Muzzle flash

[NachtPiloten]

I need to reduce or eliminate the muzzle flash for a few nightfighter guns. With the revised shaders, the reflection is overpowering for the He 219 wing root guns, FW190/Me109 cowl guns and the nose guns on some of the Ju88s. Also, a few NJG planes used muzzle flash suppressors that I want to model. I usually number my guns individually (per the old AvHistory practice) not as a group so I can customize each barrel if need be. I know there must be a way in the effects, but may have missed it.

[mongoose]

Not that I'm an expert Ted, but I assume one starts with the gun and then the weapon as the 'gun' does not seems to have any effects, so I assume the solution might lie in the effects dds files and their relationship to Shaders ini file, As to which effect(s) relate to a muzzle flash, that I don't know. Probably not much help, but all I can think of right now.

[gecko]

A custom muzzle flash effect can be assigned to each gun. As such:

<GunStation UpLimit="0" DownLimit="0" LeftLimit="0" RightLimit="0" RateLimit="0" SystemID="right_cheek_gun" Tracer="100" Trainable="0" Trigger="1" Type="SJ_gb_gun_303cal_INC2_gun_trigger" Name="Right Inner Gun" ConvergeDistance="228.6" Pitch=".45" MaxAmmo="350" MuzzleFlash="fx_muzzle_flash_303cal_SpitIIB_R1"/>

I have done this on my projects mainly so I can override the shell casing effect and have custom shell casings and belt links (if applicable) for each type of gun, positioned to appear at the exit chutes. You can easily adapt this to use smaller effects for flash suppressed guns etc. You are welcome to use any of mine that are out there in various aircraft and adapt them to your purposes.

Just for my own enlightenment, how effective were the flash suppressors, particularly on the larger caliber weapons?

[NachtPiloten]

Could you send me the muzzle flash effects code? Want to see what you have done. From what I have read not too effective on the cannons. That is why the German's preferred to mount the NJG cannon on the belly of the planes. It is just the He219 that is problematic right now.

[gecko]

Here is what I have for 20 and 30 mm guns:

