Colored particle beam effects

[PM]

The particle beam is one of the nicer beam effects, but only greenparticle and blueparticle are available for modders. Are any other colors available? If not, can we get the option to set the color of particle beams?

[stealthx]

Yeah, I second this suggestion. I've always wanted the particle beam to have other color options.

[george moromisato]

Great idea! Currently there is no way to change the color, but it shouldn't be too hard to implement.

If someone can write a ticket up for it (so we can track it) that would be great.

[alterecco]

Done:

http://wiki.neurohack.com/transcendence/trac/ticket/650

[Datal]

I really want to see how it will look like.

[george moromisato]

Excellent. Thanks for the ticket.

I made a few changes for 1.06:

1. I added beamType="particle". With this beamType you can specify a primaryColor and a secondaryColor. [The older settings, beamType="greenparticle" and beamType="blueparticle" just use default values.]

2. I added a new effect type: <Beam>. This effect takes the parameters for a beam (beamType, intensity, primaryColor, secondaryColor) and can be used wherever effects are used (e.g., in a missile). This allows you to create missiles that look like beams.

3. I'm in the middle of combining the code for beams and missiles; when I'm done, you should be able to use any feature of beams and missiles interchangeably. [E.g., you could create a beam that fragments.] More info on this when I'm done.

[Datal]

Excellent. Thanks for the ticket.

I made a few changes for 1.06:

1. I added beamType="particle". With this beamType you can specify a primaryColor and a secondaryColor. [The older settings, beamType="greenparticle" and beamType="blueparticle" just use default values.]

2. I added a new effect type: <Beam>. This effect takes the parameters for a beam (beamType, intensity, primaryColor, secondaryColor) and can be used wherever effects are used (e.g., in a missile). This allows you to create missiles that look like beams.

3. I'm in the middle of combining the code for beams and missiles; when I'm done, you should be able to use any feature of beams and missiles interchangeably. [E.g., you could create a beam that fragments.] More info on this when I'm done.

Great, many thanks George

[digdug]

this is awesome George!
thank you very much

2. I added a new effect type: <Beam>. This effect takes the parameters for a beam (beamType, intensity, primaryColor, secondaryColor) and can be used wherever effects are used (e.g., in a missile). This allows you to create missiles that look like beams.

this is also going to fix an old bug http://wiki.neurohack.com/transcendence/trac/ticket/221

[Ttech]

Very nice, it would be amazing to make use of these new colors to expand the particle weapon array.

[george moromisato]

A few more details:

When creating a weapon, type="missile" and type="beam" are now nearly interchangeable.

For type="beam"
1. These projectiles can be selected with (sysFindObject nil "b"); meaning that they are ignored by vanilla missile defense devices.
2. They default to interaction 0, unless otherwise specified.

For type="missile"
1. These projectiles can be selected with (sysFindObject nil "m"); meaning that they are targeted by vanilla missile defense devices.
2. They default to interaction 100, unless otherwise specified.

In general, any parameter for a missile is now valid for a beam (vaporTrail, <HitEffect>, <Fragment>, etc.)

The parameters that control beam painting (beamType, etc.) are deprecated at the <Weapon> level (though they still work, for backwards compatibility). Use the <Beam> effect instead (which takes the same parameters).

[Interaction is a parameter that controls what happens when two shots hit each other. When two shots collide, we take the MAX of the interaction values of the two shots. That becomes the percent chance that the shots will interact with each other. For example, if two beams with interaction=0 hit each other, the chance of interaction is 0%, so the beams pass through each other. If a beam (interaction=0) hits a missile (interaction=100) the interaction is 100% and so the beam hits the missile.]

As a guideline, you should create a "beam" when you want a (nearly) massless particle (energy only). Beams should (almost always) travel at light-speed.

[I should also note that all previous beam weapons should still work in 1.06. I have not (intentionally) made any breaking changes in 1.06.]

[erik dela cruz]

I just started playing 1.06 last week and then I armed my Wolfen ClassII with a Pixie Particle Cannon. It's tracking and looked so cute with different colors flashing all around my targets. LOL.

[stealthx]

I just started playing 1.06 last week and then I armed my Wolfen ClassII with a Pixie Particle Cannon. It's tracking and looked so cute with different colors flashing all around my targets. LOL.

What!? 1.06 is out? Where?

[Datal]

I just started playing 1.06 last week and then I armed my Wolfen ClassII with a Pixie Particle Cannon. It's tracking and looked so cute with different colors flashing all around my targets. LOL.

What!? 1.06 is out? Where?

here

[erik dela cruz]

I also dig the Tesla Ion Howitzer! The bust of colors are superb George. Sadly I don;t know how to reload it. Tsk. tsk, tsk.

[Atarlost]

I also dig the Tesla Ion Howitzer! The bust of colors are superb George. Sadly I don;t know how to reload it. Tsk. tsk, tsk.

The Tesla is a modded weapon, not one of George's, though the weapon effect code is George's so the compliment isn't really misplaced.

The Tesla uses helium fuel rods and assemblies as ammo. Two shots per rod if you still have any or 8 per assembly, which you should be able to loot from pretty much any non-Ares gunship after the point where you no longer use them as your primary fuel.