Sparks!!!

Wouldn't it be nice to have an exposed cable object that sparked, it could even be tweakable for how much sparks and of what colour.
Would be a good oppertunity to show off some particle physics in the way the sparks bounce around off different material.

Idea's are still flooding into myu mind as I write, like making it able to ignite material if the sparks hit it.

Sure you could "Simulate" the sparks with small LEDs but it wouldn;t be the same as actually having a sparking object;

(I was thinking like the detacheable candle flame - you could have a detacheable "frayed wires" spark object).

Could be cool if the idea was refined a little more.

What needs refined?

Spark effects are pretty standard to render nowadays.

It could even be a toggle for any light object - as well as the current modes (shadows, foggy, normal) you could have a 4th "Sparks" option that starts the light emitting sparks (that could add further tweakable options such as velocity and frequency), with the same options as a normal light for radius and colour etc. you could also add in an angle for wether it sparks in 360 within the radius, or wether it's more directional (by lessening the angle)... and the sparks will bounce off of any material/objects in that radius/layer.
And then like the Spotlight switch - the sparks themselves could be a trigger for *whatever*

It's such a simple Idea, I'd be surprised if it's not already in LBP2 :rolleyes:

I think you can simulate that with some tiny holographic or light material and an emmiter. Or maybe there will even be an "spark" option for bullets?

What a sparkling idea :rolleyes:

Anyway, I would not mind a sparkle effect, though it will be probably easily achievable to do without it. I don't know how though.

Cool idea but, it's not really that hard to make your own spark effects :) But still cool idea :p

Exactly - you could "simulate" your own effect, that would give "the impression of sparks"... but it would never be as good as having 'real' actual sparks, fizzing and sparking.

Ohh.. & they could *hiss* when they hit water - or even electrify it!!!

Its a good idea but it wont get used much

yeah, he's right, great idea, but people wouldnt really use it much, you also only provived 1 example, so what else would we use this spark thing for, fireworks maybe? actually, that would be pretty cool if you can change the colour of the sparks.

FIreworks would probably be the most used application, then there's the natural spark effects for exposed wires, blown out light fittings etc... I'm not going to list all of the electrical appliance applications - but with thousands and thousands of electrical appliances, gives thousands and thousands of oppertunities to use the spark effect.
If the sparks are able to be used as a switch trigger, you've then got "ignite" effects, (flint & tinder to start a fire) - and the electrification of water. the sparks may even be made lethal, electricuting sackboy on touch.

Then there's impact effects, giving extra oomph to crashes and explosions...
if the sparks bounce off objects and material, I could imagine some amazing silhouette applications, illuminating the silhouette with back lit sparks -hinting at the silhouette rather than overtly exposing it (as with the current lighting method)

Then there's using it as an "automatic weapon" bullet effect, by reducing the directional angle to a sliver, and turning the velocity and frequency right up..

& that's just a few Idea's off the top of my head... if the community had time to play with it, I'm sure they would think of thousands more.
There are loads of applications for a spark effect... I'm surprised at you LBPC for not being able to use your imagination.

OK a life like electrical thing would be nice (Electricity + water+ Bucket of lols) :) But what would be another idea for this? A wire material :hero: The ability to change to the colour would be good. And who knows? Maybe the really good creators would find a really useful way to use it. :)

...do you reeeally need applications for sparks?

If there is any, I'd HATE the "frayed wire", because it only fits to some of the applications...
Mm likes to do things versatile, that's why we don't get a gun that shoots paint again, but a hat that can shoot anything.

Sparkle Emitter FTW.

Yup, the idea has progressed now, instead of a "frayed wires cable" object (similar to the burning flame candle object of LBP);
Imagine instead a 4th option on all light objects - the "Spark" option, that'd be added to the current selection of "Shadows/Normal/Foggy" - selecting "Sparks" would expand some further tweakables of "Angle - Frequency - Velocity";

Angle - The angle within which the sparks are emitted
Frequency - The rate at which they emit ( a 'random' option here would be good - so the sparks could emit randomly - without the need for any extra logic inputs - could replace the 'infinite' option below 0.1)
Velocity - how fast the sparks travel at once emitted.

It would add some great visual dynamism to practically any scene... especially if each spark is it's own dynamic lighting object.


Edit: Another Idea - The Sparks of Light Objects that are made lethalised will inherit the traits of the lethalisation - ie; Use the fire tool on the light object and the sparks will burn, use the electricity tool & they electrocute etc.

taking this thread a step further: why not fireworks too?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by moonwire

What a sparkling idea :rolleyes:

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GAH!!! Your killing me! IT BUURNS! :p

On a serious note, I would perfer it to be a lighting option, as a sperate object for just one effect doesnt make much sense.

This would be very nice. But if this make this a effect they might as well make a bunch of other particle effects. lol the particle pack.

Evans refers to a particle tool in one or two of the interviews...
Listen carefully to this video at 1:56:
http://www.youtube.com/user/snarkwis...22/40Q76H48oXs
I'm looking for the other one where he says something about a particle system that seems to mean it will be a tool.

In this vid Alex Evans says something about a particle system they "haven't shown yet": (at 1:56)
http://www.youtube.com/user/snarkwis...22/40Q76H48oXs
There was another one that seemed to imply it was a creator tool, I'll try to find it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snarkwise

In this vid Alex Evans says something about a particle system they "haven't shown yet": (at 1:56)
http://www.youtube.com/user/snarkwis...22/40Q76H48oXs
There was another one that seemed to imply it was a creator tool, I'll try to find it.

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Why did you post the same link two times? WHY??
use the edit button next time~

Doppel Post alert! *BUMP*

I've seen other threads too conversating about a particle FX system... so is it true? :D

(If a million YouTube users say yes, I know it still *might* be wrong :D)