Modding Particle Sys.
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damn after hours I managed to successfully apply the smooth fade out on the mask of the effect…
damn this photoshop has a very strange way of working.left is as it should right is current wrong one.
:lol: I already forgot how I did it. I must write it down.
Layer->Layer mask from transparency
unlink mask
load selection from mask -> to see the boundaries
Select->inverse
mask properties->Feather as much as needed
optionally:
select->inverse
Filter->Blur->Gausian Blur as much as needed.
Go to layer and select layer thumbnail
select->inverse
brush paint black the surrounding area
apply layer maskKinda…
Maybe I’m totally wrong… still not much satisfied… smoother but not perfect.
If we have a photoshop expert that can help please… -
I’m studying the videos, many things are clear but for others not. I struggle to understand spoken English. My English teacher, when she was in class, said she did not want to teach and start make-up herself. So I apologize for any ridiculous things for my low knowledge of others worlds parts With their habits and ways of expressing themselves. Unfortunately, this is how big part of Italy works … lol. Returning to the point, is there anything written that I can study with the movie? By quickly examining the particle sys I have seen many things. So the particlesys are about any effect that could be done for example flashes like flares but blue of a thunderstorm that are reflected on the cockpit and planes, idem for stronger full moon, trails of white phosphorus with the flare of the aircraft that is perhaps similar, sonic boom, the sky that can change color with height etc? Would all be effects concerning the particlesys?
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nope just those:
$NONE
$AIR_HANGING_EXPLOSION
$SMALL_HIT_EXPLOSION
$AIR_SMOKECLOUD
$SMOKING_PART
$FLAMING_PART
$GROUND_EXPLOSION
$TRAIL_SMOKECLOUD
$TRAIL_FIREBALL
$MISSILE_BURST
$CLUSTER_BURST
$AIR_EXPLOSION
$EJECT1
$EJECT2
$SMOKERING
$AIR_DUSTCLOUD
$GUNSMOKE
$AIR_SMOKECLOUD2
$NOTRAIL_FLARE
$FEATURE_CHAIN_REACTION
$WATER_EXPLOSION
$SAM_LAUNCH
$MISSILE_LAUNCH
$DUST1
$EXPLCROSS_GLOW
$EXPLCIRC_GLOW
$TIMER
$DIST_AIRBURSTS
$DIST_GROUNDBURSTS
$DIST_SAMLAUNCHES
$DIST_AALAUNCHES
$EXPLSTAR_GLOW
$RAND_CRATER
$GROUND_EXPLOSION_NO_CRATER
$MOVING_BSP
$DIST_ARMOR
$DIST_INFANTRY
$TRACER_FIRE
$FIRE
$GROUND_STRIKE
$WATER_STRIKE
$VERTICAL_SMOKE
$TRAIL_FIRE
$BILLOWING_SMOKE
$HIT_EXPLOSION
$SPARKS
$ARTILLERY_EXPLOSION
$SHOCK_RING
$NAPALM
$AIRBURST
$GROUNDBURST
$GROUND_STRIKE_NOFIRE
$LONG_HANGING_SMOKE
$SMOKETRAIL
$DEBRISTRAIL
$HIT_EXPLOSION_DEBRISTRAIL
$RISING_GROUNDHIT_EXPLOSION_DEBRISTRAIL
$FIRETRAIL
$FIRE_NOSMOKE
$LIGHT_CLOUD
$WATER_CLOUD
$WATERTRAIL
$GUN_TRACER
$DARK_DEBRIS
$FIRE_DEBRIS
$LIGHT_DEBRIS
$SPARKS_NO_DEBRIS
$BURNING_PART
$AIR_EXPLOSION_NOGLOW
$HIT_EXPLOSION_NOGLOW
$SHOCK_RING_SMALL
$FAST_FADING_SMOKE
$LONG_HANGING_SMOKE2
$SMALL_AIR_EXPLOSION
$FLAME
$AIR_PENETRATION
$GROUND_PENETRATION
$DEBRISTRAIL_DUST
$FIRE_EXPAND
$FIRE_EXPAND_NOSMOKE
$GROUND_DUSTCLOUD
$SHAPED_FIRE_DEBRIS
$FIRE_HOT
$FIRE_MED
$FIRE_COOL
$FIREBALL
$FIRE1
$FIRE2
$FIRE3
$FIRE4
$FIRE5
$FIRE6
$FIRESMOKE
$TRAILSMOKE
$TRAILDUST
$FIRE7
$BLUE_CLOUD
$WATER_FIREBALL
$LINKED_PERSISTANT
$TIMED_PERSISTANT
$CLUSTER_BOMB
$SMOKING_FEATURE
$STEAMING_FEATURE
$STEAM_CLOUD
$GROUND_FLASH
$GROUND_GLOW
$MESSAGE_TIMER
$DURANDAL
$CRATER2
$CRATER3
$CRATER4
$BIG_SMOKE
$BIG_DUST
$HIT_EXPLOSION_NOSMOKE
$ROCKET_BURST
$CAMP_HIT_EXPLOSION_DEBRISTRAIL
$CAMP_FIRE
$INCENDIARY_EXPLOSION
$SPARK_TRACER
$WATER_WAKE"and a few others added in latest versions
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Edit : Arty answered while I typed
Hi guys,
This is why I started the thread. Answering these questions is beyond my knowledge. because I don’t know the answers to most of these. My expertise is basically adjusting what is already there.
