Particle systems not showing.

[ShinobiWan]

Ive searched high and low for a fix and absolutely nothing is turning up.

Ive went as far as completely deleting my entire steam folder, removing everything from registry and starting completly over.

I downloaded all the hl2 games.

HL2
HL2:DM
CSS
HL2:EP1
HL2:EP2
HL2:Lost Coast.

Ran them all once before downloading the sdk.

Downloaded Source Sdk, and both 2006 and 2007 source sdk bases.

Ran the create a mod wizzard with the 2007 version of the engine, selected half life 2 multiplayer mod. Compiled it completely through Microsoft visual c++ express 2010 successfully.

Pulled the particle folder from the "source 2007 shared materials.gcf" and placed it in my mods root folder.

Added an info_particle_system into a Box test map with nothing other than a info_player_start, and evn_fire entitie, "just to make sure that entitie works also".

Env_fire entitie works fine and i can see the particles.

No matter what i do or where i put that particle folder i still constantly get the "Attemped to precache unknown particle system!" for any .pcf file i try to use from the particles folder. Adding a ! infront of the particles does nothing.

This is a make or break situation for me, im going to quit if i cant figure this out.

Does the 2007 version of source just not allow the info_particle_system?

Is this something wrong with my gameinfo.txt? Its default.

"GameInfo"
{
game "MyMod"
title "HALF+LIFE'"
title2 "deathmatch"
type multiplayer_only
nomodels 0
nohimodel 1
nocrosshair 1
hidden_maps
{
"test_speakers" 1
"test_hardware" 1
}


FileSystem
{
SteamAppId 218 // GCF for Source SDK Base 2007
ToolsAppId 211 // Tools will load this (ie: source SDK caches) to get things like materials\debug, materials\editor, etc.

//Orange box sdk allows an extra appid to be defined here to mount additional content. 320 is HL2MP
AdditionalContentId 320


SearchPaths
{
Game |gameinfo_path|.
Game |all_source_engine_paths|hl2mp
Game |all_source_engine_paths|hl2
}
}
}


Is there something wrong with my manifest? All of the particles listed are in the particle folder.

particles_manifest
{
"file" "!particles/error.pcf"
"file" "!particles/antlion_blood.pcf"
"file" "!particles/blood_impact.pcf"
"file" "!particles/water_impact.pcf"
"file" "!particles/fire_01.pcf"
"file" "!particles/burning_fx.pcf"
"file" "!particles/combineball.pcf"
"file" "!particles/vortigaunt_fx.pcf"
"file" "!particles/rocket_fx.pcf"
}

Is there something wrong with the way im setting up the particle_system_info?



PLEASE SOMEONE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD TELL ME WHAT IM DOING WRONGG!!!

[ShinobiWan]

Oh god, i think ive been horribly stupid. You need to name the specific system and not the name of the .pcf file..... i am such an idiot.

[Jangalomph]

^^ atleast you corrected your error good sir.

[marnamai]

First of the ! in your particle manifest shouldn't be there and second, the particle system name shouldn't have particles/ before the particle name or .pcf behind it, just the particle name.

Code: Select all

particles_manifest
{
   "file"      "particles/error.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/explosion.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/blood_impact.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/vehicle.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/dust_bombdrop.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/building_explosion.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/antlion_gib_01.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/antlion_gib_02.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/stalactite.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/striderbuster.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/door_explosion.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/choreo_launch.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/water_leaks.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/antlion_worker.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/skybox_smoke.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/waterfall.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/aurora.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/rain.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/warpshield.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/aurora_sphere2.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/advisor.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/fire_01.pcf"
       "file"      "particles/hunter_shield_impact.pcf"
       "file"      "particles/water_impact.pcf"
       "file"      "particles/hunter_intro.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/dust_rumble.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/Advisor_FX.pcf"      
   "file"      "particles/hunter_projectile.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/choreo_dog_v_strider.pcf"   
   "file"      "particles/steampuff.pcf"   
   "file"      "particles/magnusson_burner.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/combineball.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/waterdrips.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/hunter_flechette.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/choreo_gman.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/weapon_fx.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/choreo_extract.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/Vortigaunt_FX.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/devtest.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/electrical_fx.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/burning_fx.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/antlion_blood.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/grub_blood.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/grenade_fx.pcf"
   "file"      "particles/rocket_fx.pcf"   
   "file"      "particles/impact_fx.pcf"      
}

[ShinobiWan]

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... nifest.txt


Using a ! in front of the names forces precache, and as far as the name goes, its not even the name of the file sometimes. You have to open up your mod in tools mode. Open up which .pcf file you want, and than name the specific system in the name section of the info_particle_system that you want to use. Ass backwares. Dont believe me? try using the name of a .pcf as your particle name : ]

[marnamai]

I didn't know the ! was for forced precaching.
But I didn't say you should use the pcf filenames those are just "containers",

the particle system name shouldn't have particles/ before the particle name or .pcf behind it, just the particle name.

With the particle system name I meant the property name on the info_particle_system.

You used "particles/fire_01.pcf", "particles/" and ".pcf" are not needed, the info_particle_system will find the correct pcf containing the particle itself.

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... ffect_List

[ShinobiWan]

I didn't know the ! was for forced precaching.
But I didn't say you should use the pcf filenames those are just "containers",

the particle system name shouldn't have particles/ before the particle name or .pcf behind it, just the particle name.

With the particle system name I meant the property name on the info_particle_system.

You used "particles/fire_01.pcf", "particles/" and ".pcf" are not needed, the info_particle_system will find the correct pcf containing the particle itself.

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... ffect_List

Yeah, its what i was battling with for the last 2 weeks. Just being dumb really, i realized what i was doing wrong like right after i posted this thread Its always the simplest explanation. Didnt need to re-install everything thats for damn sure. At least all my files are twice as organised now though : )

[Jangalomph]

Yeah mari,

! precaches the particle so that there is sure to be no precacheing errors. This is mainly used when you're using particles in the Code, such as for a new rain effect, or smg grenade explosion. But I use ! in front of all of my particles any how.

[marnamai]

Ooh that might fix a problem I have in my mod. When an acid antlion is spawned for the first time and it spits there is a slowdown for a sec, a short freeze. I 'll try it out!

[ShinobiWan]

Yeah i love making particle systems. This is an old one i was working on. Thinking i should make a tutorial video on making them from scratch.

[Jangalomph]

Not too shabby, You'd probably need to reduce the fill rate and amount of particles spawned at one time. Else it'd probably lag a bunch if many were spawned, even one Good though.