Particle, Commentary, and Materials Editors Released

[Lord Ned]

For those of you who haven't heard, i'ma go try it now.

Rejoice mod creators, for tonight's Orange Box update also brings about the release of the binaries for the particle editor, the commentary editor, and the materials editor. Mike Durand, via the HLDS mailing list, mentioned that he is "still working on an SDK update that includes a convenient way to
launch the tools as well as some example particles and commentary files."

For the time being, you can run any of the three games with the additional command line of '-tools' included in order to access the new tools.

Full documentation is also on the way. For the time being, have a read through of the CliffsNotes version of the changes.

* 1. These three tools run in the same process as the engine and you can switch between the tools.
* 2. The F10 button changes context between playing the game in the 'Engine Viewport' window and editing content via the current tool.
* 3. In the lower left corner is an input field that allows the user to dispatch console commands to the game while working with the tools.
* 4. Particle systems are defined in .pcf files that are located in the 'particles' subdirectory beneath the game directory. You should extract some of the TF2, Portal, or Ep2 particle files from the game caches if you would like to see some examples. The SDK update will include example particles.
* 5. Commentary node information is stored in text files in the games' 'maps' subdirectory and the established naming convention is _commentary.txt. Again, you can extract these files from our shipping games to check out the editor ahead of the SDK update and example nodes.
* 6. The material editor is a GUI front-end and preview tool that provides a more convenient way of tweaking materials settings. You can extract VMT files from our shipping games or those from your own mods to check it out.

FYI prepare for bugs and crashes.

FYI it's really confusing.

[Foreverkul]

Wait, when did this update happen?

[Ziggurat]

this happened tonight.

[Foreverkul]

I didn't see it in any update news :\

[Axii]

Awesome!

[TheBladeRoden]

[starcraft marine]Hell, it's about time.[/starcraft marine]

The particle whore in me that's been lying dormant since UT2004 can live again

[Axii]

[starcraft marine]Hell, it's about time.[/starcraft marine]
Starcraft Ftw :p, Cant wait for the full details of this.

Edit: OMG, I testing the Material Editor, And Lets just say you dont need Note pad anymore, Complete Set of all The Choices and Editable-ness Of your Vmt Files. Going to Check the Particals Editor now.

OMFG, JUST TESTED PARTICLES EDITOR, AND ITS AMAZING TOO LOL, I made my teleporters do some crazy glowers/after effects :D!
It Also Updates And shows the Particles effect in a little window and Shows you what it looks like instantly after changes.

[YM]

OMG OMG OMG PARTICAL EDITOR!!!!!!

*dies with joy*

edit: If only I wasn't halfway though an all day exam right now! I'd test this out RIGHT NOW if I could :(

[Lord Ned]

Can't save. :D!

[YM]

yeah doesn't seem many people can save, yet another fancy but useless update :D keep em coming valve!

[Corion]

I can't wait for people to take Valve's wonderful particle effects and absolutely destroy them in headache- and seizure- inducing ways in custom maps, proving once again that any wonderful tool, game, or content can be destroyed with enough stupidity and lack of even a modicum of restraint or subtlety.

koth_rainbow (http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?p=21001) could use a few custom particles, doncha think?

Also, I'm sure there will be some good ones too. But mostly bad ones. Very, very bad ones. :0(

[AWESOME-O]

koth_rainbow (http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?p=21001) could use a few custom particles, doncha think?

Yeah make the map even more dangerous for ppl with Susceptible to epileptidc seizures or extreme motion sickness!

[TheDarkerSideofYourShadow]

As a general rule of thumb, if you have to include a disclaimer saying your map is a health risk, then you should probably not release it.

[Arhurt]

http://www.dokimos.org/ajff/

I guess I found his inspirational links...

[Axii]

yeah doesn't seem many people can save, yet another fancy but useless update :D keep em coming valve!
Nah, They said there still is some bugs, And that they will be updating it, But Im taking this time to learn its system.

[YM]

http://www.dokimos.org/ajff/

If that was my only knowledge of christianity....................

too bad its not

[TheDarkerSideofYourShadow]

I had to advert my eyes...

