WarFX Particles

[=(+)=TheVoodoo 0]

Well i gotta find a way to disable the old weapon based muzzleflash, anyone got a idea on how to do that without editing all the weapon models and stuff.

I only know the way to make the .paa files of the original muzzleflashes fully transparent by editing the alpha channel.

[Opticalsnare 12]

Yeh that could work, but then im going to have to change all the paths in the .p3ds to the edited textures otherwise it woundnt work.

[-=anders=- 0]

Yeh that could work, but then im going to have to change all the paths in the .p3ds to the edited textures otherwise it woundnt work.

Can't you get into contact with someone from bis? I speak for so many when I say te original muzzleflash system or visuals sux. So this must be made... I hope you find an easy way.

[ohexploitable 10]

These muzzle flashes are good.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Ju7cTojTs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Ju7cTojTs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBY2r3TEWmo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBY2r3TEWmo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtg6FRT4gIA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtg6FRT4gIA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[-=anders=- 0]

^^ All too few pics! If OS is really going to make new textures, then it's more enjoyable if he makes more than 10 textures atleast, but surely he already did that. :)

The second movie has too transparent pics...

The 3rd one is great! For silenced weps.

Edited January 18, 2010 by -=anders=-

[versus 0]

some thoughts on those flashes:

in general the duration of a flash should be as short as possible. when

watching a film running with 30 frames per second a muzzle flash is visible

only for the duration of ONE frame, if at all, unless the rate of fire is

ridiculously high like in a minigun. in general there should be at least one

"empty" frame before the next flash is shown otherwise it looks like a

continuously burning flame. also in the last video you can clearly see the

display duration is too long because the muzzle flash actually travels upwards

with the barrel as the recoil kicks in.

but they already do look better than vanilla :)

Edited January 18, 2010 by versus

[-=anders=- 0]

I know exactly what you mean!!! And I agree totally. I feels like the flash is attached to the length of the shot and i lasts for too long. It should just blink VERY fast with every round and I dont know if that's possible. But as you said if it as it is now, it'll feel like you have a flamethrower instead. Finally one that got his fingers on what it was that disturbed me like hell.

Good luck to you OS to fix that.

Here's some examples from a movie I love but also a movie that tries to aim for realism even with hollywood effect and that's exactly what I think about games. They can never be as real as the real world but better to make them as enjoyable and "realistic for your eyes when playig a game. Should be the same as in a movie.

But these flashes are what I want into Arma2.

They're mostly for barrels similar to M16, so if the barrels are more solid that the M16 they should not have the "star shape".

I love white flashes but at daylight as seen in the movie it would be cool with a little orange non-transparent flashes just near the barrel and more transparent at the edges of the flash.

I dont know if they're shooting blanks or if the flashes are edited afterwards, but they only blink very fast with every shot. Sometimes there's only white/blue smoke coming out so it's cool not to have a flash at every round.

The movie I have is in 30fps so I've tested it and I know that the flashes dont stay more than some milliseconds.

Edited January 18, 2010 by -=anders=-

[AnimalMother92 10]

Woah crazy coincidence. I was just watching Heat tonight and then I see screens from it here. :eek:

[GD Mast 0]

Oh gawd... "Hollywood" muzzleflash effects don't belong in ArmA 2. "Negative Ghost Rider... you are not cleared for the pattern"- Just my thoughts.

[versus 0]

al pacinos muzzle flash looks awefully large. i'm pretty sure it's been "hollywoodified".

from what i saw in videos of real rifle fire around the net i gather that muzzle flashes in

broad daylight are almost invisible. you see mostly smoke and a "heat-wave"-like

distortion in front of the barrel.

they DID pay great attention to the sound effects in that scene though. most awesome

city-firefight sounds in any hollywood movie ever! :)

[-=anders=- 0]

Oh gawd... "Hollywood" muzzleflash effects don't belong in ArmA 2. "Negative Ghost Rider... you are not cleared for the pattern"- Just my thoughts.

