1 Reference: https://www.quakewiki.net/darkplaces-wiki/effectinfo-scripting-reference/
3 ### [**Effectinfo Scripting Reference**](https://www.quakewiki.net/darkplaces-wiki/effectinfo-scripting-reference/ "Effectinfo Scripting Reference")
5 <div>Posted on September 30th, 2012 | Last modified on August 15th, 2014</div>
8 EffectInfo is built-in scripting language to describe particle effects in DarkPlaces, it’s pretty simple and contains basic scripting functions.
10 Each effect can have several emitters which is defined in effectinfo.txt or maps/mapname_effectinfo.txt
21 [1. General syntax](http://web.archive.org/web/20100729132930/http://dpwiki.slipgateconstruct.com/index.php?title=Effectinfo_Scripting_Reference#General_syntax)<br/>
22 [2. Console variables](http://web.archive.org/web/20100729132930/http://dpwiki.slipgateconstruct.com/index.php?title=Effectinfo_Scripting_Reference#Console_variables)<br/>
23 [3. Particle parameters](http://web.archive.org/web/20100729132930/http://dpwiki.slipgateconstruct.com/index.php?title=Effectinfo_Scripting_Reference#Particle_parameters)<br/>
24 [4. Particles leaving decals](http://web.archive.org/web/20100729132930/http://dpwiki.slipgateconstruct.com/index.php?title=Effectinfo_Scripting_Reference#Particles_leaving_decals)<br/>
25 [5. Dynamic lights](http://web.archive.org/web/20100729132930/http://dpwiki.slipgateconstruct.com/index.php?title=Effectinfo_Scripting_Reference#Dynamic_lights)<br/>
26 [6. Engine effect names](http://web.archive.org/web/20100729132930/http://dpwiki.slipgateconstruct.com/index.php?title=Effectinfo_Scripting_Reference#Engine_effect_names)<br/>
27 [7. Known bugs](http://web.archive.org/web/20100729132930/http://dpwiki.slipgateconstruct.com/index.php?title=Effectinfo_Scripting_Reference#Known_bugs)
47 // emitter for another effect
56 `r_drawparticles` : toggle drawing of all particles
58 `r_drawparticles_drawdistance` : set a maximal distance to draw particles at
60 `cl_particles_size` : this will scale a size of all particles
62 `cl_particles_quality` : multiplier of particles count spawned by emitters, better quality = more particles (1 – min, 4 – max. quality)
64 `cl_particles_reloadeffects` : reloads effectinfo.txt while in the game; that eliminates a need to quit and restart DP to see updated effects
66 ## Particle parameters
70 Defines a new emitter with effectname is belongs to, all parms after that will be applied to that emitter.
74 How many particles to spawn at this emitter, this setting is affected by cl_particles_quality cvar
78 Defines a count of particles spawned regardless of cl_particles_quality setting
80 Total particles count = countabsolute + count \* cl_particles_quality
84 Sets a generic particle type, affect appearance, blending, physics.
86 List of particle types:
89 <dd>alphastatic : alpha-blended billboard</dd>
90 <dd>static : additive-blended billboard</dd>
91 <dd>spark : additive blended, stretched (based on velocity)</dd>
92 <dd>beam : a beam particle, drawn from origin to origin + velocity</dd>
93 <dd>rain : a rain particle, alpha-blended spart that will cause splash effect on impact</dd>
94 <dd>raindecal: oriented rain decal, additive-blended</dd>
95 <dd>snow: alpha blended, velocity jitters in realtime</dd>
96 <dd>bubble: alpha-blended</dd>
97 <dd>blood: inverse-modulated, leaves decal</dd>
98 <dd>smoke: alpha-blended billboard</dd>
99 <dd>decal: makes a decal on nearest surface</dd>
100 <dd>entityparticle: alpha-blended, this particle gets removed after being drawn (used on EF_BRIGHTFIELD)</dd>
105 Generic blend is set by type, but with this parm it cound be changed after type is defined.
110 <dd>alpha : alpha blended</dd>
111 <dd>add: additive blended</dd>
112 <dd>invmod: inverse modulation (used on blood and blood decals)</dd>
117 Same as for blend, generic orientation is set by type, could be altered by this parm.
119 List of orientation types:
122 <dd>billboard : always turned to viewer</dd>
126 <dd>oriented : ignores viewwer, turned to velocity</dd>
130 <dd>beam : facing viewer on 2 axises, stretched from origin to origin + velocity</dd>
134 <dd>spark : facing viewer on 2 axises, stretched (based on velocity)</dd>
137 **color <min_color> <max_color>**
139 Sets a color for particles. On each particle spawn, it’s color is linearly randomized betwen two given colors. Color should be defined as HEX 0xRRGGBB, like 0xFFFFFF is white, and 0xFF0000 is red.
