Particles

Overview

This page covers some best-practices and things to look out for when creating particle systems.

Naming Convention

Please, follow unreal naming convention

Textures: T_whateverName_D (D for Diffuse, N for Normal, etc.)
Master Material: MM_WhateverName
Material Instance: MIC_WhateverName
ParticleSystem: P_WhateverName (don’t forget to name your emitter inside the system)
Meshes: FX_whateverName

Miscellaneous

Warning

Careful copying emitters from one particle system to another

Particle Lights: Copying a light emitter that toggles the light type module at the top into a new particle system will toggle the emitter back to a normal particle. The light bulb icon means the emitter will hide the material that is associated with the emitter. When it toggles back to the down arrow the material will show up and thus needs to be switched back or else unintended visuals result in the particle.

Original Light emitter after it gets copied to a new Particle system
../_images/PS04.jpg ../_images/PS05.jpg

Particle LODs: Copying emitters from a particle system that has LODS will transfer those LODS to the new particle system with weird settings on what’s turned on or off on the higher LODS. This could cause weird visuals when you move far enough from the particle. Particle systems should be cleaned up in this case.

NOTE: The standard for ATLAS VFX is to not make use of UE4 Cascade LODs, and use only one main LOD.

Where to find how many lods are in the particle system

../_images/PS06.jpg

Change lods levels above and manually delete ones not needed.

../_images/PS03.jpg

FX for Cinematics

Make sure that FXs that are only used in cinematics (make duplicates if necessary) have “Sec before inactive” in the particle system set to -1 so it always plays.