Not sure if thats because I'm a faithless heathen or because I was about to have a seizure though.

[Sgt Frag]

Being a faithless heathen is a major cause of seizure's. :)

(and looking at terrible rainbow things)

[Ace]

OMG OMG OMG PARTICAL EDITOR!!!!!!

*dies with joy*

edit: If only I wasn't halfway though an all day exam right now! I'd test this out RIGHT NOW if I could :(


Wow, I wana go where ever you do if exams are lax enough that you can browse the internet and post on the forum :P

http://www.dokimos.org/ajff/

I guess I found his inspirational links...

Obviously I'm not a believer, otherwise that wouldn't be so painful

[AWESOME-O]

http://www.dokimos.org/ajff/

I guess I found his inspirational links...

OMFG HOLY FUCKING GOD, HOW CAN YOU INSULT THE GOD LIKE THIS?


:D

[YM]

Wow, I wana go where ever you do if exams are lax enough that you can browse the internet and post on the forum :P

AS art exam, I just so happened to be doing a painting in Photoshop, so I was at the computer in the corner.......which had an internet connection :thumbup1:

[YM]

Nah, They said there still is some bugs, And that they will be updating it, But Im taking this time to learn its system.

We should build up a knowledge base.

Emmitters: They make the particles you see
Operators: They control what happens to it after it is made
Initializers: They control what happens to each particle the moment it is created

To change the colour of your particle:
- Add the initializer "Random color"
- With the "color1" and "color2" selection things pick the colour you want - It will pick a random colour between the two colours so you can easily get a little variation into your effect

To make the colour change as time goes on:
- Add the operator "color fade" then use the colour selection thing to pick the colour you want it to end up
- Change the "fade_end_time" and "fade_start_time" as you see fit to get it changing as fast/slow as you want
- It seems like these can't be layered, it will use the "color fade" operator nearest the bottom of the list.
- To reverse put the fade colour as the starting point just set the start time to after the end time (the fade colour will appear at the start until the end time now) (this method looks like it can be used when you want it to go from a single colour to a random colour)

To make it move in a direction:
- Add the operator "Movement basic"
- Change "gravity" from 0 0 0 to what ever vector you want, the co-ords are in X Y Z and of course higher values make it move faster.

Making particles spawn in random locations:
- Add either a "position within box random" or a "position within sphere random" initializer
- For a sphere adjust the "distance_max" value to set it's size (distance_min will create a sphere in the middle where none will spawn)
- For a box use "min" and "max" to set it's area, think of these as XYZ co-ords of the boxes two outermost corners

Rotating:
- Add the "Rotation spin roll" operator
- Set the "spin_rate_degrees" to what you want
- I haven't managed to get this spinning clockwise yet?

"Lifespan decay" operator appears to be tied to the "emit continiously" emitter's "emmission rate" confirm/deny?

You can make a nice "rushing away" effect with the "random force" force generator, set the min force to -1000 -1000 -1000 and the max to 1000 1000 1000 and they all fly away from their starting poitn nicely.
This (reduced to 100 not 1000) and combined with "pull towards control point" forcegenerator (force 100, fall off 0 and controlpoint 40) makes a nice fire type effect, but I can't seem to move the control points, I really don't have them figured out at all.

[Axii]

We should build up a knowledge base.

Emmitters: They make the particles you see
Operators: They control what happens to it after it is made
Initializers: They control what happens to each particle the moment it is created

To change the colour of your particle:
- Add the initializer "Random color"
- With the "color1" and "color2" selection things pick the colour you want - It will pick a random colour between the two colours so you can easily get a little variation into your effect

To make the colour change as time goes on:
- Add the operator "color fade" then use the colour selection thing to pick the colour you want it to end up
- Change the "fade_end_time" and "fade_start_time" as you see fit to get it changing as fast/slow as you want
- It seems like these can't be layered, it will use the "color fade" operator nearest the bottom of the list.
- To reverse put the fade colour as the starting point just set the start time to after the end time (the fade colour will appear at the start until the end time now) (this method looks like it can be used when you want it to go from a single colour to a random colour)

To make it move in a direction:
- Add the operator "Movement basic"
- Change "gravity" from 0 0 0 to what ever vector you want, the co-ords are in X Y Z and of course higher values make it move faster.