<muzzle_flash_30mm_light ClassName="Lighting" LightType="Point" Lifetime=".013" InitialDelay="0" FadeInTime="0.001" FadeOutTime="0.008" StrobeInterval="999.0" StrobeRitm="1" PosX="0" PosY="0.0" PosZ="0.0" RotY="0.0" RotX="0.0" Diffuse0="198 142 74" Diffuse1="198 142 74" Specular0="189 115 60" Specular1="189 115 60" Ambient0="0 0 0" Ambient1="0 0 0" Range="5.5" FallOff="0.1" Attenuation0="1" Attenuation1="1" Attenuation2="1" Theta="10" Phi="30"/>
<muzzle_flash_30mm_flash ClassName="ParticleEffect" EmitterShape="sphere" EmitterRadius="1" EmitterLifetime=".005" EmitterPosX="0" EmitterPosY="0" EmitterPosZ="0" ZBias="0.000001" EmissionAngleHoriz="360" EmissionAngleVert="90" EmissionSpread=".001" EmissionRate="1000" EmissionRateVar="0" InitialDelay="0" InitialCount="0" MinDistance="30" MaxDistance="4500" StopMethod="0" ZSort="0" UprightSprite="0" RandomStartRotation="1" RandomRotationDirection="1" Lifetime=".008" LifetimeVar="0" Speed="105" SpeedVar="0" MaxSpeed="1000" MaxSpeedVar="0.0" Accel="0" AccelVar="0.0" AccelTime="0" Gravity="0" Drag="0" DragDelay="0.0" InheritVelocity="1" Size=".775" SizeVar="0.00" MaxSize=".00001" MaxSizeVar=".000" GrowRate="0.000001" GrowRateVar=".0" RotationRate="400" RotationRateVar="100" FadeInTime=".001" InitialColor="255 255 255" InitialAlpha="110" Color="255 255 255" Alpha="110" FadeOutTime=".007" FinalColor="255 255 255" FinalAlpha="0" Texture="dr_fireball.DDS" BlendMode="Add"/>
<muzzle_flash_30mm_cartridge ClassName="ParticleEffect" EmitterShape="sphere" EmitterRadius="1" EmitterLifetime="0.1" EmitterPosX="0.0" EmitterPosY="-.2" EmitterPosZ="-1.225" ZBias=".001" EmissionAngleHoriz="180" EmissionAngleVert="180" EmissionSpread="12" EmissionRate="0" EmissionRateVar="0" InitialDelay="0" InitialCount="1" MinDistance="30" MaxDistance="200" StopMethod="0" ZSort="0" UprightSprite="0" RandomStartRotation="1" RandomRotationDirection="1" Lifetime="1" LifetimeVar=".1" Speed="4" SpeedVar="2" MaxSpeed="600" MaxSpeedVar="0.0" Accel="0" AccelVar="0.0" AccelTime=".1" Gravity="-10" Drag="0" DragDelay="0" InheritVelocity=".9" Size=".09" SizeVar="0" MaxSize=".09" MaxSizeVar="0" GrowRate="0" GrowRateVar="0" RotationRate="100" RotationRateVar="50" FadeInTime="0" InitialColor="255 255 255" InitialAlpha="255" Color="255 255 255" Alpha="255" FadeOutTime=".2" FinalColor="255 255 255" FinalAlpha="0" Texture="Shell_30x90RB_case.dds" BlendMode="QuadSprite"/>
<muzzle_flash_30mm_cartridge_link ClassName="ParticleEffect" EmitterShape="sphere" EmitterRadius="1" EmitterLifetime="0.1" EmitterPosX="0.0" EmitterPosY="-.2" EmitterPosZ="-1.225" ZBias=".001" EmissionAngleHoriz="180" EmissionAngleVert="180" EmissionSpread="12" EmissionRate="0" EmissionRateVar="0" InitialDelay="0" InitialCount="1" MinDistance="30" MaxDistance="200" StopMethod="0" ZSort="0" UprightSprite="0" RandomStartRotation="1" RandomRotationDirection="1" Lifetime="1" LifetimeVar=".1" Speed="4" SpeedVar="2" MaxSpeed="600" MaxSpeedVar="0.0" Accel="0" AccelVar="0.0" AccelTime=".1" Gravity="-10" Drag="0" DragDelay="0" InheritVelocity=".9" Size="0.144" SizeVar="0" MaxSize="0.144" MaxSizeVar="0" GrowRate="0" GrowRateVar="0" RotationRate="100" RotationRateVar="50" FadeInTime="0" InitialColor="255 255 255" InitialAlpha="255" Color="255 255 255" Alpha="255" FadeOutTime=".2" FinalColor="255 255 255" FinalAlpha="0" Texture="Shell_30x90RB_link.dds" BlendMode="QuadSprite"/>
<muzzle_flash_30mm_smoke ClassName="ParticleEffect" EmitterShape="sphere" EmitterRadius="1" EmitterLifetime="0.15" EmitterPosX="0.0" EmitterPosY="-.0" EmitterPosZ="-0" ZBias=".01" EmissionAngleHoriz="0" EmissionAngleVert="90" EmissionSpread="18" EmissionRate="14" EmissionRateVar="0.1" InitialDelay="0" InitialCount="0" MinDistance="30" MaxDistance="6000" StopMethod="0" ZSort="0" UprightSprite="0" RandomStartRotation="1" RandomRotationDirection="1" Lifetime=".62" LifetimeVar=".05" Speed="4" SpeedVar="0" MaxSpeed="1000" MaxSpeedVar="0.0" Accel="0" AccelVar="0.0" AccelTime=".1" Gravity="0" Drag="0" DragDelay="0" InheritVelocity=".8" Size="1.5" SizeVar=".5" MaxSize="28" MaxSizeVar="3.5" GrowRate="6" GrowRateVar="2" RotationRate="85" RotationRateVar="25" FadeInTime="0" InitialColor="180 180 180" InitialAlpha="25" Color="180 180 180" Alpha="25" FadeOutTime=".62" FinalColor="180 180 180" FinalAlpha="0" Texture="dr_gunsmoke.DDS" BlendMode="QuadSprite"/>
<fx_muzzle_flash_30mm ClassName="GroupEffect" Effect0="muzzle_flash_30mm_smoke" Effect1="muzzle_flash_30mm_cartridge" Effect2="muzzle_flash_30mm_cartridge_link" Effect3="muzzle_flash_30mm_flash" Effect4="muzzle_flash_30mm_light"/>

