unchanged by Fx Updates, but simply they are not used by the mod.

- Fifi has just switched back amun_torpedo to use the stock effect. His changes are compatible with Fx Updates exactly because TDW's mod don't remove the old settings: is simply "bypass" them.

- Dynamic Environment changes material.dat. Don't ask me what exactly . Anyway I am sure that torpedo splash materials used by the stock effect are not removed by DynEnv, so Fifi's tweaks are 100% compatible with both Fx Updates and DynEnv


@ Volodya

I have been looking into the results of all your tests. Thanks for going to all the trouble of doing them. Because we can draw a conclusion I need for some more information though:

1. What is exactly the difference between the first, the second, and the third set of experiments? As I understand it, you have changed BitmapParticle's material. Is this correct? If so, can I assume that the following row means a blank material (a texture with a black alpha channel)?
   
   

   3. → BitmapParticles → Material → TDW_FXU_NONE

2. How have you disabled the ObjectParticles? Have you set their opacity setting to 0, as I had suggested yesterday or what else?
   
   
3. can you take a couple of screenshots with only the BitmapParticle active (all of the ObjectParticles disabled)?

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by gap

- Wth Fx update, TDW has defined new torpedo splash particles and materials, and has assigned them new effect to existing torpedoes through the splash property of their amun_torpedo controllers. Stock torpedo splash materials and particles, respectively located in materials.dat and particles.dat are unchanged by Fx Updates, but simply they are not used by the mod.

I'm not sure that particles.dat of FXU has stock settings in torpexplosiongreate controller and wasn't changed by FXU..

Originally Posted by gap

What is exactly the difference between the first, the second, and the third set of experiments? As I understand it, you have changed BitmapParticle's material. Is this correct? If so, can I assume that the following row means a blank material (a texture with a black alpha channel)?

I'm sorry.. it was a mistake.. it had to look like this -

3. → BitmapParticles → Material → NONE

Here you can see how I did it -

. .

Originally Posted by gap

How have you disabled the ObjectParticles? Have you set their opacity setting to 0, as I had suggested yesterday or what else?

No, I didn't set their Opacity to 0.. I disabled them this way -

Originally Posted by gap

can you take a couple of screenshots with only the BitmapParticle active (all of the ObjectParticles disabled)?

Okay.. here they are -

1. → BitmapParticles → Material → TDW_FXU_PierreE
1.6 → ObjectParticles → Object → ALL Objects/Particulas were disabled (NONE)

.

2. → BitmapParticles → Material → TDW_FXU_PierreE2
2.6 → ObjectParticles → Object → ALL Objects/Particulas were disabled (NONE)

the same as 1.

3. → BitmapParticles → Material → NONE
3.6 → ObjectParticles → Object → ALL Objects/Particulas were disabled (NONE)

the same as 1.

[gap]

Originally Posted by volodya61

I'm not sure that particles.dat of FXU has stock settings in torpexplosiongreate controller and wasn't changed by FXU..

Honestly I didn't bother comparing Fx Update's particles.dat with the vanilla one. Anyway I don't see why TDW should have modified torpedo splash fx contained in particles.dat, since FXU got its own version of the effect, located in the custom files that you are currently experimenting with...

Originally Posted by volodya61

I'm sorry.. it was a mistake.. it had to look like this -
Here you can see how I did it -

...

No, I didn't set their Opacity to 0.. I disabled them this way -

Okay, I guess that setting their material/object to "none" is the same as setting opacity to 0, and your screenies seem to confirm it

Originally Posted by volodya61

Okay.. here they are...

Okay, seems that bitmap particles have very little effect, and we shouldn't bother messing with their settings. This leaves us with the four object particles to work with. I am going now to see how their settings changed from stock to FXU version

[gap]

Okay, this is the list of changes between the two version of torp_great_explosion, i.e. particles.dat version (used by stock game and retrieved by Fifi) vs. TDW_FXU_Torp_Explosion_Particles:

								particles.dat	TDW_FXU_Torp etc.
Property							setting		settings	

LifeTime							10		15

GlobalScaleFar/Distance						400		100
GlobalScaleFar/DensityScale					0.05		0.01


BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Life/Variation				0		0.05

BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Creation/Variation			0		0.05
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Creation/Overlife/0/LifeTime - Scale	0 - 0		0 - 0.5
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Creation/Overlife/1/LifeTime - Scale	0.1 - 0		0.025 - 1
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Creation/Overlife/2/LifeTime - Scale	0.1001 - 1	0.05 - 0
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Creation/Overlife/3/LifeTime - Scale	0.45 - 1	1 - 0
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Creation/Overlife/4/LifeTime - Scale	0.45001 - 0	-
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Creation/Overlife/5/LifeTime - Scale	1 - 0		-

BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Velocity/Velocity			3		1
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Velocity/Overlife/1/LifeTime - Scale	0.2 - 0		0.1875 - 0

BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Weight/Overlife/0/LifeTime - Scale	0 - 0		0 - 1
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Weight/Overlife/1/LifeTime - Scale	0.2 - 0.7	0.125 - 1.5
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Weight/Overlife/2/LifeTime - Scale	1 - 0.4		0.2 - 2
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Weight/Overlife/3/LifeTime - Scale	-		0.5 - 3
BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Weight/Overlife/4/LifeTime - Scale	-		1 - 1

BitmapParticles/Entry#0/Opacity/Variation			0		0.05


ObjectParticles/Entry#0/Life/Life				10		30

Only chenged settings listed above.

Surprisingly, most of the changes concern the settings of the one BitmapParticle (TDW_FXU_PierreE). ObjectParticle settings (using TDW_FXU_Particula01 to 04) are almost identical.

Time to have a look into material settings now

[gap]

PS: based on the settings I have seen so far, I can't figure out what makes torpedo splashes to open up as a fan yet

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by gap

PS: based on the settings I have seen so far, I can't figure out what makes torpedo splashes to open up as a fan yet

And TDW says nothing

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by gap

Okay, this is the list of changes between the two version of torp_great_explosion, i.e. particles.dat version (used by stock game and retrieved by Fifi) vs. TDW_FXU_Torp_Explosion_Particles:
..
Only chenged settings listed above.
..
Surprisingly, most of the changes concern the settings of the one BitmapParticle (TDW_FXU_PierreE). ObjectParticle settings (using TDW_FXU_Particula01 to 04) are almost identical.

OK, I will try to duplicate stock settings in the TDW's files.. a lot changes to HEX-editor ..

[gap]

Originally Posted by volodya61

OK, I will try to duplicate stock settings in the TDW's files.. a lot changes to HEX-editor ..

wait... if you duplicate ALL of the stock settings in TDW's files, we will end with stock storpedo splash effects... Is that really what we want?

I think we should rather compare the two sets of settings, understand them, and create some new settings. I am already fairly familiar with most of the parameters of SH particles generators, and I think that with a bit of help by TDW himself, we will can achieve a better effect than the ones we have already available

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by gap

wait... if you duplicate ALL of the stock settings in TDW's files, we will end with stock storpedo splash effects... Is that really what we want?

I think we should rather compare the two sets of settings, understand them, and create some new settings. I am already fairly familiar with most of the parameters of SH particles generators, and I think that with a bit of help by TDW himself, we will can achieve a better effect than the ones we have already available

I just wanted to duplicate stock settings to see - the same effect will be in the TDW's files or not

EDIT: anyway, I can test gun or two in our Reworked Guns while waiting new good thoughts

[gap]

Originally Posted by volodya61

I just wanted to duplicate stock settings to see - the same effect will be in the TDW's files or not

EDIT: anyway, I can test gun or two in our Reworked Guns while waiting new good thoughts

[volodya61]

Another question, are you sure that stock particles.dat settings were not changed when/while you opened it in Goblin?

[gap]

Originally Posted by volodya61

Another question, are you sure that stock particles.dat settings were not changed when/while you opened it in Goblin?

I opened the file in S3d

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by gap

I opened the file in S3d

S3D?. but.. how??
Something wrong with my eyes.. or head.. or?
New secret version/files?



EDIT: something wrong with my head.. forgot to disable some new files () in S3D and tried to open file in not original version of S3D.. that's why I said Fifi that some entries in particles.dat of FXU are blank.. I wasn't able to open them in S3D and in Goblin these entries were blank ..

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by gap

PS: based on the settings I have seen so far, I can't figure out what makes torpedo splashes to open up as a fan yet

The EmissionArea property of the FPG/PG. The first float is the size is meters (defines the size of the radius of the emitter's circle), the second float defines the angle (90 being straight up or perpendicular to the face of the emitter). 90 also means everything is basically shooting straight up out of a pipe the radius of size perpendicular to the emitter's face. 45 would give a fan or spray (particles emitting 45 to center and -45 to center)

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

The EmissionArea property of the FPG/PG. The first float is the size is meters (defines the size of the radius of the emitter's circle), the second float defines the angle (90 being straight up or perpendicular to the face of the emitter). 90 also means everything is basically shooting straight up out of a pipe the radius of size perpendicular to the emitter's face. 45 would give a fan or spray (particles emitting 45 to center and -45 to center)

Thanks a lot, TDW

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