Particle Editor Tool

WIP games, tools & toy projects
#1

So here is a little toy I am working on for fun. It uses my particle system which probably is not all that great compared to others but it works. I have it so you can give a sheet of images where one will randomly be selected and am wondering if adding animated particles would be all that great.

Screen of some explosions

I am thinking about doing more on my particle system tutorial but more about actually using a finished system to do specific effects. Torch, fire, waterfall, magic attack, rain, snow, and what not.

I am wondering if everyone else makes all sorts of tools/editors for their games to help streamline level design and what not. I know that I have made many level editors but they all just fail.

Edit:
http://www.mediafire.com/?9gfnoscwubya8n2
Have fun

#2

Looks awesome Stumpy! :slight_smile:

I’m going to have to create something like that for my game when it comes to spells and stuff…I hope it isn’t too much of a beast.

-Pickle

#3

looks cool.

#4

Thanks Stumpy… now I want to stop drawing sprite sheets and move onto particles lol.

-Pickle :slight_smile:

#5

Very nice, my small attempt is nothing compared to your screenshot.
I would love to see more, can we get an download link please? :smiley:

#6

I would use this if I wasn’t already well into creating pixel FX :confused: Looks very cool and might use it if I ever make something less ‘retro’.

EDIT: if this thing can be sized down considerably, i’d definitely use this over making my own fx.

#7

Sprite sheets are nice as you can get as much detail as you want in the resolution and they cost magnitudes less on the cpu/gpu. Downside is that you need a crap load of video memory where particles take of very little and are much more dynamic.

Here is another screen for a blue candle flame. Looks really nice in motion.

This has many things I want to do missing. (mainly all the stuff in the tests and tabs) but definitely helps streamline effects. In my java2d one I could export .java files that would give you the effect. All you would need to do is pass in the location and the images used. Everything else is handled by the engine. I will add svaing and loading as well as the export to .java. If you want I can post the source and the editor. Be warned that my coding is ugly.

Tomorrow I am going to try adding all the exporting and saving…wish me luck.

#8

Are you going to create your own format, or use an existing one, like .p (go libgdx) or json?

#9

I DO wish you luck!

#10

I actually have ported my particle system to libgdx using their texture regions. Thing is their system is very good and probably faster then mine so I don’t really want to try and compete with them.

As far as format goes I could look into json but once I get the exporting going I will probably do a video tutorial on how to get the effect from the editor to your screen. If there is interest I will also show how to properly use it and all the fun features it has. One that I really like but is probably very slow is the option to have your particle point in the direction they are traveling in. Means you can make some cool stuff. I also have scaling the size of the effect and speed. Create one super cool explosion, give it different colors, size, and reuse.

#11

I want this…its like christmas all over again, except I’m expecting a gift :smiley:

#12

Don’t you always expect a gift on Christmas? :wink:

So I have added exporting for my engine right now but unfortunately my app eat way, way too much cpu. I think it probably has something to do with using lwjgl with swing. Well here is another screen of some plasma.

I am probably going to add some stuff for the test Settings before adding an export option to use this with libgdx. I will also make a tutorial on how to use it of course.

#13

Nah, I don’t have much of a family left. My GF usually gives me something, but we were both too poor to buy each other presents this christmas.

This is looking really good. Can’t wait to try it out!

#14

So ported everything to libgdx and have an export option for that.

Here is the effect scaling in action.

I am not able to do a whole lot due to school :confused: but I will really ttry hard to give you something by this weekend to use with a tutorial on how to use it. XD

#15

looks really nice - good work!

#16

:o
This looks epic, can’t wait for a demo!

#17

This looks very nice.
Some kind of applet or webstart (don’t kill me) would be nice to tinker around.

#18

I don’t do applets or webstart. >:(

But, I just got a working version down for you to try. I am working on a tutorial on how to use it after I post this. The editor does not work on java 7 due to input focus issues. I fixed it but then it caused other issues and made it so you had to have java7 so instead only java6 :’(

The actual system works fine on libgdx and the editor comes with the jar to get it working.

http://www.mediafire.com/?7zqx4hdzh84c5yx

Will post the tutorial as soon as it is done. Till then be brave.

#19

As soon as the UI Pop us for SystemX-Editor.jar it crashes :s


Java frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code)
j  org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11.nglClear(IJ)V+0
j  org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11.glClear(I)V+15
j  com.atlas.engine.Renderer.begin()V+3
j  RenderArea.render()V+17
j  RenderArea.start()V+45
j  Editor.<init>()V+215
j  Editor.main([Ljava/lang/String;)V+40

Run.bat:


java -jar SystemX-Editor.jar
pause
#20

This is the line I think

glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);

I also set the blend mode in that method if it changed. Not sure.

Win 7 integrated chip?