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FireTexture

UT :: Object (UT) >> Bitmap >> Texture (UT) >> FractalTexture >> FireTexture (Package: Fire)
UT2003 :: Object >> Material >> RenderedMaterial >> BitmapMaterial >> Texture >> FractalTexture >> FireTexture (Package: Fire)

Can render fire, lightning and other effects.

Properties

FirePaint

All FX_ parameters are applied only to new sparks when drawing them in the editor. All other parameters take effect instantly. The FX parameters have different effects based on the type of spark selected. See ESpark enum below.

bool bRising
Whether "flames" should move upwards.
DMode DrawMode
byte FX_Area
byte FX_AuxSize
An additional size parameter for the effect.
byte FX_Frequency
byte FX_Heat
Brightness of the individual spark.
byte FX_HorizSpeed
Horizontal speed of the effect. (128 = no horizontal movement)
byte FX_Phase
byte FX_Size
The size of the effect.
byte FX_VertSpeed
Vertical speed of the effect. (128 = no vertical movement)
byte RenderHeat
The overall intensity.
int SparksLimit
The maximum number of sparks allowed to be displayed. Both the permanent (drawn in the editor) and the transient (created when animating the texture) sparks are counted here. Lowering this number can improve performance, while a higher number allows more complex effects.
ESpark SparkType
The type of spark to draw in the editor.

UnrealScript-Only Properties

int NumSparks
byte OldRenderHeat (transient)
byte PenDownX (transient)
byte PenDownY (transient)
byte RenderTable[1028] (transient)
array<Spark> Sparks (transient)
byte StarStatus (transient)

