CfgCloudlets - weird particle effect misbehavior (1.52 stable)

[Rydygier 1302]

I've configured some particle effect this way:

class CfgPatches 
	{
	class RYD_PE_TEST
		{
		units[] = {};
		weapons[] = {};
		requiredAddons[] = {};
		requiredVersion = 0.1;
		};
	};


class CfgCloudlets
	{
	class parteffectest
		{
		interval = 0.5;      //interval of particle's creation
		circleRadius = 0;			     //radius around emitter where particles are created
		circleVelocity[] = {0, 0, 0};	     //direction and speed of movement of particle's circle
		particleShape = \A3\data_f\ParticleEffects\Universal\Universal;		//path and name of file
		particleFSNtieth = 16;		     //coef; size of one particle's texture in pixels = 2048/coef
		particleFSIndex = 12;		     //index of start line on texture
		particleFSFrameCount = 8;		     //count of pictures in animation (starts on first picture in defined line - particleFSIndex)
		particleFSLoop = 1;		             //loop of animation (0 - false, 1 - true)
		angle = 0;				     //angle of particle
		angleVar = 0;			     //variability in angle of particle

		animationName = "";
		particleType = "Billboard";	             //type of animation (Billboard (2D), Spaceobject (3D))
		timerPeriod = 1;			     //interval of timer (how often is called script defined in parameter onTimerScript)
		lifeTime = 5;			     //life time of particle in seconds
		moveVelocity[] = {0, 0, 0};	             //direction and speed of movement of particle [x,z,y]
		rotationVelocity = 0;		     //direction and speed of rotation of particle [x,z,y]
		weight = 1;			             //weight of particle (kg)
		volume = 1;			             //volume of particle (m3)
		rubbing = 1;			     //how much is particle affected by wind/air resistance
		size[] = {1};			     //size of particle during the life
		color[] = {{1,1,1,1}};	     //color of particle during the life (r,g,b,a)
		animationSpeed[] = {1};		     //speed of animation (number of animation cycles in 1s)
		randomDirectionPeriod = 0;		     //interval of random speed change
		randomDirectionIntensity = 0;	     //intensity of random speed change
		onTimerScript = "";		             //script triggered by timer (in variable "this" is stored position of particle)
		beforeDestroyScript = "";		     //script triggered before destroying of particle (in variable "this" is stored position of particle)
		lifeTimeVar = 0;			     //variability in lifetime of particle
		position[] = {0, 0, 0};                  //defines position of effect
		positionVar[] = {0, 0, 0};		     //variability in position of particle (each part of vector has it's own variability)
		positionVarConst[] = {0, 0, 0};	     //variability in position of particle (variablity of all parts of vector is the same)
		moveVelocityVar[] = {0, 0, 0};	     //variability in direction and speed of particle (each part of vector has it's own variability)
		moveVelocityVarConst[] = {0, 0, 0};      //variability in direction and speed of particle (variablity of all parts of vector is the same)
		rotationVelocityVar = 0;		     //variability in rotation of particle
		sizeVar = 0;			     //variability in size of particle
		colorVar[] = {0, 0, 0, 0};		     //variability in color of particle
		randomDirectionPeriodVar = 0;	     //variability in interval of random speed change
		randomDirectionIntensityVar = 0;	     //variability in intensity of random speed change
		sizeCoef = 1;                            //size of particle = size parameter value * this coef (works only in some effects)
		colorCoef[]={1,1,1,1};                   //color of particle = color parameter value * this coef (works only in some effects)
		animationSpeedCoef = 1;                  //animation speed of particle = animationSpeed parameter value * this coef (works only in some effects)

		destroyOnWaterSurface = 1;               //particle can exist - only underwater (-1), only above the water (1), everywhere (0)
		destroyOnWaterSurfaceOffset = 0;         //offset of water surface in destroyOnWaterSurface parameter
		onSurface = 0;                        //placing of particle on (water) surface on start of it's existence, default value is true, works only if circleRadius > 0
		keepOnSurface = 1;                   //true for particle is stay on water surface - see notes bellow
		surfaceOffset = 0;                       //offset of water surface in keepOnSurface parameter
		bounceOnSurface = -1;                   //coef of speed's loosing in collision with ground, 0-1 for collisions, -1 disable collision
		bounceOnSurfaceVar = 0.0;                //variability in speed's loosing in collision with ground
		postEffects = "";            //effect triggered before destroying of particle
		particleEffects = ""; //emitter of effect defined in this parameter is attached to each particle
		blockAIVisibility = 0;                //sets if particles are in the AI visibility tests (default true) - false for better performance but AI is able to see through particles
		emissiveColor[] = {{0,0,0,0}};  //sets emissivity of particle, 4th number has no meaning for now

		//--- fire damage related parameters (optional)
		//damageType="Fire";                       //damage type, only available option is "Fire" so far
		//coreIntensity = 1.25;                    //damage coeficient in the center of fire
		//coreDistance = 3.0;                      //how far can unit get damage
		//damageTime = 0.1;                        //how often is unit getting damage 
		};		
	};

and ran it via:

sleep 1;

_pe = "#particlesource" createVehicleLocal (getPosATL player);
_pe setParticleClass "parteffectest";			
_pe attachTo [player,[2,10,2]];

But instead of expected column of particles going vertically up, I got just blinking twice per second particle shape at spawn position. No other mods, except the above. Then I added second effect this way:

_pe = "#particlesource" createVehicleLocal (getPosATL player);
_pe setParticleParams [["\a3\Data_f\ParticleEffects\Universal\Universal",16,12,8,1],"","Billboard",1,5,[0,0,0],[0,0,0],1,1,1,1,[1],[[1,1,1,1]],[1],0,0,"","",_pe,0,false,1,[[0,0,0,0]]];
_pe setDropInterval 0.5;		
_pe attachTo [player,[-2,10,2]];

and this time all was OK. So, what makes such a difference? What's the problem with configured particle effect life time? Did I missed something, or there is some problem with this feature? AFAIR it was working fine 1-2 years ago...

 

Here is short footage with both effects together for optimal comparison:

 

https://youtu.be/iN2wqB13I70

 

Left - scripted pe; right - misbehaving configured pe. 

 

All the repro stuff here. 

 

Tried also to overwrite via setParticleParams values for configured pe, but no visible change as for life time.