Best Way to make Bullet Tracers
by Chris "C2" Byars · in Torque Game Engine · 01/11/2006 (1:28 pm) · 10 replies
Curious what would be the best way to make a nice long yellow bullet tracer on my projectile. The resource "Bullet Tracers" draws a nasty line that is less than perfect in its rendering. The particle system leaves relatively large gaps between each particle no matter what you do to make them as close as possible. A large and long projectile model designed correctly would seem to work, but the length of the tracer makes near targets not work, because as soon as the tip of that long projectile touches its target, it "explodes" and disappears.
I wouldn't mind if the particle system could emit particles more tightly knit on a projectile trail, but that doesn't seem to be possible. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
I wouldn't mind if the particle system could emit particles more tightly knit on a projectile trail, but that doesn't seem to be possible. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
#2
01/11/2006 (3:06 pm)
Thought of and attempted that, doesn't really do a tracer justice. First, the laser resource has the laser fire toward the center of the screen, and second, the laser is too "instant". Projectile particle trails *look* alright, until you see them from the side and see all the little holes so it just looks like a bunch of dots. I don't have the extensive knowledge of C++ that I would need to modify the laser resource to work right with this. 
#3
01/11/2006 (3:37 pm)
I think your best bet may be a model that streches that way you could have really good looking tracers. There was a snapshot for tracers somewhere.
#4
I was hoping he might pop back in at GarageGames and finally publish his code.
And
01/11/2006 (3:42 pm)
Max Robinson wrote a new class but then disappeared off the face of the planet: www.garagegames.com/mg/snapshot/view.php?qid=343 I was hoping he might pop back in at GarageGames and finally publish his code.
And
Quote:
A large and long projectile model designed correctly would seem to work, but the length of the tracer makes near targets not work, because as soon as the tip of that long projectile touches its target, it "explodes" and disappears.
#5
I've had the resource nearly done for... I guess literally years.
edit:
I found that sticking planes with "tracer" textures on the model works better than my little class did for bullets.
The tracer class is more similar to Tribes 2 blaster shots.
It also looks good on missiles.
edit again:
There were still some minor problems with it, which I never got around to ironing out. They aren't stability related, but I never "finalized" it, so I never made a resource for it. A while ago I got rid of almost all of them - I guess I might as well make a resource. I'll check into it.
01/15/2006 (10:17 am)
Damn!I've had the resource nearly done for... I guess literally years.
edit:
I found that sticking planes with "tracer" textures on the model works better than my little class did for bullets.
The tracer class is more similar to Tribes 2 blaster shots.
It also looks good on missiles.
edit again:
There were still some minor problems with it, which I never got around to ironing out. They aren't stability related, but I never "finalized" it, so I never made a resource for it. A while ago I got rid of almost all of them - I guess I might as well make a resource. I'll check into it.
#6
But I still suggest the model-wise approach for this ;)
01/15/2006 (2:58 pm)
Today is your lucky day. Made it a resource. Keep an eye out.But I still suggest the model-wise approach for this ;)
#8
01/15/2006 (4:58 pm)
Max, you should be able to link to the resource before it's approved.
#9
www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=9570
01/15/2006 (7:39 pm)
Yeah, here it is. Forgot. Or maybe I just wanted to tease you.www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=9570
#10
A really leet way to make model-based tracers that don't have that corny problem of being "full" right out of the barrel (so that the "tracer" is sticking say, into the person's head) is to animate the bullet with an "activate" sequence.
If you look at the spinfusor discs from Tribes 2, they did just this.
The disc "grows" its blue tracer/glow-shell in about 1/2 to 1/4 of a second after it is fired.
You may have to implement the TS thread property/control into the projectile.
01/16/2006 (8:24 pm)
Oh, I totally forgot.A really leet way to make model-based tracers that don't have that corny problem of being "full" right out of the barrel (so that the "tracer" is sticking say, into the person's head) is to animate the bullet with an "activate" sequence.
If you look at the spinfusor discs from Tribes 2, they did just this.
The disc "grows" its blue tracer/glow-shell in about 1/2 to 1/4 of a second after it is fired.
You may have to implement the TS thread property/control into the projectile.
Torque 3D Owner Willbkool