ParticleManager

ParticleSystem Demos using the Manager have been uploaded under the ParticleDemos subfolder.

The "Elvish Ring NFI" and "Temphis" fonts were used to create texture sheets that may appear in said demos

Usage:

Add "ParticleManager.ModuleParticleManager" under root layer (deserializer)

sample usage: (in JSON block file)

"Deserializer": {
  "ParticleManager.ModuleParticleManager": {
    "Input": [
      {
        "m_system": "/_spindle/m_BF_Radar_111_Sensor/FX_HE_PlasmaTeeth_Beam/ParticleSystem.",
        "value": 0.0,
        "CannonBarrel": null,
        "type": "Attach"
      },
      {
        "m_system": "/FX_HE_PlasmaTeeth_Beam_copy/ParticleSystem.",
        "value": 0.0,
        "CannonBarrel": null,
        "type": "WeaponFiring"
      }
    ],
    "Debug": true
  }
}

ModuleParticleManager has many fields which are initially empty. Pretty much all of these fields (which have been set public for Unity convenience reasons), should not be touched, because they, at best, provide no utility, and at worst, interfere with vital functions.

There are only two fields that you should be modifying in JSON files:

• Input
• Debug

Debug will enable debug printing in TT's output log when set to true (false by default) Input is where configuration of the system is done.

Input consists of an array of ParticleSystemMetadata objects

[Serializable()]
public class ParticleSystemMetadata
{
    public ParticleSystem m_system;
    public float value;
    public CannonBarrel CannonBarrel;
    public MetadataType type;

    public ParticleSystemMetadata()
    {
        this.m_system = null;
        this.value = 0.0f;
        this.CannonBarrel = null;
        this.type = MetadataType.None;
    }
}

Each ParticleSystemMetadata object has 4 fields: m_system, value, CannonBarrel, type

The only 2 mandatory fields are m_system, and type

m_system should be passed a reference of the target ParticleSystem that you want controlled

type should be passed a MetadataType enum, either in int, or string form.

[Serializable()]
public enum MetadataType
{
    Attach = 0,
    Anchor = 1,
    WeaponCharge = 2,
    BarrelCharge = 3,
    WeaponFiring = 4,
    None = 6
}

Currently, only Attach, Anchor, WeaponFiring, and WeaponCharge are operational.

• Attach plays the particle system when the block is attached to a tech, and doesn't otherwise.

{
  "m_system": "/_gimbalBase/_gimbalElev/fx_Lightning/ParticleSystem.",
  "type": "Attach"
}

• Anchor plays the particle system when the block is on a tech that's anchored, and doesn't otherwise.

{
  "m_system": "/_gimbalBase/_gimbalElev/fx_Lightning/ParticleSystem.",
  "type": "Anchor"
}

• WeaponFiring will play a particle system as long as that weapon is actively firing at something.

{
  "m_system": "/_gimbalBase/_gimbalElev/fx_Lightning/ParticleSystem.",
  "type": "WeaponFiring"
}

• WeaponCharge will play a particle system from the moment a weapon tries to fire, till the time it fires its first shot. If the provided time for how long the particle system will play is longer than the time normally spent before the first shot is fire (i.e. spinner spinup), the ParticleManager will artificially inflate the time until the first shot is fired. (spinup times are unaffected)

{
  "m_system": "/_gimbalBase/_gimbalElev/fx_Lightning/ParticleSystem.",
  "value": 5.0,
  "type": "WeaponCharge"
}

• BarrelCharge will play a particle system for the requested time value provided, right before the barrel it's attached to fires. It will delay the first shot from firing until the first barrel has been charged

{
  "m_system": "/_gimbalBase/_gimbalElev/FX_HE_PlasmaTeeth_Beam/ParticleSystem.",
  "value": 1.5,
  "CannonBarrel": "/_gimbalBase/_gimbalElev/_barrel_L/CannonBarrel.",
  "type": "BarrelCharge"
},

Important things to note about BarrelCharge:

• unlike WeaponCharge, it requires a CannonBarrel reference. If one is not provided, it will automatically assign it to barrel #0, whichever barrel that happens to be
• like Weaponcharge, "value" indicates exactly how long you want the designated ParticleSystem to play before the barrel will fire
• you are fully able to give a value that's arbitarily large, but the manager will forcibly truncate it to at max the cycle time (the time before said barrel will fire again)
• ^ Note how it truncates to cycle time, not shot reload. that's because if multiple barrel charge animations need to be playing at the same time, the manager will handle it, and play then as appropriate
• So far, I've only tested with ParticleSystems set on loop=true. I assume it works with one-off systems, but haven't explicitly tested them yet
• DO NOT SET ParticleSystem.main.prewarm = true, or the particles will not display (if loop=true)

Nota Bene: all particle systems will stop playing when the parent block is removed from the tech