<muzzle_flash_20mm_light ClassName="Lighting" LightType="Point" Lifetime=".01" InitialDelay="0" FadeInTime="0.000625" FadeOutTime="0.005" StrobeInterval="1.0" StrobeRitm="1" PosX="0" PosY="0.0" PosZ="0" RotY="0.0" RotX="0.0" Diffuse0="198 142 74" Diffuse1="198 142 74" Specular0="189 115 60" Specular1="189 115 60" Ambient0="0 0 0" Ambient1="0 0 0" Range="4.5" FallOff="0.1" Attenuation0="1" Attenuation1="1" Attenuation2="1" Theta="10" Phi="30"/>
<muzzle_flash_20mm_flash ClassName="ParticleEffect" EmitterShape="sphere" EmitterRadius="1" EmitterLifetime=".005" EmitterPosX="0" EmitterPosY="0" EmitterPosZ="0" ZBias="0.000001" EmissionAngleHoriz="360" EmissionAngleVert="90" EmissionSpread=".00" EmissionRate="1000" EmissionRateVar="0" InitialDelay="0" InitialCount="0" MinDistance="30" MaxDistance="3000" StopMethod="0" ZSort="0" UprightSprite="0" RandomStartRotation="1" RandomRotationDirection="1" Lifetime=".005" LifetimeVar="0" Speed="105" SpeedVar="0" MaxSpeed="1000" MaxSpeedVar="0.0" Accel="0" AccelVar="0.0" AccelTime="0" Gravity="0" Drag="0" DragDelay="0.0" InheritVelocity="1" Size=".565" SizeVar="0.00" MaxSize=".00001" MaxSizeVar=".000" GrowRate="0.000001" GrowRateVar=".0" RotationRate="400" RotationRateVar="100" FadeInTime="0.000625" InitialColor="255 255 255" InitialAlpha="110" Color="255 255 255" Alpha="110" FadeOutTime="0.004375" FinalColor="255 255 255" FinalAlpha="0" Texture="dr_fireball.DDS" BlendMode="Add"/>
<muzzle_flash_20mm_cartridge ClassName="ParticleEffect" EmitterShape="sphere" EmitterRadius="1" EmitterLifetime="0.1" EmitterPosX="0.0" EmitterPosY="-.0" EmitterPosZ="-1" ZBias=".001" EmissionAngleHoriz="180" EmissionAngleVert="120" EmissionSpread="12" EmissionRate="0" EmissionRateVar="0" InitialDelay="0" InitialCount="1" MinDistance="30" MaxDistance="200" StopMethod="0" ZSort="0" UprightSprite="0" RandomStartRotation="1" RandomRotationDirection="1" Lifetime="1" LifetimeVar=".1" Speed="10" SpeedVar="5" MaxSpeed="600" MaxSpeedVar="0.0" Accel="0" AccelVar="0.0" AccelTime=".1" Gravity="-10" Drag="0" DragDelay="0" InheritVelocity=".9" Size=".147" SizeVar="0" MaxSize="40" MaxSizeVar="5" GrowRate="0" GrowRateVar="0" RotationRate="100" RotationRateVar="50" FadeInTime="0" InitialColor="239 207 80" InitialAlpha="255" Color="242 208 72" Alpha="255" FadeOutTime=".2" FinalColor="239 207 80" FinalAlpha="0" Texture="ShellCasing.dds" BlendMode="QuadSprite"/>
<muzzle_flash_20mm_cartridge_link ClassName="ParticleEffect" EmitterShape="sphere" EmitterRadius="1" EmitterLifetime="0.1" EmitterPosX="0.0" EmitterPosY="-.0" EmitterPosZ="-1" ZBias=".001" EmissionAngleHoriz="180" EmissionAngleVert="120" EmissionSpread="12" EmissionRate="0" EmissionRateVar="0" InitialDelay="0" InitialCount="1" MinDistance="30" MaxDistance="200" StopMethod="0" ZSort="0" UprightSprite="0" RandomStartRotation="1" RandomRotationDirection="1" Lifetime="1" LifetimeVar=".1" Speed="10" SpeedVar="5" MaxSpeed="600" MaxSpeedVar="0.0" Accel="0" AccelVar="0.0" AccelTime=".1" Gravity="-10" Drag="0" DragDelay="0" InheritVelocity=".9" Size=".147" SizeVar="0" MaxSize="40" MaxSizeVar="5" GrowRate="0" GrowRateVar="0" RotationRate="100" RotationRateVar="50" FadeInTime="0" InitialColor="255 255 255" InitialAlpha="255" Color="255 255 255" Alpha="255" FadeOutTime=".2" FinalColor="255 255 255" FinalAlpha="0" Texture="beltlink.dds" BlendMode="QuadSprite"/>
<muzzle_flash_20mm_smoke ClassName="ParticleEffect" EmitterShape="sphere" EmitterRadius="1" EmitterLifetime="0.065" EmitterPosX="0.0" EmitterPosY="-.0" EmitterPosZ="-0" ZBias=".01" EmissionAngleHoriz="0" EmissionAngleVert="90" EmissionSpread="25" EmissionRate="12" EmissionRateVar="0.1" InitialDelay="0" InitialCount="0" MinDistance="1" MaxDistance="4000" StopMethod="0" ZSort="0" UprightSprite="0" RandomStartRotation="1" RandomRotationDirection="1" Lifetime=".55" LifetimeVar=".1" Speed="4" SpeedVar="0" MaxSpeed="600" MaxSpeedVar="0.0" Accel="0" AccelVar="0.0" AccelTime=".1" Gravity="0" Drag="0" DragDelay="0" InheritVelocity=".8" Size="1" SizeVar=".5" MaxSize="40" MaxSizeVar="5" GrowRate="6" GrowRateVar="2" RotationRate="90" RotationRateVar="30" FadeInTime="0" InitialColor="180 180 180" InitialAlpha="25" Color="180 180 180" Alpha="25" FadeOutTime=".55" FinalColor="180 180 180" FinalAlpha="0" Texture="dr_gunsmoke.DDS" BlendMode="QuadSprite"/>
<fx_muzzle_flash_20mm ClassName="GroupEffect" Effect0="muzzle_flash_20mm_smoke" Effect1="muzzle_flash_20mm_cartridge" Effect2="muzzle_flash_20mm_cartridge_link" Effect3="muzzle_flash_20mm_flash" Effect4="muzzle_flash_20mm_light"/>

[NachtPiloten]

Thank you for the code.