Hey guys,

I want to know how to make good effects like a fireball, an ice spell effect or a lightning strokes. I worked with sprites so far but the results aren't very good. looks kinda weird because everyone can tell that it's just a sprite which is shown.

Here is a screenshot from my current project:



the effect looks quite poor. how would you guys make an effect like this?


any help would be great

Cheers
Roxas

I guess, it is the combination of different animated sprites with different effects/functions and animated models with alphachannel that makes a good effect.

Maybe, you already know those links, but they could give you ideas:
http://www.conitec.net/litec/work20.htm
http://www.conitec.net/beta/Shader-effect_load.htm
http://www.opserver.de/ubb7/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=339653&page=all

hey Pappenheimer thank you for the links but like you already guessed I know those links and they don't really help me achieving what i wanna do. but thanks anyways. I already worked with models that had alphachannel skins and with particles and stuff, but somehow I'm not able to make a good effect. I played Turn-based RPGs for quite a while and yesterday i tried to analyze some of them to see how the effect was made, but its hard to get it right.

If someone has another idea or a tutorial or something i really would be grateful.

cheers
Roxas

Its important that you first make a concept how your fireball should look like and behave. You'll achieve nothing without a basic concept. Then realize the concept with a combination of sprites and particles. Thats how fireballs are normally made in all games. Also look at other peoples effects, like here:

http://www.opserver.de/ubb7/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=320507

Hey thank you for the link!

that explosion is quite impressive but really hard to redo. but i think i'll get a good effect to work soon.

I've got a general question to particles that is how do i manage that particles which are created randomly around a certain point are drawn to this point. like a vortex in space that sucks everything in but without the swirl?

any help would be great

cheers
Roxas

function p_light_move(PARTICLE* p) {
vec_diff(p.vel_x,vector(p.skill_a,p.skill_b,p.skill_c),p.x);
vec_scale(p.vel_x,0.25);
p.alpha += 6*time_step;
p.size += 1*time_step;
p.size = minv(p.size,11);
if(p.alpha > 80) { p.lifespan = 0; }
}

function p_light(PARTICLE* p) {
p.skill_a = your.x;
p.skill_b = your.y;
p.skill_c = your.z;
vec_set(temp,vector(random(20)-10,random(20)-10,random(20)-10));
vec_scale(temp,20);
vec_add(p.x,temp);
set(p, MOVE | BRIGHT | TRANSLUCENT);
p.alpha = 0;
p.size = 2;
p.event = p_light_move;
}

Then in a while loop or a single statement: effect(p_light,5,my.x,NULL);

Hey superku, thank you very much, that's exactly what I wanted, looks awesome


cheers
Roxas

You're welcome!

Hey Roxas, (Da du deutsch bist und mein Englisch grottenhaft ist, schreib ich auf deutsch :P)

Hoffe mein post kommt nich zu spät.

Ich habe vor paar Wochen einen Feuerball-effekt erstellt, welchen ich unter anderem für eine Explosion verwende. Den Screenshot von deinem Projekt kann ich wieso auch immer nicht sehen ... (also nich wundern wenn ich jetzt was völlig anderes meine) aber fallst du in etwa so etwas

suchst, kann ich dir warscheinlich behilflich sein.

MfG, Kartofffel

edit: falls du noch irgendwelche fragen hast (egal ob zu diesem Thema oder etwas ganz anderem) werde ich dir gerne helfen ;D

Holy shit, thats a nice effect lol...