Custom particle systems

Snowbat

Snowbat

L4: Comfortable Member
Apr 23, 2013
165
74
Got another question lads. I made a custom particle file named fatmanbomb.pcf. The particle systems name in this file is named SnowNuke.

According to this page on the Developer Wiki about the particle_manifest.txt file, there are three text files you have to edit or create. Do you have to create all three or is one of them enough?

For the sake of testing I made all three. Put the PCF's name in there. The info_particle_system in hammer is set to be active at spawn and the name refers to SnowNuke.

Yet the fuckin console still says it cant create it nor precache it and it doesn't show up in game.

Any suggestions?
 
wiseguy149

wiseguy149

Emperor of Entities and Amateur of Aesthetics
May 12, 2009
103
220
Since the custom particle system you made is only for your custom map (at least I assume it is since you're posting on this forum) you don't need or want to modify particle_manifest.txt. That's the default manifest for the entire game.

You want to use the second option listed on that wiki page, so in your maps folder (next to the .bsp), create a mapname_particles.txt file, and list your .pcf file in the format specified.

This is the only manifest you need.
 
Snowbat

Snowbat

L4: Comfortable Member
Apr 23, 2013
165
74
Okay, I made a files named testgrounds_particles.txt and my map's name is testgrounds.bsp.
Both are located in my tf/maps folder.
The particle's PCF file is named tacticalnuke.pcf and the system within that file is named nuclear_snow (yeah I changed the names a bit to make it more clear for myself)

The code of the testgrounds_particles.txt is this:

particles_manifest
{

"file" "!particles/tacticalnuke.pcf"
}
Click to expand...

The info_particle_system refers to nuclear_snow and it set to be active at start.
Yet it's still not working. Keep getting "attempting to create unknown particle".

I don't know what i'm doing wrong :(
 
Lampenpam

Lampenpam

aa
Mar 23, 2013
1,013
347
Snowbat said:
Okay, I made a files named testgrounds_particles.txt and my map's name is testgrounds.bsp.
Both are located in my tf/maps folder.
The particle's PCF file is named tacticalnuke.pcf and the system within that file is named nuclear_snow (yeah I changed the names a bit to make it more clear for myself)

The code of the testgrounds_particles.txt is this:



The info_particle_system refers to nuclear_snow and it set to be active at start.
Yet it's still not working. Keep getting "attempting to create unknown particle".

I don't know what i'm doing wrong :(
Click to expand...

Afaik, as long as you test the map locally you don't even need the particle_manifest to make them work. it's just there for packing purpose. So I conclude that your tacticalnuke.pcf isn't located at tf/particles?
Or maybe you just messed up the names since you changed them, double check everything

EDIT: no I'm wrong, you still need to have the particle file to be mentioned either in the mapname_particles or the particle_manifest.txt when testing locally.
Anyway, I also heard that sometimes the mapname_particles.txt dosn't work as long you don't include a mapname.txt in your files. mapname.txt is the description of the map, displayed at the calcboard after connecting
 
Last edited:
wiseguy149

wiseguy149

Emperor of Entities and Amateur of Aesthetics
May 12, 2009
103
220
Lampenpam said:
So I conclude that your tacticalnuke.pcf isn't located at tf/particles?
Or maybe you just messed up the names since you changed them, double check everything
Click to expand...

What he said.
Double check all your names for inconsistencies, double check your pcf for the particle system you want to use, but make sure your .pcf is in your tf/particles folder. I think that's most likely the error at this point.
 
Snowbat

Snowbat

L4: Comfortable Member
Apr 23, 2013
165
74
Ok I got it to work. It was an option in the Properties that had to be set to 0 instead of 1 (it's a boolean).
Just in case anyone else has the same problem some day: the option preventNameBasedLookup needs to be set to 0
Dont ask me what that option does, it just doesnt work if it's set to 1

Good, that's that. I got another question and I hope some particle wizard can help me here :)
In case you hand't realized, I'm currently working on making a particle system for a nuclear mushroom cloud in the Valve Particle Editor. I was able to recreate a nice looking cap and nice looking stemm of the mushroom cloud. The only thing I don't like about the cap I made is it's shape.
Currently, the mushroom cloud's shape looks roughly like this while a nuclear bomb mushroom cloud should more have this shape. As you can see, the bottom part of the cap is flatter than the very rounded top one.
As far as I know, there is no way to achieve such a shape with the particle editor, can there?

If not, the closest I can do, is a shape like this or ideally, a shape like this but I don't know how to do that triangle effect at the bottom of the stemm.

Can anyone give me some advice or tips?
 
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