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afe 2

In this section I will detail all the compenents of the afe, what they do and how you can get desired effects.

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2. Basic Functions
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Before we start making some fireworks lets get an idea about the tool we are working with. The Advanced Fireworks Editor in RCT3 is a particle editor, it is the basis for all fireworks made in RCT3. Particles can be large or small even unseen, there is no physical limitation except the amount of particles your computer can handle. If you have too many particles on the screen at one time it will lag the video. for Example if you launch 10 shells that all have tails of 20 particles each then explode into another 10 particles with 10 particle tails you would have 10x20x10x10=20000 particles on the screen at once. I think this is about the maximum you should have on the screen at a time, in a general sense, some computers may handle more some less. Bear in mind that you can stagger the launching of the shells and reduce this load.

Here is a quick description on the functions of the AFE

2.1 Emitter Rate
This controls the release of the particles.

Start time:
This determines when the emitter starts releasing particles from 0.00 to 1.00, this number is based on a % of the particle life. I.E. If your particle has a life of 1 second and you set start time to 0.30 then it will release after the particle is 0.3 of a second old (from creation of said particle).

End Time:
This determines when the emitter stops releasing particles from 0.00 to 1.00. this number is based on a % of the particle life. I.E. If your particle has a life of 1 second and you set the end time to 0.70 then it will stop releasing particles after the particle is 0.7 of a second old.

Random: This will make the emitter release particles randomly from 0.00 to 1.00. this number is based on a % of the particle life. I.E. If your particle has a life of 1 second and the start time is at 0.30 end time 0.70 and random set at 0.15 then the particle has a chance to start being released between 0.15 and 0.45 and to stop being released at 0.55 and 0.85. Please note the small 0.10 gap where the particles will always be released. IF you move the slider even higher there is a chance that some particles will not be released.

# Particles: This determines how many particles are released.

Use strength modifier: This check box allows the user to set a strength and the fire work will scale down. I.E. if you build a fire work with 10 particles when a strength modifier is used at 0.50 you can have 5 released.

2.2 Emitter Speed
This controls basic particle motion.

Pos Sphere: Will create particles in a spherical position, unlike the sphere setting where particles will move out in to a sphere, these particles will start in a sphere.

Pos Circle: Will create particles in a circle position, unlike the circle setting where particles will move out in to a circle, these particles will start in a circle.

Speed: This controls how fast your particle moves, generally used on launch shells above 20 or higher. Without speed your particle will not get off the ground.

Sphere: This will shape the direction of movement from the source into a sphere. Used mainly on the stars at the top of a launch shells flight. Can also give launch shells random direction so they do not all end up in the same spot.


Circle: This will shape the direction of movement from the source into a circle. Can be used to make mines or to get a lateral circle of stars at the top of a launch shells flight. Can also give launch shells random direction so they do not all end up in the same spot.

Parent: When set at 1.00 the particle will have the same speed as the parent, when set a 0.00 it will no longer have any speed from the parent. This will scale as a % of the parent speed. I.E. If the parent is the launch shell and is traveling at 20.0 speed straight up and you have the parent set on 0.50 the current particle will be traveling at 10.0 speed straight up(i do not have a definition for the speed units so i will just use speed). If the parent is going at an angle the particle will move at the same angle unless there are other factors(sphere/circle).

2.3 Emitter Rotation
This controls the emitters direction component(as always 62.83 is the equivalent of 360 degrees and 6.283 the same).

Particle relative: this check box will make the offset align to the angle of the particle, if this is unchecked it will do it to the park, always the same direction(used in drifting smoke)

Spin offset X/Y/Z: These setting refer to the direction the emitter faces about the X/Y/Z axis

Spin rate XYZ: Is how fast the emitter will rotate about the X/Y/Z axis

Please note that X=width Y=height Z=depth in RCT3 relative to the camera position.


2.4 Particle Life
This determines how long the particle will live and sound effect times.

Lifetime: This determines how long a particle will live in seconds from 0.05 to 20.00.

