PFX core concepts: Particle Editor tutorial series part 1
Tutorial info  
Difficulty Beginner
Updated October 01, 2020
Software
cryengine 5.6

Learn how to build everything from flying insects to nuclear bombs, explosions with smoke and fire and sparks and even physical forces, alien swarms glowing with lights, and much much more in this comprehensive series on designing particle effects in CRYENGINE.

This tutorial introduces the core concepts relevant to all particles, detailed below. We also recommend that you refer to the written version of this tutorial in our documentation here, which contains additional examples and explanations.

Topics covered:

  • 0:00  Pyromaniac-in-training
  • 1:31  First generation particle effects (PFX1)
  • 2:06  Creating a new particle effect asset
  • 2:23  Adding a particle effect to a level
  • 3:11  Sprites
  • 4:03  The Particle Editor interface
  • 4:42  Facing Mode:Screen and the 3D illusion
  • 5:36  Saving particle assets vs the level
  • 6:17  Link between Particle Editor and instances in level
  • 6:29  Particle Editor interface in depth
  • 7:20  Field:Size feature and real-world values
  • 7:39  Spawn:Rate feature
  • 8:18  Life:Time feature
  • 8:37  Adding movement with the Motion:Physics feature
  • 8:53  Letting gravity affect sprites
  • 9:33  Understanding Drag
  • 10:30 Relationship between Drag and velocity
  • 11:40 Drag and Uniform Wind
  • 12:33 Drag and motion relative to wind speed
  • 12:50 Drag and Level Wind Scale
  • 13:29 Combining Motion:Physics movement methods
  • 14:11 Breezes, Level Wind Scale and Drag
  • 14:29 Effect of wind from particles on each other
  • 15:46 Inserting features and feature order
  • 16:09 Using Appearance:Material to make a puff of smoke
  • 16:37 Using a Curve modifier to vary Field:Size over Age
  • 17:17 Curve Editor interface
  • 17:56 Normalization of curves - Life:Time vs. Age
  • 18:22 Adding randomization to Field:Size
  • 18:47 Fading Appearance:Opacity in and out using a curve
  • 19:40 Controlling point curvature using spline handles
  • 20:19 Using an animated sprite sheet
  • 21:52 Adding random rotation with Angles:Rotate2D
  • 22:24 Setting Field:Color with smoke color

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