particle_system

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A particle system describes the creation and evolution of particles, most commonly for explosions.

This tag was given support for a "jet" particle creation physics type when Gearbox ported the game to PC, in order to support the flamethrower's fire.

Structure and fields #

Field Type Comments

pad(4)

pad(52)

point physics

Reference^?: point_physics

system update physics enum

Option	Value	Comments
default	`0x0`
explosion	`0x1`

pad(2)

physics flags bitfield(32)

Flag	Mask	Comments
unused	`0x1`

physics constants Block^?

Field	Type	Comments
k	`f32`

particle types Block^?

Field Type Comments

name char[32]

flags bitfield(32)

Flag	Mask	Comments
type states loop	`0x1`
forward backward	`0x2`
particle states loop	`0x4`
forward backward 1	`0x8`
particles die in water	`0x10`
particles die in air	`0x20`
particles die on ground	`0x40`
rotational sprites animate sideways	`0x80`
disabled	`0x100`
tint by effect color	`0x200`
initial count scales with effect	`0x400`
minimum count scales with effect	`0x800`
creation rate scales with effect	`0x1000`
scale scales with effect	`0x2000`
animation rate scales with effect	`0x4000`
rotation rate scales with effect	`0x8000`
don't draw in first person	`0x10000`
don't draw in third person	`0x20000`

initial particle count u16

pad(2)

complex sprite render modes enum

Option	Value	Comments
simple	`0x0`
rotational	`0x1`

pad(2)

radius f32 (world units)

pad(36)

particle creation physics enum

Option	Value	Comments
default	`0x0`
explosion	`0x1`
jet	`0x2`

pad(2)

physics flags bitfield(32)

Flag	Mask	Comments
unused	`0x1`

physics constants Block^?

Field	Type	Comments
k	`f32`

states Block^?

Field Type Comments

name char[32]

duration bounds f32 (second) (min & max)

transition time bounds f32 (second) (min & max)

pad(4)

scale multiplier f32

animation rate multiplier f32

rotation rate multiplier f32

color multiplier

ColorARGB

alpha: f32
red: f32
green: f32
blue: f32

radius multiplier f32

minimum particle count f32

particle creation rate f32 (particles per second)

pad(84)

particle creation physics enum

Option	Value	Comments
default	`0x0`
explosion	`0x1`
jet	`0x2`

particle update physics enum

Option	Value	Comments
default	`0x0`

physics constants Block^?

Field	Type	Comments
k	`f32`

particle states Block^?

Field Type Comments

name char[32]

duration bounds f32 (seconds) (min & max)

transition time bounds f32 (seconds) (min & max)

bitmaps

Reference^?: bitmap

sequence index Index: u16

pad(2)

pad(4)

scale f32 (world units per pixel) (min & max)

animation rate f32 (frames per second) (min & max)

rotation rate Angle: f32 (degrees per second) (min & max)

color 1

ColorARGB

alpha: f32
red: f32
green: f32
blue: f32

color 2

ColorARGB

alpha: f32
red: f32
green: f32
blue: f32

radius multiplier f32

point physics

Reference^?: point_physics

pad(36)

unknown int

u32 (little endian^?)

Only set when the tag is compiled into a map cache.

shader flags bitfield(16)

Flag	Mask	Comments
sort bias	`0x1`
nonlinear tint	`0x2`
don't overdraw fp weapon	`0x4`

framebuffer blend function enum

Option	Value	Comments
alpha blend	`0x0`
multiply	`0x1`
double multiply	`0x2`
add	`0x3`
subtract	`0x4`
component min	`0x5`
component max	`0x6`
alpha multiply add	`0x7`

framebuffer fade mode enum

Option	Value	Comments
none	`0x0`
fade when perpendicular	`0x1`
fade when parallel	`0x2`

map flags bitfield(16)

Flag	Mask	Comments
unfiltered	`0x1`

pad(28)

secondary map bitmap

Reference^?: bitmap

anchor enum

Option	Value	Comments
with primary	`0x0`
with screen space	`0x1`
zsprite	`0x2`

flags bitfield(16)

Flag	Mask	Comments
unfiltered	`0x1`

u animation source enum

Option	Value	Comments
none	`0x0`
a out	`0x1`
b out	`0x2`
c out	`0x3`
d out	`0x4`

u animation function enum

Option	Value	Comments
one	`0x0`
zero	`0x1`
cosine	`0x2`
cosine variable period	`0x3`
diagonal wave	`0x4`
diagonal wave variable period	`0x5`
slide	`0x6`
slide variable period	`0x7`
noise	`0x8`
jitter	`0x9`
wander	`0xa`
spark	`0xb`

u animation period f32 (seconds)

u animation phase f32

u animation scale f32 (repeats)

v animation source enum

Option	Value	Comments
none	`0x0`
a out	`0x1`
b out	`0x2`
c out	`0x3`
d out	`0x4`

v animation function enum

Option	Value	Comments
one	`0x0`
zero	`0x1`
cosine	`0x2`
cosine variable period	`0x3`
diagonal wave	`0x4`
diagonal wave variable period	`0x5`
slide	`0x6`
slide variable period	`0x7`
noise	`0x8`
jitter	`0x9`
wander	`0xa`
spark	`0xb`

v animation period f32 (seconds)

v animation phase f32

v animation scale f32 (repeats)

rotation animation source enum

Option	Value	Comments
none	`0x0`
a out	`0x1`
b out	`0x2`
c out	`0x3`
d out	`0x4`

rotation animation function enum

Option	Value	Comments
one	`0x0`
zero	`0x1`
cosine	`0x2`
cosine variable period	`0x3`
diagonal wave	`0x4`
diagonal wave variable period	`0x5`
slide	`0x6`
slide variable period	`0x7`
noise	`0x8`
jitter	`0x9`
wander	`0xa`
spark	`0xb`

rotation animation period f32 (seconds)

rotation animation phase f32

rotation animation scale f32 (degrees)

rotation animation center

Point2D

x: f32
y: f32

pad(4)

zsprite radius scale f32

pad(20)

physics constants Block^?

Field	Type	Comments
k	`f32`

This information was partially generated using Invader tag definitions.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the following individuals for their research or contributions to this topic:

Kavawuvi (Invader tag definitions)
MosesOfEgypt (Tag structure research)