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Photoreal Fire Effect tester!!

As far as the size is... meter would be 1.00....half a meter would 0.50..and so on. As you are givin 2 values, anytime the values of a given parameter are different, the part of the effect will then be random(will chose between the 2 given values).
For example...
Lifetime=0.00, 1.00 The effect will randomly last between 1 hundredth of a second to 1 second...meaning it might show for a second, next time it might show for a half a second.

Lifetime=1.00, 1.00 With both values the same, now the effect will show for only 1 second.

Dave
 
Thanks that helps thats exactly what i needed to know.

I made an drawing board its simple but it helps.

I will upload it in this post.

Thank's again. :cool:

2242.
 

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Yes your right they are a bit i guess. I will fix it tomorrow in the morning.

I think it would be good if there was a tool that you can drag the lines around and it would tell you what to type in the effects file that would be so helpfull :scratchch but i guess my diagram will have to do untill then. :teacher: lol

2242.
 
Ok,
Here is some screen shots of my campsite it's not too complex at the moment but i will add more things in time.

Im just working on the effects at the moment.

If i could get some help on what would make the effect look betta that would be good because this is my first effect. :wizard:

Thank's.

2242.
 

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looking good so far. Mine is not going as quick but hope to get alot done over the weekend. Some things im going to add is textured stones and firewood around the campfire w/night textures. As far as effects the flame, that will be created with effects will some sparks and a orange glow on the ground that will flicker. Just let me know what you need help with and will give you a hand.

Dave
 
Thanks for being so helpfull ;)

I was going to work on some night textures too today.

also i do need a little bit of help with the light reflection on the ground like your going to do with your's,

How is that done?.

also is the smoke too bright in the night picture in my last post i think it is,

How can i make it darker in the night do i use the parameters:HOD, MOH, SOM etc.?

Well don't forget to upload some pictures so we all can see how your campsite is comeing along. :cool:

ps:Is i ok with you that im posting in here?

Thnak's.

2242.
 
Hey Pilot,

As far as the reflection on the ground, it will done with effects ut havent gotten that far yet..but when i do i'll let you know and show you so you get an idea.

As for the color of the smoke, that can be changed by editing the color start and color end parameter with the effect. The values represent rgb values so just decide what color you want and set rgb value for that. I think its a bit to bright so making it darker might be better.

I'll post some screen shots when i get some more done, as i only got my stones in place with both day and night textures. Also created some logs with textures but created 2 different mdls....one before the campfire and another model during and after the fire which shows then burnt. Just running into some problems with them showing when i want as im doing alot of things if never did before and spending more time reading and testing then actual building.

I dont mind if you post in here as well. I always appriciate anybodys comments or suggestions and if somebody learns something or gets ideas to create scenery from this...thats even better.
Dave
 
Yeah dave,
I have been mainly just testing with the effects to see what effect looks the best just lastnight i made a effect with 8 emitters but there was something wrong with it and i played around with it but i couldent get it to work so i had to delete all but 1 emitter :banghead:

But it dosent matter i will work on it somemore today hopefully if i take my time it will work as planned.

You may already know this but if you set the face to 0,0,1 the effect will rotate to face you from the side but if you look down on it it wont rotate to face you, it just makes the photoreal fires look a bit more real.

also use the drag parameter with the smoke so when the wind is blowing the smoke will go with the wind.

Also i have a question,

Is there a tool other than photoshop that you can use to apply alpha to an bitmap?

The reason i dont want photo shop is because i cant download it because im on dialup connection and its too big file :whiteflag

And can i use the uv1=0.00, 0.00 uv2=0.00, 0.00 in a particle that uses an alpha channel or do i have to use:

TextureSize=256
CellSize=64
CellStart=0
CellEnd=7

Oh sorry about the big post :rolleyes:

Thank's a buncch.

2242.
 
To be honest, im not sure what other programs are available to create an alpha channel for a texture. I've just used photoshop the whole time but hopefully if somebody reads this they could give some info as to where to find a program....if not you could send me the texture and i'll do it if you want.


Basically, the uv1 and uv2 parameters are used basically for a single static effect. It might be able to animate, but only uses the single image you select.

Using the other method, that will create an animation effect consisting of multiple images like i used in my barrel fire...or you could look at the fx_barnstorm.bmp which consists of 8 different images to create an animation effect. Also using this way, only half the texture sheet can be used. For instance, a 256x256 texture sheet, you could only use 128x128 of it and the cell start and cell end are used in place of uv1 and uv2.

Also just a tip i use and might be useful for you as well, but when i do my effects i usually play a notation just above each emitter i create that explains what it should do and helps me keep track of what im making and any changes i want to make are easy to find.

Also, you might want to consider making multiple effects...one for the fire, one for the smoke and so on. Ive never used an effect with 8 emitters before yet i have had problems after 4 emitters. Then you create a controller and add all your effects to that and just place the controller.

Dave
 
Hey Dave,

The reason i made a effect with somany emitters is so i dont have somany effect files in my effects folder i may haveto do as you said.

I can apply alpha to an picture with paint shop pro but it wont save as a bitmap if i try to save it as a bitmp it has no alpha.

also if i put some text just above an emitter in the effect file will that mess up the effect?

Thank's.

2242.
 
You could write any text above the emitters without any problems..atleast i havent had a problem. Examples i've used are fire, smoke, glow.

Im not famaliar with paint shop pro at all but thats weird if can apply an alpha channel and cant save it as bmp.

Dave
 
Hey dave,

Yeah i know its weird but,

I don't have to worry i done a texture like your's the "Barrel fire" and it worked i had to use 3 different programs and make 5 different textures to make 1 texture with alpha but it works fine.

ps: i have added you to yahoo messanger if you can come in there now or when you can im allays on there.

Thank's.

2242.
 
Thats alot of work for one texture...atleast you got it to work though.

I have to redownload yahoo messenger which i'll do tomorrow when i get home from work

Here is a couple of screenshots so far....not much but probably start on the effects tomorrow and add some tents and other objects.

Dave
 

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wow that's looking good!
Has the night and day textures been applyed because it looks like it.
my wood dosent look as good but i will try to fix it.

When i try to apply textures to an object in gmax it's allways zoomed in and pixely when i scale it out it dosent look good could you please tell me how i can adjust the settings so it will look good?

Somany problem's :scratchch

Thank's.

2242
 
If you use DXT2bmp you should be able to create an alpha rather easy. The "import/export Alpha" function is very nice in that tool. :)
 
Hello Horst18519,

I got that DXT2Bmp but i dont know how to export and import the alpha could you tell me how i can do it?

I used DXTBmp to do my alpha.

Dave,

Let me know when you have got yahoo.

Thank's.

2242.
 
Hi Dave,

you have icons on the right to export the alpha, edit alpha in an editor and import the alpha. It's right beneath the preview-alpha-window. ;)

Thorsten ;)
 
Hi Horst,

Just to let you know my name isn't Dave lol i was posting questions to 2 people in 1 post :D .


Anyway i think your talking about DXTBmp because the way you describe what it looks like thats what DXTBmp looks like.

Also is DXT2Bmp also named Show with a yellow butterfly icon?

Thank's.

2242.
 
OK :o as long as you keep calling me Horst I call you Dave. :D ;)

I guess it was too soon in the morning... ;)

Soory about dxt2bmp. I always mix them up, of course I'm talking about dxtbmp. I find it a nice tool. :)
 
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