I knew there would be someone who would flame me for my suggestion. But I dont want hollywood effects either. You didnt see my point at all as expected. Arma 2 is never gonna be realistic, but there's a thing when you feel satisfied with the atmosphere without trying to make it like IRL. Cause it will NEVER happen!

I mean, it can FEEL realistic even with effects from hollywood...

And they're not ugly and they can fit in perfectly...

Just two things:

1. In daylight, make them more diffuse, more orange and randomly played with just smoke, them little orange flash with smoke etc.

2. At dark areas and in the night, make all flashes white with blurry edges. Atleast it is mostly like that IRL. Say what you want, its better that way. Do you actually think it's realistic as it is right now? pfft! :butbut:

[jasonnoguchi 11]

In real life, you don't even see muzzle flashes during daytime. And in real life, HE explosions are nothing more than an uninteresting puff of smoke. RL is not interesting enough for a game. :) Bring on Hollywood!! (seriously, I think Hollywood is the whole point of the WarFX...hehehe.. BIG effects, BIG dust clouds)

Edited January 18, 2010 by jasonnoguchi

[-=anders=- 0]

RL is not interesting enough for a game. :)

That's what I'm trying to tell... A game and movie should always remain a movie or a game... It can STILL feel realistic. It's just a satisfaction effect.

[NoRailgunner 0]

There is always

a casual fanbase - people like and demand more hollywoodish effects

a hardcore fanbase - people like and demand more realism

Perhaps its possible to make such effects more optional so people can choose what they like to see ingame? :)

[-=anders=- 0]

There is always

a casual fanbase - people like and demand more hollywoodish effects

a hardcore fanbase - people like and demand more realism

Perhaps its possible to make such effects more optional so people can choose what they like to see ingame? :)

Yes... By making this mod... Or make one more hollywood and one more.... I dont know.. Cause it ain't realisic.

Tried to make one suggestion flash here to be visual at night... I did it in 5 seconds... So that's why it looks little crappy.

[Opticalsnare 12]

Well pretty much everything mentioned has been done like how long they last for, the differnt shapes, how they are seen in daytime ie brightness etc etc thats all ok, the big problem i have is that i need to disable the old ones as these still make weapons look ugly at nightime, and although this is a problem to do its possible its just gonna mean editing all the weapons and vehicles to use a custom .paa zasleh (muzzleflash texture) which will simple have nothing init no texture and alpha set to 100% transparant to hide them, this means adding in weapon models and vehicle models which will make the mod in terms of size larger, than if it was possible to just add a few lines of config lines. :banghead:

Edited January 18, 2010 by Opticalsnare

[mrcash2009 0]

Thats a real bitch, DAMN YOU BI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

I would have thought it would be code related more than the manual way, maybe this is why BIS never really fixed it themselves either.

[-=anders=- 0]

Well pretty much everything mentioned has been done like how long the live differnt shapes, how they are seen in daytime etc etc thats all fine, the big problem i have is that i need to disable the old ones as these still make weapons look ugly at nightime, and although this inst a problem to do its possible its just gonna mean editing all the weapons and vehicles to use a custom .paa zasleh (muzzleflash texture) which will simple have nothing init no texture and alpha set to 100% transparant to hide them, this means adding in weapon models and vehicle models which will make the mod in terms of size larger than if it was possible to just add a few lines of config lines. :banghead:

Damn, were you drunk when you typed that? :D Rlly an englishman? J/K

I agree, they could've made it easier for those who want to change visual things like the muzzleflashes...

But do you think it'll be possible to change the time one texture has, what we talked about here? That'll atleast be one good thing...

[Opticalsnare 12]

Cor i didnt even know i typed that bad till i saw your post lol, tired from work i quess.

Im not sure how the weapons are based. I think its just gonna have to be a case of adding in all the differnt edited models which works if i change the paths to the edited muzzleflashes not my particle based ones ie disable the old ones that way, but as i said this is gonna end up being a huge mod, like theres all the infantry weapons guns and stuff + vehicle based weapons is well, it seems like a huge thing to do just to change the muzzleflashes over from their default weapon based model shape whatever to a more modern particle based form.