Making particles spawn in random locations:
- Add either a "position within box random" or a "position within sphere random" initializer
- For a sphere adjust the "distance_max" value to set it's size (distance_min will create a sphere in the middle where none will spawn)
- For a box use "min" and "max" to set it's area, think of these as XYZ co-ords of the boxes two outermost corners

Rotating:
- Add the "Rotation spin roll" operator
- Set the "spin_rate_degrees" to what you want
- I haven't managed to get this spinning clockwise yet?

"Lifespan decay" operator appears to be tied to the "emit continiously" emitter's "emmission rate" confirm/deny?

You can make a nice "rushing away" effect with the "random force" force generator, set the min force to -1000 -1000 -1000 and the max to 1000 1000 1000 and they all fly away from their starting poitn nicely.
This (reduced to 100 not 1000) and combined with "pull towards control point" forcegenerator (force 100, fall off 0 and controlpoint 40) makes a nice fire type effect, but I can't seem to move the control points, I really don't have them figured out at all.
Maybe we should make a Particle Editor Tut?

[YM]

Maybe, theres still a load of features to iron out. I've really not got more complex motion sorted yet.

I wen't and extracted all of the TF2 and Portal effects into their respective areas and took a look. Looking at those seems the best way to figure them out.
Start with the simple ones like the teleporter's beads or the achievement cup thing (really good example of how you can parent effects)

Please everyone have a go with it, see what you can do, if you feel something you work out hasn't been said then say it, this is a new tool, we're all in the same boat, even the best of us have to start from scratch again :P

[Axii]

Maybe, theres still a load of features to iron out. I've really not got more complex motion sorted yet.

I wen't and extracted all of the TF2 and Portal effects into their respective areas and took a look. Looking at those seems the best way to figure them out.
Start with the simple ones like the teleporter's beads or the achievement cup thing (really good example of how you can parent effects)

Please everyone have a go with it, see what you can do, if you feel something you work out hasn't been said then say it, this is a new tool, we're all in the same boat, even the best of us have to start from scratch again :P
Yeah, I did the same thing, Just extracted them all, And slowly Edited them/experimented, And its really fun, And I learned the Parenting thing from the Achievement cup too :).

[Randdalf]

Heh, I just made a commentary for a test map a few days ago, and now they release the editor...

[YM]

A new Source SDK Beta has been released. To access the Beta, go to File -> Settings, and on the Account tab will be a drop down. Select Source SDK Beta, and then allow Steam to restart itself. The specific changes for this Beta include:

Enhancements
* Particle Editor, Material Editor, and Commentary Editor are now included in the Source SDK
* Updated SDK source code for Orange Box mods
* Added example particle system files to SDK content


Bug Fixes
* Updated Linux binaries and makefiles for dedicated servers and server plugins
* The Faceposer phoneme editor now pops up a warning message when a phoneme cannot be saved


Known Issues
* SDK shaders have not yet been updated for Orange Box games
* New editors can be accessed by adding '-tools' to the launch options for Orange Box games or mods utilizing the Orange Box engine


I'm checking it out now, hopefully we can save.

[Cdsand]

Hm... I use VTFEdit for materials. But this other stuff seems new to me. Can't wait for official working versions for the SDK update!

[Hawk]

Dang it, it's crunch time at my office and I've been putting in 14 hour days just to get something ready for E3. I have to wait to try this stuff out and it sounds like fun.

I'm hoping the particles can create a "settling dust" effect when a passage opens.

[YM]

I'm hoping the particles can create a "settling dust" effect when a passage opens.

I suspect so, since the teleport, portal (from portal) andpyro's flame all react to the environment I would assume your dust can 'settle'
Will be easy I suspect.

