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[WxTech]

For a little while now I've implemented new effects to simulate streams of fire running along the surface when a plane crashes. This involves the code which controls the handling of wreckage after destruction. One or a few of these streams can be generated at impact, running along the ground for some distance, turning into dark smoke. This happens only when there is sufficient fuel in the plane.

Recently I made the small changes necessary to allow these effects to occur in the air also. And not when the fuel tank actually explodes (as initiated under certain circumstances), but instead for such events as collision and hence break-up.

This all works nicely during play. But for some reason I haven't divined, this new effect cannot be generated during an ntrk playback. Strangely, though, the other stock effects for firey/smoking wreckage--which is part of the same code--are created. A head-scratcher!

I'm curious to know how important it is that an effect created during play should also be drawn during track playback. Now, for movie makers this shouldn't be so terrible, for there is no randomness involved; there are no instances at all, just as there are none currently. Unlike many of my other effects which are created during track playback and for which a certain randomness is involved.

Here's an example of the new effect, they being the 'fat' streams of fire, in the air and on the surface. They're not always generated, and when they are it'll be one or more, extending for a certain distance (with some randomness), evolving into smoke that fades away a while later. I'm still fine-tuning the appearance in air; I don't want them to be too prominent and/or too long. 

[larschance]

This looks awesome. However, I find the more explosions the more jerky the mission, i.e. the system trying to keep up refeshment of the screen can end up jumpy.

Creating missions Von and I have had to reduce the amount of flak and bombs exploding to make a mission run smoothly. A large formation of bombers with all guns blazing also causes jumpiness especially if there are explosions as well. I guess that is down to the game system itself as well the power of your pc.

Having said that I look forward to your updated effects pack and hope it fits with the new BAT update.

[WxTech]

I fully appreciate the concerns about the system loading when many effects are in process at the same time. Unlike bomb blasts for a number of sticks of bombs, or heavy flak barrages, this new effect will not normally have more than one or two involved planes creating them at any given time. And the effects don't last for a particularly long time (the smoke does take 7-10 seconds to fade away.) And so I see no cause for alarm here. 

I'll remind that in other areas I HAVE taken steps to reduce the system load for heavy effect particle generation. For instance, with regard to 'house' type objects, which concern those many thousands in static.ini, right out of the gate I have 1/3 of very nearly all of those destroyed NOT making the long-lasting fire/smoke, by random selection.

[David Prosser]

It looks great. To reduce the chance of the BAT game spinning its wheels, I used the CinC flak thingy, with maybe 1 or 2 guns under it.

cheers

David

[RABIZO]

"Glenn", I'm really looking forward to the new effects.