Time rand: This determines the random factor of the life of the particle from 0.00 to 1.00, this is a % base on the lifetime of the particle, I.E. If a particle has a life time of 1 second and time rand is set at 1.00 then the life of a particle is completely random, if set at 0.00 then there is no random factor.

Sound time: This determines at what time the sound is played from 0.00 to 1.00, this is a % base on the lifetime of the particle. I.E. If a particle has a lifetime of 1 second and the sound time is at 0.50 then the sound will play at 0.50 seconds.

None: This is a drop down menu of the sound effects available.

Min dist: This is the minimum distance the particle will go.

Max dist: This is the maximum distance the particle will go.

Personally i have not noticed a difference using either of min/max dist.


2.5 Particle Basics
This controls the look of the particle from colour to the shape and size.

Use colour modifier: this check box allows the user to set a colour when placing the firework in the mix master.

Big white panel: This sets a particle colour, click anywhere on the panel and a colour circle will come up and you can chose the colour of the particle. You can set multiple colours to make a colour changing firework or make it go from light to dark to make it glitter. Also used to make the firework fade in or out by turning it black.

Particle shape chooser(bottom right of white panel): this allows you to choose the shape of the particle. You can choose smoke stars and many others.

Start size: This allows you to chose the starting size of the particle this ranges from 0.00 to 50.00. This will make the particle bigger when set to higher numbers, smaller at lower and no particle at 0.00.

End size: This allows you to chose the end size of the particle, this ranges from 0.00 to 50.00. This will make the particle bigger when set to higher numbers, smaller at lower and no particle at 0.00.

Random: This allows you to set a random size gain or loss for the particle, this ranges from 0.00 to 1.00 as a % base of the above sizes.

2.6 Special Effects
This allows you to set a simple tail, stretch the particles and allow you to set a spin rate to the particle.

Burn length: This allows you to make a simple tail for your particle, this ranges from 0 to 19. When set it will put the number of particles behind the particle.

Burn size: this allows you to increase the size of the particles following the parent, set in burn length.

Spin rate: This allows you to set a spin rate on a perpendicular angle to the particles direction, it ranges from -6.283 to 6.283. this number is a conversion from degrees into a decimal format(silly i know) 1 degree = 0.017452777777777777777777777.. units, just round it up to 0.01745, so 90 degrees = 1.5705. 180 degrees = 3.141 and 360 degrees = 6.283 or -6.283 or 0.

2.7 Particle Motion

Drag: This setting affects the wind resistance on a particle. It ranges from 0.00 to 5.00. At a higher setting it will make the firework slow down a lot quicker. If set at a low setting then the firework will not slow down much. If set at 0.00 there will be no slow down by drag.

Upscale: This setting makes the particle circle in the X/Z Axis with X being width, Z being depth and Y being height. The value for such is the intensity with 0.00 being no upscale and 100.00 being full. Please note that setting the Upscale above 0.7 will destroy most fireworks, it is easily changed back but I can not find a way to use it above this value.

Gravity: this affects the gravitational pull on a particle. It ranges from -2.00 to 2.00 if set at 2.00 there will be 2 times normal gravity on the particle. At 0 no gravity. At -2 negative times 2(will make the particle go up).

Spin rate X: This setting affects how the particle rotates about the X axis, it ranges from -62.83 to 62.83. Every 0.1745 units is one degree of rotation.

Spin rate Y: This setting affects how the particle rotates about the Y axis, it ranges from -62.83 to 62.83. Every 0.1745 units is one degree of rotation.


2.8 Saving

To save your firework file click the disk icon on the bottom left of the AFE screen, make sure it is labeled something like my firework.frw. If it is not saved as a .frw file it will not work.

2.9 Loading

To load an existing firework or template click the folder icon on the bottom left of the AFE screen, select the file you want to open and click the open folder icon on the bottom of that screen.

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Written by cullyn on Monday December 14, 2015
Permalink - Chapter: rct3 afe guide

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