✨ Particle Systems
Add dynamic visual flair and atmosphere to your StorySplat scenes with Particle Systems. Create effects like smoke, fire, rain, snow, sparks, magical effects, or abstract visualizations using streams of small images (particles).
Accessing Particle Controls
- In the StorySplat editor, locate the vertical toolbar on the left.
- Click the "Particles" button (☁️ icon - check actual icon).
- The Particle Controls panel will appear.
Creating and Managing Particle Systems
- Add System:
- Enter a name in the "New Particle System Name" field (e.g., "Chimney Smoke", "Campfire Sparks").
- Click "Add Particle System".
- A new system appears in the list and starts emitting default particles (likely flares) at the scene origin (0,0,0).
- Select System: Click on a particle system's name in the list. The properties panel below updates to show its settings.
- Edit Properties: Modify the system's behavior using the detailed settings (explained below). Changes often update live in the viewport.
- Position Emitter:
- Select the system.
- Ensure the Move Gizmo (↔️ icon or key
1
/G
) is active. - A gizmo target (often a small box) appears at the emitter's current location. Drag the gizmo to reposition where particles originate.
- Alternatively, numerically adjust the
Emitter Position (X, Y, Z)
values in the properties panel.
- Apply Presets: Select a system, then click a Preset Effect button (Smoke, Sparkles, Rain, Flare, Snow) for a quick starting point. Warning: This overwrites the selected system's current settings.
- Save/Finish Editing: When editing a system, its button in the list changes to "Save". Click "Save Changes" to confirm your edits for that system and deselect it.
- Delete System: Select the system, scroll down in its properties panel, and click the "Delete System" button.
Particle System Properties Explained
General Settings
- Name: Your custom label for the system in the list.
- Emit Rate: Particles emitted per second. Higher = denser.
- Life Time (Min/Max): Range (in seconds) for how long each particle exists.
- Emit Power (Min/Max): Range for the initial speed particles are launched with.
Emitter Settings (Origin & Shape)
- Emitter Position (X, Y, Z): The central point of emission. Adjustable via gizmo or numerically.
- Emitter Shape: (Dropdown: Point, Box, Sphere) Defines the volume particles start from.
Point
: All particles start exactly at the Emitter Position.Box
: Particles start randomly within a box volume. RequiresEmit Box Min
andEmit Box Max
settings.Sphere
: Particles start randomly on the surface or within a sphere volume. RequiresEmitter Radius
setting.
- Emit Box Min/Max (X, Y, Z): (Box Emitter Only) Defines the corners of the emission box relative to the Emitter Position.
- Emitter Radius: (Sphere Emitter Only) Radius of the emission sphere.
Particle Appearance
- Particle Texture: (Dropdown: Flare, Circle, Spark, Rain, Smoke) The image sprite used for each particle. Different textures suit different effects.
- Size (Min/Max): Range for the initial size of each particle.
- Scale X/Y (Min/Max): Range for how the particle's width (X) and height (Y) change over its lifetime (1 = no change). Can create stretching effects.
- Color 1 / Color 2: Particles start with a random color between these two. Use the color pickers.
- Color Dead: The color particles fade towards as they die. Set Alpha to 0 for a fade-out effect.
- Blend Mode: (Dropdown) How particle colors mix with the scene.
Add
: Bright, glowing effects (fire, sparks, magic). Colors add up.Standard
: Normal alpha blending (smoke, dust).Multiply
,OneOne
,Multiply_Add
: Other blending modes for specific artistic effects.
Particle Motion
- Direction 1 / Direction 2 (X, Y, Z): Defines a cone. Particles emit in a random direction between these two vectors. Crucial for controlling the spread and direction of Point and Box emitters. Has less impact on Sphere emitters (which are primarily radial).
- Gravity (X, Y, Z): A constant force affecting particle trajectory (e.g.,
0, -9.81, 0
simulates Earth gravity). - Angular Speed (Min/Max): Range for how fast particles spin (radians/sec).
- Initial Rotation (Min/Max): Range for the starting rotation (radians) of each particle.
Performance Considerations
- Total Particles: High
Emit Rate
combined with longMax Lifetime
results in many simultaneous particles, which can heavily impact performance. Balance these values. - Overdraw: Dense, overlapping, additive-blended particles are expensive to render. Adjust
Size
,Opacity
(via Color Dead alpha), andEmit Rate
. - Complexity: Multiple complex systems are more demanding than fewer simple ones.
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