I don’t think ps file handles all those aspects. Smoke trail file and ps file handles the flare and phosphorus, but the rest is unknown to me.
The sky, moon and reflections or sonic boom graphics I don’t know
@I-Hawk wasn’t there a sonic boom graphic for ff6 ? I seem to remember a blast of vapor or something when breaking the sound barrier. I may be confusing ff6 with other sim though.
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Updated list:
"$AIRCRAFT_EXPLOSION", "$SMALL_HIT_EXPLOSION", "$AIR_SMOKECLOUD", "$SMOKING_PART", "$FLAMING_PART", "$GROUND_EXPLOSION", "$TRAIL_SMOKECLOUD", "$TRAIL_FIREBALL", "$MISSILE_BURST", "$CLUSTER_BURST", "$AIR_EXPLOSION", "$EJECT1 disabled", "$EJECT2 disabled", "$SMOKERING", "$AIR_DUSTCLOUD", "$GUNSMOKE", "$AIR_SMOKECLOUD2", "$NOTRAIL_FLARE", "$FEATURE_CHAIN_REACTION disabled", "$WATER_EXPLOSION", "$SAM_LAUNCH", "$MISSILE_LAUNCH", "$DUST1", "$INDUSTRY_SMOKE", "$IR_POINTER", "$TIMER disabled", "$DIST_AIRBURSTS", "$DIST_GROUNDBURSTS", "$DIST_SAMLAUNCHES", "$DIST_AALAUNCHES", "$MANPAD_SAM_LAUNCH", "$RAND_CRATER", "$GROUND_EXPLOSION_NO_CRATER", "$MOVING_BSP disabled", "$DIST_ARMOR", "$DIST_INFANTRY", "$TRACER_FIRE disabled", "$FEATURE_BURN", "$GROUND_STRIKE", "$WATER_STRIKE", "$VERTICAL_SMOKE", "$TRAIL_FIRE", "$BILLOWING_SMOKE", "$HIT_EXPLOSION", "$SPARKS", "$ARTILLERY_EXPLOSION", "$EJECTION", "$NAPALM", "$AIRBURST", "$GROUNDBURST", "$GROUND_STRIKE_NOFIRE", "$LONG_HANGING_SMOKE", "$SMOKETRAIL", "$DEBRISTRAIL", "$GROUND_UNIT_EXPLOSION", "$RISING_GROUNDHIT_DEBRISTRAIL", "$FIRETRAIL", "$FEATURE_BURN_NOSMOKE", "$LIGHT_CLOUD", "$WATER_CLOUD", "$SHIP_BURN", "$GUN_TRACER DISABLED", "$DARK_DEBRIS", "$MISSILE_SECOND_STAGE", "$LIGHT_DEBRIS", "$SPARKS_NO_DEBRIS", "$BURNING_PART", "$AIR_EXPLOSION_NOGLOW", "$HIT_EXPLOSION_NOGLOW", "$SHOCK_RING_SMALL", "$FAST_FADING_SMOKE", "$LONG_HANGING_SMOKE2", "$SMALL_AIR_EXPLOSION", "$FLAME", "$AIR_PENETRATION", "$GROUND_PENETRATION", "$DEBRISTRAIL_DUST", "$HOOK_SCRATCH", "$HOOK_SPARK_SMALL", "$GROUND_DUSTCLOUD", "$CAT_STEAM", "$CAT_RANDOM_STEAM", "$CAT_LAUNCH", "$WATER_WAKE_SMALL", "$WATER_WAKE_MEDIUM", "$GROUND_UNIT_DAMAGE", "$AIRCRAFT_DAMAGE", "$FIRE3", "$MAVERICK_EXPLOSION", "$SMOKING_FEATURE_BURN", "$FEATURE_DAMAGE_SMOKE", "$FIRESMOKE", "$AIRCRAFT_DAMAGE_SMOKE", "$GROUND_UNIT_DUST", "$EXPLOSIVE_FEATURE_BURN", "$HOOK_SPARK_BIG", "$SHIP_EXPLOSION", "$LINKED_PERSISTANT", "$TIMED_PERSISTANT", "$CLUSTER_BOMB", "$SMOKING_FEATURE disabled", "$STEAMING_FEATURE disabled", "$STEAM_CLOUD", "$SAM_LAUNCH_FLASH", "$FEATURE_EXPLOSION", "$MESSAGE_TIMER disabled", "$DURANDAL", "$CRATER2", "$CRATER3", "$CRATER4", "$BIG_SMOKE", "$BIG_DUST", "$HIT_EXPLOSION_NOSMOKE", "$ROCKET_BURST", "$CAMP_HIT_EXPLOSION_DEBRISTRAIL", "$GROUND_UNIT_BURN", "$INCENDIARY_EXPLOSION", "$SPARK_TRACER", "$WATER_WAKE_LARGE", "$GUN_HIT_GROUND", "$GUN_HIT_OBJECT", "$GUN_HIT_WATER", "$AIRCRAFT_EARLY_BURN1", "$AIRCRAFT_GROUND_SCRAPE", "$AIRCRAFT_BURN1", "$AIRCRAFT_BURN3", "$AIRCRAFT_BURN2", "$AIRCRAFT_BURN4", "$AIRCRAFT_EARLY_BURN2", "$AIRCRAFT_BURN5", "$AIRCRAFT_TIRE_SMOKE",