The thing is if i do go ahead with it like this im going to have to make it modular from the main particles mod as i dont want other modders who make addon weapons and would like to use this muzzleflash mod have to use the whole particles mod if they dont want to, they can simply use the muzzleflashes mod and make their own weapons without the default weapon based shapes and ugly way to this new particle based mod which can be easily edited with differnt sizes, shapes, life, color, brightness etc etc. It might be worth it in the long run.. But the mod is gonna be over 50megs.... a 50meg muzzleflash mod people are gonna think im effing crazy.... :j:

Edited January 18, 2010 by Opticalsnare

[das attorney 857]

No mate, 50Megs is a small price to pay for getting a much needed overhaul on the muzzleflashes. :) It might make BIS think about upping their game too ;)

[-=anders=- 0]

The thing is if i do go ahead with it like this im going to have to make it modular from the main particles mod as i dont want other modders who make addon weapons and would like to use this muzzleflash mod have to use the whole particles mod if they dont want to, they can simply use the muzzleflashes mod and make their own weapons without the default weapon based shapes and ugly way to this new particle based mod which can be easily edited with differnt sizes, shapes, life, color, brightness etc etc. It might be worth it in the long run.. But the mod is gonna be over 50megs.... a 50meg muzzleflash mod people are gonna think im effing crazy.... :j:

No, you're not crazy! I think it's a great idea! :)

Try to see this in a perspective... Noone ELSE have done this before! You'll be the first one to actually dig in the muzzleflash systems and they were the same back in the OFP days, believe me. Ugly as hell, though the OFP ones looked alot better than Arma1 and 2's.

Your name will be remembered for all time. :)

"The guy that made Arma2's muzzleflashes to what they should've looked like"... lol

Edited January 18, 2010 by -=anders=-

[GD Mast 0]

You didnt see my point at all as expected.

Actually, I did see your point. I disagree with it, that's all. Like NoRailgunner said, there's people that want the "hollywood" effect and there are people that don't. Also, if you have one side using the "hollywood" effects while the other side doesn't, won't that cause an big advantage in multiplayer games?

[-=anders=- 0]

Actually, I did see your point. I disagree with it, that's all. Like NoRailgunner said, there's people that want the "hollywood" effect and there are people that don't. Also, if you have one side using the "hollywood" effects while the other side doesn't, won't that cause an big advantage in multiplayer games?

Nope... I don't think so... It's like that right now. There's many mods out that that changes smokes and other visual effects while other don't use them at all. Would be the same right?

[jasonnoguchi 11]

Look at it this way, anyone looking for non-Hollywood effects, shouldn't be looking at WarFX. :) Its FX we are talking about here for goodness sake! :)

As a matter of fact, those of you who wants 100% realistic effects should even turn off Default BI effects cos even default BIS effects are more "Hollywood" than real life if you are an experienced soldier like me. There isn't always vehicles burning after being destroyed in real life, there isn't even visible muzzle flash during the day in real life, soldiers with RPGs are not tank busters in real life (in fact, they hardly hurt up armored humvees!), grenades leave nothing but a small puff of smoke when exploded (sometimes you don't even see it), gun sounds are uninteresting loud pops..... are you sure that's how you want the game to be? ;)

Edited January 19, 2010 by jasonnoguchi

[-=anders=- 0]

Look at it this way, anyone looking for non-Hollywood effects, shouldn't be looking at WarFX. :) Its FX we are talking about here for goodness sake! :)

As a matter of fact, those of you who wants 100% realistic effects should even turn off Default BI effects cos even default BIS effects are more "Hollywood" than real life if you are an experienced soldier like me. There isn't always vehicles burning after being destroyed in real life, there isn't even visible muzzle flash during the day in real life, soldiers with RPGs are not tank busters in real life (in fact, they hardly hurt up armored humvees!), grenades leave nothing but a small puff of smoke when exploded (sometimes you don't even see it), gun sounds are uninteresting loud pops..... are you sure that's how you want the game to be? ;)

Finally one that understood me... :cool: