Auxiliary (Emitter) Section Options

XashXT

Auxiliary (Emitter) Section Options

These options are enclosed in braces and define particle emitters, including drawing settings and physics.

name Name specified in the maintype field in the main section, in the spraytype field in the emitter section or in the overlaytype field in the overlay definition section.
gravity Rate of gravity influence on particles. Note that the rate should be negative if you want your particles to travel towards the ground. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot. Example: -300..-280.
windyaw Direction of the virtual wind (which affects only this particle system)—the YAW angle in the range from 0 to 360 degrees. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
windstrength Strength of the virtual wind. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
sprite Path to the sprite to use as the particle texture for this emitter.
startalpha Transparency value that a particle is assigned at birth. The value can range from zero to one. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
endalpha Transparency value that a particle is supposed to have when it dies. The value can range from zero to one. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
startred Red colour value that a particle is assigned at birth. The value can range from zero to one. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
endred Red colour value that a particle is supposed to have when it dies. The value can range from zero to one. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
startgreen Green colour value that a particle is assigned at birth. The value can range from zero to one. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
endgreen Green colour value that a particle is supposed to have when it dies. The value can range from zero to one. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
startblue Blue colour value that a particle is assigned at birth. The value can range from zero to one. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
endblue Blue colour value that a particle is supposed to have when it dies. The value can range from zero to one. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
startsize Scale of a particle at birth. The value must be greater than zero; otherwise, the particle will not be drawn. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
endsize Scale of the particle when it dies. The value must be greater than zero; otherwise, the particle will not be drawn. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
sizedelta Mean random scale of a particle (for situations where smooth size changes throughout a particle's lifetime are not needed). The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
startangle Tilt angle of a particle at birth. The angle can be in the range 0–360. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
angledelta Change to the tilt angle of a particle per frame. The angle can be in the range 0–360. The less the value, the slower the particle sprite rotates. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
startframe Start frame set for a particle at birth. The value cannot be greater than the total number of frames in the sprite used. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
endframe Used as an alternative to framerate. End frame set for when a particle dies. The value cannot be greater than the total number of frames in the sprite used. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
framerate Used as an alternative to endframe. Sets how many frames the particle sprite plays back per second. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
lifetime Lifetime of a particle in seconds. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
spraytype Name of a new particle emitter that is a child of this particle emitter.
overlaytype Name of a new overlay particle emitter that is a child of this particle emitter.
sprayrate Spray intensity. Directly affects how the number of particles allocated to the system is consumed. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
sprayforce Particle acceleration rate for this emitter (added to that of the parent emitter). The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
spraypitch Local PITCH angle component of the particle spray orientation. A local angle is used because the global angle is assumed to come from the orientation of the env_particle entity—that angle may be local if env_particle is attached to some entity on the server. The angle can be in the range from 0 to 360. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
sprayyaw Local YAW angle component of the particle spray orientation. A local angle is used because the global angle is assumed to come from the orientation of the env_particle entity—that angle may be local if env_particle is attached to some entity on the server. The angle can be in the range from 0 to 360. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
drag Drag coefficient (generalised, not skin friction) that decreases the speed of a particle throughout its lifefime. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
bounce Coefficient for particles bouncing off solid surfaces. At 0, the particle sticks; greater values make it bounce off harder. Ranges from zero to two. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
bouncefriction Friction coefficient for slowing down a particle on bounce. The parameter can take a random value from a range specified using a double dot.
rendermode Drawing mode for all particles of the emitter. Can have the following values: additive, solid, texture, color.
drawcondition Type of medium where a particle can be drawn. When it hits a different medium, it is not drawn any more. By default, it is drawn everywhere.
The parameter can have the following values:
  • empty — drawn in the air
  • solid — drawn only inside architecture
  • special1, special2, special3 — custom medium types that you can set for func_illusionary to prevent particle rendering outside that medium
  • spotlight — virtual env_projector frustum inside which a particle is drawn (only drawn; the lightmodel parameter is not affected in any way)—this is a good way to fake dust specks in a cone of light

Note: Emitter definitions must be enclosed in curly braces and given names. The main parameters must not be enclosed in braces.