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The sky, moon and reflections or sonic boom graphics I don’t know
Sky, moon, reflections, sun aren’t related to PS.
@I-Hawk wasn’t there a sonic boom graphic for ff6 ? I seem to remember a blast of vapor or something when breaking the sound barrier. I may be confusing ff6 with other sim though.
No, I never saw such effect in any Falcon version.
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OH man the new dds looks very nice even in 2048… and if it’s done in 4096 and more tweaking on the Alphas it will be nice.
the 2048 version with wip Alpha mod:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/u1fc1ug7f5ue7ep/main_group%282048%29.7zLooks good. The smoke is black and oily.
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Yes that looks like what I am thinking of but still can not place the sim though, is that strike fighters? or something else. I didn’t fly a large variety that looks this good(and has F16).
Yes , It is Strike Fighters! I looked up the pic and saw that it is SF that has this feature.
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ok I just finished changing the particlesys.ini to support the 4096^2 version of the main_group.dds
So here particlesys.ini altered for 4096 texture download
http://www.mediafire.com/file/ztn90uj2hunslps/particlesys.inihere the 4096 dds file:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/y616l5vi5f4qg6h/main_group.7zyea I should had them in one zip for ease but please bare with me…
I’m already distracted it’s wip needs even more work and I already work simultaneously on the soil debris texture area. looks too blurry for me and since we are in to this let’s see.Now there might be hit blur issues if someone could check it… I would much appreciate it and for sure would love info on the 4096 and maybe if there are fps issues.
I don’t want to trouble u much guys for fast switching to the craziness of Particle system kicking with the explosions you could save the mission advance the clock to where the fun begins and jump to the pit at that time so not to have to fly all the way to the kabooms area.
have fun. I do.
Edit: I just altered the debris area when a bomb explodes in the ground. new file uploaded already.
Hope it looks nice… -
hmmm new debris looks very nice for me:
A close up:
But most certainly I must have fubared some of the texture double sizing in the ini file cause I see those:
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Just found the error in the Particlesys.ini file and I corrected it.