141 **tex <min_index> <max_index>**
143 Sets a index of particle from particlefont. Indexes are counted from left to right, from up to down, last index is 63, first is 0. Randomized linearly on each particle spawn.
145 **size <min_size> <max_size>**
147 Size of particle in game units, typical value is 4, randomized.
151 This will make particle grow or diminish over time. is to how much utits to add or subtract per second. Note that while diminishing particle, engine will not check if particle will go to negative size, it will just invert it.
153 **alpha <min_alpha> <max_alpha> <fade_rate>**
155 Opacity of particles, 256 is opaque, 0 is transparent. Randomized. Could be more that 256 (to simulate fade delay). Fade rate is how huch alpha to throw away per second, once particle gets alpha 0 (full transparence), it gets removed.
157 **time <min_time> <max_time>**
159 Particle time-to-live in seconds, randomized.
163 Particle gravity modifier, 1 is full gravity, 0.5 is half etc., negative values are supported (particle go up).
167 Particle bounce-of-walls factor, 1 – bounce with full speed, 0.5 bounce with half speed. A value of -1 means particle will be removed on impact. Not that particle physics considered slow and spawning lots of bouncing particles is not recommended.
171 Particle friction while moving in air, good option for smoke emitters. A value of 0 means no friction, negative values will do acceleration.
175 Particle friction while moving in liquids.
179 Offset particle spawning origin by this values. Coordspace are world, x – forward, y – right, z – up.
183 Add this amount of constant velocity to particle on spawn.
187 Like originoffset but each axis is jittered between -value/+value. Hence it is defining spherical shape of particle random spawning.
191 Same as originjitter but for velocity.
193 **velocitymultiplier**
195 Multiply particle starting velocity (one that set by QC or engine, whatever calls effect) by this value. Useful with trails. Negative values are supported.
199 Sets underwater flag for particles. Particles that are underwater will be removed in air. Useful for water bubbles.
203 Sets notunderwater flag for particles. Particles that are notunderwater will be removed in liquid. Useful for fire particles.
207 This parm is only useful when effect is spawned as trail, defines a game units gap between effect invocations.
211 A custom stretch factor that is used on sparks.
213 **rotate <startangle_min> <startangle_max> <spin_min> <spin_max>**
215 Used to rotate particle, first 2 parms is start angle, other two are spin velocity.
217 ## Particles leaving decals
219 Particles can leave decals once hit something. For this behavior a special set of parms should be used. This section is unfinished, futher explanation is required.
221 **staincolor <min_color> <max_color>**
223 A randomized color for decal particle.
225 **stainalpha <min_alpha> <max_alpha>**
229 **stainsize <min_size> <max_size>**
233 **staintex <min_index> <max_index>**
235 A randomized index into particlefont.
239 Disables decal spawning and returns all parms to it’s default values.
243 Dynamic realtime lights could be placed in particle effects (useful for explosions) with this range of parms. This parms applied just like standart ones.
247 Radius of light in game units. Typical value is 200.
251 Radius fade rate, how many units to add/subtract per second. Once light reaches radius of 0 it gets removed.
255 If radius fading not set, this parm can be used to define light life time.
259 A RGB-normalized light color, 1 1 1 is white, 0 0 1 is blue. Can exceed 1 (overbright light).
263 Cast shadows from light, value is 0 or 1.
267 Sets a numbered cubefilter for light, cubemap texture is cubemaps/
269 ## Engine effect names
271 Heres a list of effect names used by engine.
313 ~~maps/mapname_effectinfo.txt does not add effects at the moment, but replaces the whole effects info~~\
314 The Engine now appends mapname_effectinfo.txt to effectinfo.txt. In other words you can create additional effects for your map without changing effectinfo.txt