Enums

ESpark

SPARK_Burn
Simple, nonmoving sparks of random intensity. Looks best with bRising set to True.
SPARK_Sparkle
Sparks with random positional jitter over an area of horizontal size FX_Size, vertical size FX_AuxSize, with intensity FX_Heat.
SPARK_Pulse
Great for pulse-trains, FX_Frequency sets the time frequency, and FX_Phase is the spatial frequency: 0=pulsed fire, use higher values for moving trains of sparks.
The shieldbelt effect uses this kind of spark.
SPARK_Signal
Like SPARK_Burn, but this has several options to customize the graininess, brightness and intensity distribution to any desired output, providing a versatile base fire effect.
FX_Frequency sets the average pattern frequency, FX_Heat determines the ratio of bright patches to dark ones, i.e. a medium setting increases the contrast of the overall effect.
SPARK_Blaze
Emits sparks in all directions.
SPARK_OzHasSpoken
Simple up-moving, fading-out sparks.
SPARK_Cone
Like SPARK_Blaze, but with gravity acting on the sparks. A nice sparse effect to put at the center of complex ramped lighting bolt scenes, for example.
SPARK_BlazeRight
SPARK_BlazeLeft
Simple eruptions to the right and left, falling down.
SPARK_Cylinder
Sparks moving in horizontal, 'cylindrical' orbits, with angular velocity FX_HorizSpeed. FX_Heat determines the minimum intensity, which always varies along a spark's orbit - this means that a low FX_Heat setting gives a collection of sparks a 3d-appearance, as if the 'backfacing' sparks are removed. FX_Size sets the amplitude of the orbits.
DrawMode influences the FX_Size dynamically; when set to any of the 'Lathe' options, as long as you keep the mouse button pressed while drawing, all sparks will be aligned around an invisible vertical axis so it's as if you're using a lathe. Lathe_2, _3 and _4 draw multiple sparks at regular spacings around the cylinder, instead of just one.
The way the initial position of sparks wind around the cylinder as you draw is influenced by FX_Frequency.
SPARK_Cylinder3D
Like SPARK_Cylinder, but this type makes all the 'backfaced' sparks disappear completely.
SPARK_Lissajous
FX_Size determines the amplitude of the orbits, at FX_Frequency.
FX_HorizSpeed and FX_VertSpeed determine the horizontal and vertical frequencies independently. Like SPARK_Cylinder, individual spark intensity depends on the phase of the horizontal movement and this is always offset by FX_Heat.
SPARK_Jugglers
FX_Size sets the amplitude of these, moving on a simple vertical sine wave pattern at FX_Frequency. As with SPARK_Cylinder, the 'back-facing' effect depends on the FX_Heat setting.
SPARK_Emit
Moving in the directions set by FX_HorizSpeed and FX_VertSpeed, these glow out as they progress over straight trajectories of determined by both FX_Size and the initial heat FX_Heat.
With the speeds set to extremes (0, 128, 255) the trajectories become clean straight lines.
SPARK_Fountain
Like SPARK_Emit, but the sparks have gravity acting on them. A great effect for stuff like streaming lava, steam or water. Setting initial speeds to zero (128, 128) makes the sparks oozing down.
SPARK_Flocks
A random moving flock of sparks drawn at FX_Heat, jittering in circular orbits of size FX_Area, with FX_Size being the lifetime of individual sparks.
SPARK_Eels
Random cloud of straight moving sparks drawn at FX_Heat with lifetime FX_Size.
SPARK_Organic
Fast moving sparks going upward at V-shaped angles.
SPARK_WanderOrganic
Wandering Organic sparks.
SPARK_RandomCloud
A wandering cloud of double-speed upward moving sparks.
SPARK_CustomCloud
Completely customizable clouds using FX_HorizSpeed and FX_VertSpeed. While moving, sparks glow up to the maximum brightness and then disappear. FX_Area determines the spark's lifetime by setting their initial brightness. A high FX_Area value makes sparks start at a lower heat so they take longer to reach full heat. Set the speeds at or around zero (128, 128) to create a nice sparkly effect.
SPARK_LocalCloud
Like SPARK_CustomCloud, but the spawning points of these are random within an FX_Area sized square, the upper left corner of which is the mouse position where you draw the effect.
SPARK_Stars
Unlike any other sparks, this one doesn't get washed out by the fire algorithm, but consists of single pixels of brightness FX_Heat, which get obscured by any fire passing across it, unless the flames have a very low intensity.
SPARK_LineLightning
Click, stretch out the lightning to the desired end location, and release it. A low setting of FX_Frequency gives continuous lightning bolts, while a high setting makes it flash more intermittently. Most lightning looks coolest when it's kind of sparse, achieve this by either adjusting the RenderHeat or setting a higher FX_Frequency.
SPARK_RampLightning
Like SPARK_LineLightning, but with intensity diminishing towards the endpoint of the bolt.
SPARK_SphereLightning
Spherically symmetrical lightning, with diameter FX_Size. Sparse by default, to get more coverage put a few of them on top of each other.
SPARK_Wheel
Sparks move outward in circular orbits the size of which is determined by FX_Area, over a path of length FX_Size. They are emitted at an initial angle FX_Phase, FX_Frequency sets the rotation speed.
SPARK_Gametes
Random cloud of straight moving sparks drawn at FX_Heat with lifetime FX_Size.
SPARK_Sprinkler
Spawns upward wavy streams, FX_Frequency determines the speed at which the initial angle changes. FX_Phase controls the relative phase. On a low FX_Heat setting, a few of these can be combined together or with other effects to design smoky whirls.

DMode

DRAW_Normal
DRAW_Lathe
DRAW_Lathe_2
DRAW_Lathe_3
DRAW_Lathe_4

Structs

Spark

Information about a single spark. (Used internally.)

struct Spark
{
    var ESpark Type;   // Spark type.
    var byte   Heat;   // Spark heat.
    var byte   X;      // Spark X location (0 - Xdimension-1).
    var byte   Y;      // Spark Y location (0 - Ydimension-1).

    var byte   ByteA;  // X-speed.
    var byte   ByteB;  // Y-speed.
    var byte   ByteC;  // Age, Emitter freq.
    var byte   ByteD;  // Exp.Time.
};

Discussion

Draconx: I'd love to see a description on how the Lathe modes work, I've seen images of cool looking fire textures supposedly done using the lathe modes, yet no actual explanation to their use.


Category Class (UT)

Category Class (UT2003)

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