Custom Particle Request Thread

Since the latest update, valve let us include custom particles per-map. This is so awesome and open ups a new door to even better maps. I have myself done alot of experimenting with the editor because I had and still have alot of particles planned for my map Animus.

However, not many knows how to use the particle editor so I am willing to help you guys out.

Request in this thread and I will get to is when I can.

Rules:

1. At least 1 set of particles at a time
2. Have a understanding how to use and install custom particles (I dont want to create stuff if you dont know how to use it)
3. You must request with detail on exactly what you want. If you tell me and show pics of what map you are planning to use it for helps alot
4. If you have seen something similare before and have a image/video of that it is optional to post it along with the request
5. Post a vmf along with the request, in this vmf there should be the item that is emmiting the particle. Example. Fountain, Volcano, Retarded doomsday machine or something similare. This is a must so I can adjust the size of the particle perfectly and to save time.
6. Credits

Todo List:
Snowfall - Pic1/Pic2- Jonah
Steam Clouds - Pic1/Pic2/Pic3 - Example Map - Malcolm
Unstable Nucleus Core - Icarus
Fountain water - Pic1/Pic2/Pic3- Example Map - Backslash
Volcano Smoke - steff0o
Sand storm - Furex
Dripping Sand - Westerhound

ON HOLD UNTIL I FINISH UP SOME UNFINISHED STUFF

 

Todo list: tell us how we install them and use them in our map. I made some particles myself, but whoa... I have no idea how to put them in my map so that I can see them ingame. Do I need to make a .txt file?

 

snowfall particles please
like env_rain_001, but slower and with snowflakes, which can be just blurry white circles/dots

 

mind explaining what your programs your using to do this with? I want to learn how to do this too.

 

The particle editor. Launch tf2 with -tools

 

Snowfall - Pic1/Pic2

As you can see, the snow covers a whole 512 units like the rain particle. You'll also notice some of the snow flakes are orange, but this is because it has alpha and the environment is orange

You can also see that it continues beyond the map. Tell me if you wish to have it continue longer though. And a final note, these fall down pretty slow, but still in a decent speed. Tell me if you want any changes on that too.

 

Modified rain particles so they don't fall through brushes. I've done this before with a snow particle setup but I haven't used the particle editor in quite a long time.

 

Doing so will also collide with players, which messes up the particles entirely

 

How about an unstable version of nucleus_core_steady?

basically, have it freak out with a lot more electrical effects. Having a bright red glow in the center would also be nice

For use in Vector's final contraption.

 

In EP2 the snow never collided with NPCs. Just try it out. Please.

 

good job... except I can't get it to work
I have a txt file named ctf_snowdrift_particles with this in it:

ctf_snowdrift_particles
{
"file" "!particles/snowdrift_particles.pcf"
}

 

good job... except I can't get it to work
I have a txt file named ctf_snowdrift_particles with this in it:

ctf_snowdrift_particles
{
"file" "!particles/snowdrift_particles.pcf"
}

 

d-d-d-d-double post!

 

Ive made a prototype of it, but I need the the final part of vector to test it out. Can you compile a separate map with only the last area, with a particle entity using the vector_core_unsteady particle. And please name the entity something simple like testparticle or something. Either do that or please send me a vmf

Edit:

is ctf_snowdrift the whole name of the bsp? dont forget the _b1, _a1 ect if you have any of that in the map name. Also make sure you have the snowdrift_particles.pcf in the particles folder. If you do not have a particles folder, create one, and dont forget the S in the end

 

Yep, that's the whole name, and I have the pcf file in the right folder

 

Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, you need to use the name env_snowfall when entering the particle system name.

 

I have another request here.

I need smoke similiar to the skybox dustbowl smoke (smoke_blackbillow_dustbowl_skybox), but much larger (but still skybox size) and white colored.

The result should look something like that:

(The steam clouds)

I hope this is possible ... I've already tried env_smokestack to achieve a similiar effect, but it drains lots of FPS and does not look TF2-ish. So I hope someone here will help me

 

Dunnow if you want to use it, but i made an unstable version of the core (as a model) it slowly expands. (like an end explosion) (If you watch anime, but it's inspired by FLEIA from Code Geass) But now that the particles work I will also create some particles .

@Fearless: Snow looks nice, but maybe you could give it a ice crystal shape (an abstract version of one of these )

 

Hm, still not working

 

I'm lovin' the snow effect. A very simplistic and stylized actuall snow flake shape would be even better! Is it possible/feasible/good FPS acceptable, to add specularity? so it glints and glows in direct sunlight?