I uploaded the correct file. use the same link.
if u want to correct it by your self find the red bold error value and change it from 1,5 to 0
Wrong:
definetexture=HEAT texture.filename = main_group.dds texture.blendmode=HEAT texture.uv = [color][size][b]1,5[/b][/size][/color],1516,510,2046 #texture.uv = 0,758,255,1023
Correct:
definetexture=HEAT texture.filename = main_group.dds texture.blendmode=HEAT texture.uv = [b][size]0[/size][/b],1516,510,2046 #texture.uv = 0,758,255,1023
Automation if not set correctly fubars things up… :lol:
Edit found another one:
Wrong:definetexture=rtrace texture.filename = main_group.dds texture.blendmode=ADD texture.uv = [color][b][size]34,2[/size][/b][/color],3096,422,3536 #texture.uv = 17,1548,211,1768
Correct:
definetexture=rtrace texture.filename = main_group.dds texture.blendmode=ADD texture.uv = [b][size]34[/size][/b],3096,422,3536 #texture.uv = 17,1548,211,1768
File re updated
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Dear Arty,
great, great, great and great… in short :lol: And if you don’t mind, I’d like to test them too, and let you know further…
In any case, best compliments and regards,
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everyone is free to test.
Please do so.
I don’t have such free time on it and specially no much testing time.
I mostly work blindly on it on Photoshop.
Whenever I have time I give a quick test, nothing more.The files are all updated and fixed:
4096^2 texture: http://www.mediafire.com/file/y616l5vi5f4qg6h/main_group.7z
particlesys.ini file for 4096^2 texture: http://www.mediafire.com/file/ztn90uj2hunslps/particlesys.iniToday I’ll try to finish a better alpha channel so that it doesn’t have any square edges display… I came up with a guideline yesterday I closed PS and I lost the sequence… damn… I believe I will be able to recreate it.
Also I must change and one final fireball, that most probably I will have to mix up some fireballs to one. -
So I’ll do… with an eye to their impact on fps, according to Dee-Jay 's wise advise
I’ll let you know more further.
With best regards to you and all the friends here,
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Dear Arty,
my apologies as first for the delay in reporting… but RL has to come first, sorry the same.
After my tests, no impact on fps to refer - but I have a 64 GB of RAM, an utility to manage the CPU cores and a nVidia GTX 980 graphic card equipped system, I’d better to inform you in advance of that.
All their graphic representation on screen was just the same according all your premise, of course.
Hope this may help. If in need of any other tests, please feel free to ask anytime.
With best regards,
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I believe I have found a good doctrine to create the masks.
I create a mask from transparensy from the layer, the new images I imported to the 4096^2 main_group.dds
Layer->Layer Mask->From transparency
then go the channels and enable to view the mask borders.
I usually apply soften and feather (Select->modify->Smooth / Select->modify->Feather) to the mask but the most important are:
1. Select->Modify->Border set the value to include the edge of the image.
2. Before step one or at the end recreate a mask from the area layer and apply filter clouds then adjust brightness to create some variations inside the channel area.
3. On the border created from step 1 use blur tool which softens way nice the edges and then color burn and alter highlights midtones and shadows and apply the effect on it by mouse. Also use of eraser (not hard eraser) if needed.when ok I create a layer on top of background layer and place a black or white rectangle to clear the area and display only the new layer.
Then with the layer mask (Layer->Layer Mask->From transparency) I go to new created channel mask.
On the alpha channel I erase with black the area. I copy from the new channel and paste to the alpha channel.Observe and alter accordingly.
A finishing touch with the blur tool at the end looks more better.
Outcome looks nice on photoshop… wonder how it will be on Falcon.
Also at the same time I rename each layer following the naming from the particlesys.ini and the definetexture and the texture.uv declaration. That way will be easier for the future or anyone that will want to make alterations on specific effects to easily spot the area - layer.
Edit: even quicker better approach.
Layer->Layer Mask->From transparency
Select->Modify->Border set the value to include the edge of the image. Or even better Select->Modify->Contract by 20 - 30 pixels.
Filter->Blur->Lens Blur with high enough values…
Burntool-Midtones and do the edges, if needed!
Done. -
Dear Arty,
please release the new version as soon as you can, if you don’t mind… it might be a little improvement, perhaps, but let me tell you I love it so much
With best regards,
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Well I haven’t finished yet with all the alphas.
I created and the last fireball I had left in stock layer, which is actually a combination of the already new ones…
In the meantime I reorganize and the layers and their naming so that it will be easy for future edits that someone want’s to make specific changes on specific effects.
The photoshop psd file will be free available to all.
It’s a mess right now and as I finalize the alphas I finalize and the naming.
Some don’t have layer images it’s only alpha channel. They seem ok to me and will be left as is.