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Directional Explosions, Particles only?

by Brian Wells · in Torque Game Engine · 09/21/2005 (10:09 am) · 5 replies

I am looking to make realistic explosions from cannon fire. I want the explosions to be directional, ie the flame and debris should travel the same direction after the initial explosion as the projectile was travelling. I know I can do this with particles, but I know if i have too many explosions especially up close I will take a huge framerate hit. Is there any other DYNAMIC way I can make directional explosion?

To show what I mean by "directional", if a cannon is fired at a low trajectory and hits an object with a glancing blow, but still explodes, I don't want it too look like a direct hit. This image kinda shows what I mean:

www.ussessexcv9.org/images/Essex%20Kamikaze%20Hit.jpg
Thanks,
-B
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Torque Owner Teck Lee Tan
#1
09/21/2005 (10:43 am)
This is coming from an artist, so take from it what you will. :p I reckon if you don't want to use particles, you could create a couple of different explosion meshes and use them based on what angle the projectile hit (collision normal?). So, a direct hit, use your standard big round explosion, glancing hit, use an elongated explosion mesh and align that based on the collision normal (eg, mirror the collision normal on the surface, and align the explosion mesh to that vector?).

Torque Owner Brian Wells
#2
09/21/2005 (10:53 am)
I was thinking of doing this, and I may still if I can't find another solution. If so I would create several explosions and have the vector change based on the projectile path. I was hoping to actually find a way to have the explosions be dynamic if possible so they always look a little different.

-B

Torque 3D Owner Matthew Langley
Torque
#3
09/21/2005 (11:10 am)
You could always have a small explosion particle effect and shoot a vector out in the direction the projectile struck it and fire up 3-4 particle emitters along the same vector

Torque Owner Brian Wells
#4
09/21/2005 (12:58 pm)
I think that is what we will do, matt (IE use particles). Unfortunatly, I can't think of any other way to get the effects we need.

-B

Associate Kyle Carter
#5
09/21/2005 (4:54 pm)
Stuff an appropriate vector into the particles when they're spawned so they drift in the right directions? There's lots and lots and lots of ways to do particle effects. With a little bit of work you can extend Torque's particle engine to get exactly the effects you want.