[Ziggurat]

Info like that should really be put into the valve wiki: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Main_Page

[Spacemonkeynz]

This will be useful in making good looking cart bomb explosions. I've extracted some of the particles from tf2, and are messing around with them.

There is definitely, a lot of stuff to learn.

[YM]

FYI: You can now save, the whole lot should work properly

:thumbup1:

[AWESOME-O]

FYI: You can now save, the whole lot should work properly

:thumbup1:

Dies with joy

:woot:

[zeta]

I just got the beta upate - where are the new tools though? I don't see them in the SDK role out :(

[drp]

I just got the beta upate - where are the new tools though? I don't see them in the SDK role out :(
IIRC, you need to add -tools to your command line :)

[YM]

I just got the beta upate - where are the new tools though? I don't see them in the SDK role out :(

I'm gunna be blunt.


Read the first post, it explains all

I'll highlight the important bit

Rejoice mod creators, for tonight's Orange Box update also brings about the release of the binaries for the particle editor, the commentary editor, and the materials editor. Mike Durand, via the HLDS mailing list, mentioned that he is "still working on an SDK update that includes a convenient way to
launch the tools as well as some example particles and commentary files."

For the time being, you can run any of the three games with the additional command line of '-tools' included in order to access the new tools.

Full documentation is also on the way. For the time being, have a read through of the CliffsNotes version of the changes.

* 1. These three tools run in the same process as the engine and you can switch between the tools.
* 2. The F10 button changes context between playing the game in the 'Engine Viewport' window and editing content via the current tool.
* 3. In the lower left corner is an input field that allows the user to dispatch console commands to the game while working with the tools.
* 4. Particle systems are defined in .pcf files that are located in the 'particles' subdirectory beneath the game directory. You should extract some of the TF2, Portal, or Ep2 particle files from the game caches if you would like to see some examples. The SDK update will include example particles.
* 5. Commentary node information is stored in text files in the games' 'maps' subdirectory and the established naming convention is _commentary.txt. Again, you can extract these files from our shipping games to check out the editor ahead of the SDK update and example nodes.
* 6. The material editor is a GUI front-end and preview tool that provides a more convenient way of tweaking materials settings. You can extract VMT files from our shipping games or those from your own mods to check it out.

Now if you don't know how to add the comand line stuff, in the games list click tf2 and click properties, then click launch options then in that box type -tools

[zeta]

I knew you could add that to the TF2 launch options before and launch the tools in game, but i thought the whole point of this sdk beta update was that the tools were now added to SDK role out so they could be run externally?

[YM]

Nope, they've worded their update news badly. The beta update is telling us they exist and can be used as part fo the SDK, in the known issues bit they say they can be used though the games, they probably missed the word 'only' from that sentence. I'm pretty sure they are still working on the SDK ones.

[TheBladeRoden]

Alright, I think I'm starting to get the hang of this particle editing thing.

For any Turok fans in the audience
http://students.uww.edu/rodenja10/plasmarocket.jpg

The Pyro becomes the .. Icero, er, Freezro?

http://students.uww.edu/rodenja10/freezro.jpg

[DJive]

oh please oh please oh please Roden make the Q3A rail gun for the sniper

*begs*

[YM]

hey not bad.

I've worked out parents/children kinda this evening and also making your own, you have to bung the file name into the particles_manifest text file in the tf/particles folder before it will work.

[Lord Ned]

Facepunch has a semi-big thread going on over here:
http://forums.facepunchstudios.com/showthread.php?t=550481
And here
http://forums.facepunchstudios.com/showthread.php?t=551028

Anyways, shall we try and type up a sentance/paragraph on each thing and what it does? (Each main thing (like initilizer/operator) and each thing inside of that?)

[grazr]

omg, that's amazing Roden..

[Lord Ned]

Youme go get an avatar on FP and fix your smartness. (More toolbar at the top) It makes you look like a noob.

Either that or there's a spy amongst us.

Also has anyone seen the Aragon from GMDM? (Or whatever the physcannon type gun is), I wanna see that for the rocket. In green.

