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Author Topic: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)  (Read 9499 times)

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Verhängnis

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A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« on: January 20, 2012, 01:51:56 AM »

These may not be accurate in terms of how the game uses it but these notes are simply my best observations from what actually happened when I changed the different entries.  :)  ;)
Some entries which didn't have any meaningful or obvious change (remember, I wasn't working with all types of effects) in-game on jet exhaust may be better explained or used on things like gun smoke etc.
Other related topics you should read!:
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,11.0.html
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,3399.0.html
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,20628.msg228807.html#msg228807
Materials Explanation:
http://allaircraftsimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=24459&start=0
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For those who don't know yet, here is the result of my efforts, which I think adds that bit extra to the game, especially as we move further into the jet age.:
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,14378.0.html

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A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff).-
An example of a jet engine effect file:


[ClassInfo] 
ClassName TParticlesSystemParams  //Name of the classfile governing the effects.

[General] 
MatName ../TEXTURES/SmokeGlow.mat  //This references the material files' location, which is usually just written as ../TEXTURES/ which in turn has additional parameters and references the targa image file which has the particle drawn on, this is what is emitted.

Color0 1.0 0.64 0.247 0.1  //Particle Colour 2, RGB Alpha,Red Green Blue Transparency (Bigger values=More Intense colour and less Transparency) 0-1=0-255 in colour spectrum. Therefore take the values from photoshop and divide by 255 to get your number and that should be the colour.
 
Color1 1.0 0.23 0.09 0.1 //Same as Above
 
nParticles 32  //Number of Particles, small amount=Simple effects and vice versa.
 
FinishTime -1  //Time before effect appears and then begins to fade.
 
MaxR 0.0  //Could mean Max Repeats, Max Radius/Spread, rotation. Un-confirmed.
 
PhiN 4.0  //If the above Rotation is true this could mean Horizontal rotation, but that's just a guess.
 
PsiN 4.0  //If the above Rotation is true this could mean Vertical rotation, but that's just a guess.
 
LiveTime 0.1  //The time between which the effect 'loops', in seconds. For example a value of 10 on Jet exhaust makes the effect appear once every 10 seconds where as a value of 0.1 means it is 10 milliseconds or basically continous.
 
EmitFrq 128  //Decreasing the value makes the effect 'pulse' faster, atleast for Jet Engine flames, Frequency emission as in how fast the effect is emitted, best to experiment.
 
EmitVelocity 20.0 30.0  //How fast the particles move from start to end, on the jet effects, it made it longer or shorter depending on these values.
 
EmitTheta 0.0 3.0  //The 'spread' of the Particle effect for both Particle 1 and 2 respectively, increasing the value increases the spread of the effect and vice versa.
 
GasResist 0.0  //The effect becomes affected by 'Drag' or Resistance, eg. If value is increased on a Jet flame, the faster the jet goes, the more the particles are pushed back by the wind resistance, unfortunately also increases the diameter of the effect however this can be counteracted by decreasing the Size below. Lower = Faster Dispersal, Higher=Slower Dispersal.
 
VertAccel 0.0  //How fast the particle effect moves up or down at speed. In this case 0, meaning it won't rise or fall.
 
Wind 0.0  //Your particles are affected by in-game wind changes, especially used on smoke so that it looks as if the smoke naturally drifts with the wind.
 
Size 1.0 1.3  //For jet engine flame at least, it increases the Circumference of the Particle, from start to end.
 
Rnd 0.5  //Also increases overall size of Effect overall.
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thephoenix97

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2012, 10:38:42 AM »

FinishTime -1
I understand from my reads that this setting is meant to give a continuous effect. I have many files with fire and smoke effects containing this setting. Although in my installation no fire lasts for more than a few seconds.  :'(
I must be missing something here as I've tried many values for this setting. Nothing keeps my fire or smokes from stopping after a short while.
Moreover I'm confused  :-\, as to the setting 'LiveTime'. it seems to work together in association with 'FinishTime'. But How? I've tried the method of trial and error to determine the relationship between these two settings with no conclusions whatsoever. :-X
I was hoping if you can enlighten me.

regards,
Phoenix
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Gurner

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2012, 02:54:08 PM »

Hey Phoenix.

I think you're trying to edit an old Plutonium mod, which cannot have unlimited time fires due to a compatibility problem with 4.101.

Sanka has made Plutonium compatible with 4.101, and you can download it here:  https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,19849.0.html

Personally I prefer my effects package, of course  :D, but as mine uses the class files from Plutonium I am deeply indebted to Sanka for bringing it to 4.10.  https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,20929.0.html

If you use the correct version of Plutonium a finishtime value of -1 will have the desired effect.

Livetime controls the amount of time the particles are visible before they dissappear, finishtime controls the amount of time the particles are generated for.  So with finishtime1 and livetime 10 the particles/images will be drawn for 1 second and will remain on screen for 10 seconds.
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thephoenix97

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2012, 03:32:41 PM »

Nah, I prefer your package too. It's cool ;) by the way.
And , uh , thanks for clarifying the roles of those two entries. But then what would 'MaxR' mean. If that's radius then what is 'Size? Now that's another confusion I have developed :)
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Gurner

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2012, 06:13:51 AM »

Not sure about MaxR.  One of the values seems to smear the tga/particle into a circle - maybe it's that one. 

The size values obviously control the size - first value is the initial size, second value is the size when it disappears.  So if you start with a low value and end with a high value the tga/particle will obviously grow, and vice versa.
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wellwill

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2012, 01:50:21 PM »

It's very cool, although I am a beginner, but very want to be a producer, like Gurner.
Great fire, great smoke, severe explosion, dazzling rays of light, let IL2 regain his youth.
Material is so precious, compares the most expensive gems, thank you, my dear master, a love il2 obsession with disease patients.My question is: producer this how to control the particle number? 4096 really is too big; Sometimes change 256, the effect is very good, but sometimes is very bad, why?
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Gurner

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2012, 03:26:18 PM »

You need to find a balance between particles, livetime and emitfrq
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Chakal16

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2012, 07:53:44 AM »

How i can edit the smoke trails of the bullets?
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wellwill

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2014, 10:58:53 PM »

About the size, not a definite explanation. Is not a circle diameter, the correct interpretation should be a framework of long and wide.
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wellwill

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2014, 12:16:26 AM »

I'm sorry, I was wrong. "Size" is about the size of a single particle diameter the size of the change of parameters.
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wellwill

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2015, 10:05:42 AM »

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wellwill

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Re: A basic explanation of Effect files (.eff)
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2015, 10:06:36 AM »

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