A small change to the particle system.

Hello,

I would like to suggest a minor modification to the particle system. Currently, there is a maximum lifetime to particles (about 30 seconds) even if the MAX_LIFE parameter is set very high.

I would prefer a particle count limit (say, 100), with any particle lifetime (even infinite). This would allow some interesting new effects which are not currently possible with today's system.

Specifically, I'm making bushes/trees using particles for the leaves. They currently 'blink' unrealistically because the particles age out. With infinite lifetimes, but limited particle counts, the tax on the client wouldn't change, but my leaves wouldn't blink!



Thanks,
--Riptide

you'd break more particle effects than you'd make, doin that.

remember theres only really about 4,000 particles on screen... and many effects use up FAR more than the 100 you'd give them to look proper, but are only transitory so strain the overall system less than your leaves do.

In general I *REALLY* discourage people tryin to make 'permanent' effects with particles, they jus end up draining too many out of the overall available particle pool

(aka i do *ALOT* of particle effects, but each an every single one has a simple click 'off' switch because my neighbor should be able to turn off anything im running if he needs the framerate/spare particles, its just polite really)

what *I* would reccomend is a weight system for assigning where new particles are spawned.. aka an object spawning 1000 particles per second should get lower priority for its particles once things get tight than someone else's three particle 'kiss' hearts that jus come and go (but when the system is bein used heavily refuse to show altogether)

that way people could still use any effect they wanted, but the more they use the more they'll have to give up if theres too much going on