It's basically a green core (Like you have replaced the soldiers rocket with) and then single beam around it that spirals around, instead of rings.

[YM]

no idea what smartness is, I really hate facepunch so I havent bothered avataring up yet.

[Lord Ned]

Smartness is the red number under your username. Dings you for going missing ' and such. (Words are highlighted in red.)

Also the default avatar makes you stand out even more as a noob, but whateve.

[YM]

particles_manifest_<exact map name>.txt
particles_<exact map name>.txt
particles_<exact map name>_manifet.txt
<exact map name>_particles_manifest.txt
<exact map name>_manifest.txt
<exact map name>.txt

None of these work, has anyone found one that does?

We HAVE to find one that is map specific so that we don't end up barring all new particles valve maps after our map is released.

[Lord Ned]

That's valve for ya. Hopefully we'll get the option to "Rebuild Manifest File" too so we don't have to add them by hand. (Like you do with Faceposer Scenes)

Could pakrat your particles/particle_manifest.txt to get your own in there, but that would override users. Valve.


Also thanks for changing your avatar and fixing your smartness.

[YM]

Having only two digits there makes me feel very small again. Especially as yours is over 600 times mine, Doesn't quite make sense to me, that can't be your post count or FP would need thousands upon thousands of TB of memory to store all the posts made..
(I'm assuming the users with BAN on their avatar are banned?)

The nose picking thing is very much "hello I'm a n00b" isn't it, just another reason I don't like FP.....

Well anyway I had a problem last night when I was adding effects into one of the existing pcf files, it corrupted it and removed all of the effects from it, I think it's safest to add new pcf files for all effects, even though using an existing one would negate the need to put stuff in the manifest file.

[Lord Ned]

I've been there since 06, and I used to post like 20-30 a day. Now i'm only down to ~12 a day. And I dunno why they put in the nose picking thing. An yeah the BAN are banned guys, and you can see the reason the mod gave, etc.


Whoo crashed TF2 while playing with particles. Also... What's the Q3 railgun's beam look like?

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3082/ctfwell0001pq3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

There is no trail for the sniper bullet (or bullet) as far as I know. This means no Q3A trails. :(

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/1531/pldbheights0002mu2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/5930/pldbheights0001mj1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[YM]

How about modding the dot? set a control point to the player and then draw a line between it and the dot


Also, all your links are dud

[Lord Ned]

Imageshack's probably down.

Also I think the dot is just a sprite. :(

Edit:
Yeah it is.


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/Lordned/pl_goldrush0007.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/Lordned/pl_goldrush0008.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/Lordned/pl_goldrush0009.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/Lordned/pl_goldrush0010.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/Lordned/pl_goldrush0011.jpg

Quiet chaotic in the middle of a battle.

[YM]

mmmm that looks fun

[Spacemonkeynz]

So, can these be changed server side (everyone on a server sees them), or client side (only a player sees them).

Changing stuff Server side would be pretty cool, however if a client can change stuff then go play on a public server, he could change stuff like making enemy spy trails realy obvious, it could led to exploits.

Still sounds like lots of fun.

[Lord Ned]

Clientside only.

Unless you bsp zip them into the map, or the server can force you to download the pcfs. (Also they'd stay until deleted)

[grazr]

I've been on a couple servers recently where they've had tiny presents and confetti disperse from explosions..

Someones birthday? :P

EDIT: i just noticed.. those images.. payload dustbowl?

[Lord Ned]

Yeah called dbheights, sucks really.


tf_birthday, enables Birthday mode.

[grazr]

I'm guessing the birthday mode is somewhat the basics of what you're working with here?

I suppose maybe someone could mod there own "modes". I'm guessing that's what these custom servers are all about? I'm not sure, i've never played on one.

EDIT: The mention of the rail gun reminds me of the engineer pistol. It did moderate damage with incredibly slow rate of fire, but it pushed people around a lot, it was great for disrupting snipers from a distance.

[Lord Ned]

Birthday mode just changes the gibs and puts part hats on everyone.

[grazr]

What about the confetti?

[Lord Ned]

I'd assume it's a particle effect replacing the blood.

[Brandished]

I still lol at the fact that the tf2 devs made a birthday mod for their own game.

[Lord Ned]

I believe it was for Germany, and their violence rules.

[YM]

Yeah but the germans only get the funky gib replacements and no blood, they probably thought it was so comical that they added confetti and balloons in particle effect and called it birthday mode, its awesome.

Its not really what we're doing here, but the balloons and confetti are a particle effect, which is what we're doing. The gibs is something else though.

[Spacemonkeynz]

I made a custom particle effect for my map, I packed it in with the bsp, but TF2 can find it when it loads the map.

Anyone else has this problem?

I mayb just include it with the zip file.

[Lord Ned]

Did you add it to the manifest?

[YM]

and did you add the manifest to the bsp as well?

[Spacemonkeynz]

I found out what was wrong, pakrat didn't automatically fix the pathnames, like it usually does with models and materials.

[Spacemonkeynz]

I found out what was wrong, pakrat didn't automatically fix the pathnames, like it usually does with models and materials.

That didn't solve the problem either.

TF2 either can't find the particle_manifest.txt I included with the bsp, or the particle files themselves.


Has any one tried packing any particle stuff with their map, what happend?

[Shmitz]

Resurrecting this thread:

particles_manifest_<exact map name>.txt
particles_<exact map name>.txt
particles_<exact map name>_manifet.txt
<exact map name>_particles_manifest.txt
<exact map name>_manifest.txt
<exact map name>.txt

None of these work, has anyone found one that does?

We HAVE to find one that is map specific so that we don't end up barring all new particles valve maps after our map is released.


Has anyone figured this out yet?

[Brandished]

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category:Particle_System

Valve has finally started uploading their guide to the VDC.

[Spacemonkeynz]

Resurrecting this thread:




Has anyone figured this out yet?

I sent the valve guy (the one that wrote the guide in the VDC) an email about the particle files and packing them along with the map, I didn't really mention this aspect, but when he replies I will.

It's important though, we really can't have our particle_manifests overriding the default ones.

Ideally what I'd like to see it that particle_manifests add to each other, i.e the lines in say one we wrote would be appended to the default one that comes with TF2, or something like that.

[YM]

I've also emailed mike durand about it. hopefully they'll have got enough emails about it to actually do something

[Spacemonkeynz]

They posted this on the discussion page

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category_talk:Particle_System


I've made a custom particle file for my TF2 map. But even when the particle files and the modified particle_manifest.txt are in the bsp file, TF2 still can't find the particle files when it loads the map. I'm guessing that TF2 doesn't look in the bsp for either the particle files or the particle_manifest.txt. --Spacemonkey 18:23, 3 Jul 2008 (PDT)

That's right, it can't be done. We've asked Mike to look into getting rid of the manifest file and simply scanning all PCFs in the particles folder, which will help alleviate this. --TomEdwards 00:54, 4 Jul 2008 (PDT)


That hopefully should make things easier, won't have to worry about conflicting manifest files

[YM]

IF they let us do it that is :( <- not optamistic

[YM]

Time for an ultrabump

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=707777


I actually wrote some code for this, to load per-map manifests.
eta unknown ;)

just like soundscapes, except it would go in the particles folder like the other manifest.

ie: particles_mapname.txt
and then you just place the pcf's you've made in there.

So you make a particles manifest file and add in only your new ones in and then pakrat it in :D The fact hes working on it calls for some small celebration

[Spacemonkeynz]

Yay, celebration

Finally others can see my explosion, instead of being killed by an invisible nothing of Death!


How is the explosion coming along for hoodoo?

[Spacemonkeynz]

just like soundscapes, except it would go in the particles folder like the other manifest.

ie: particles_mapname.txt
and then you just place the pcf's you've made in there.

Do you think it would be a safe bet to include this file already with a map, so when the game is updated, it will automatically work?

Certainly there's nothing to lose by doing so.

[YM]

I've done that and will continue to do that for all new maps I publish