Modding Help actionOnReap Text Particle

Hey guys,

Its been a long time since I have posted here, but I am back, requiring some help!

I have recently found starcheat and have been playing around with it. I have already made several fun guns ^_^

The current gun I am working on as ran into a problem that I cannot resolve. I am trying to create particles when the projectile hits the walls. So far all good, it all works. However I am trying to get it to display a word. So far I have tried positioning the particles, but they keep moving around randomly, and I have also tried using the text particle, which marley creates a single pixel.

Can i have some help in how I could get it to display a word? or at least a single letter?

Here is what I have so far:

Code:

"actionOnReap": [
               {
                  "action": "option",
                    "options": [
                        {
                            "action": "particle",
                            "specification" : {
                                "type" : "animated",
                                "animation" : "/animations/ember1/ember1.animation",
                                "looping" : true,
                                "initial": "drift",
                                "rotation": 60,
                                "size": 2,
                                "timeToLive": 1.8,
                                "position": [0, 0]
                            }
                        }          
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "action": "particle",
                    "specification": {
                        "type" : "text",
                        "text" : "Batman",
                        "looping" : true,
                        "initial": "drift",
                        "rotation": 60,
                        "size": 2,
                        "timeToLive": 1.8,
                        "position": [0, 0]                       
                    }
                }   ]           
        }

The top one was me trying to position it (I had several in a "striaght line") and the bottom is me trying to get the text to work.


It also seems too turn into a single white pixel with the following

Code:

{
                  "action": "option",
                    "options": [
                        {
                            "action": "particle",
                            "specification" : {
                                "file" : "particles/burnedmessage.particle"
                            }
                        }           
                    ]
                },

 

I really, really don't think you can get particles to follow a certain pattern as you're doing with the 'first' example. (I also don't have any idea why you're using the 'options' command.) I believe the most you'll ever get from pre-created particles is what you've already experienced, a bunch of random nonsense.

As for the text particle, that is probably your best bet if this is possible. But I can't directly help you with that because I don't have any the game's code with me right now. But there should definitely be some instances in the vanilla assets that use it properly. All you'll need to do is copy how it's done from there and just alter it to create your own message. Various instances of this are when a player/NPC is damaged or inflicted with a status effect. So you may want to begin looking in the status effects, maybe? Sorry I can't be of much help there right now.
However, this stuff may actually just be coded directly into the game and not available to modders. I guess I don't know of any mods that use this, so I'm not sure and, again, I can't look right now.

And if that doesn't work, your only option is to create a brand new particle, including both a PNG with animation, and an animation file. This new particle could spell out the word you want as part of its animation.
Though, that is obviously a lot more work. (But you could completely customize the animation if you're good with pixel-art, so it would also be rewarding.)
If you want to go that route, just let us know. I believe there is a custom projectile tutorial somewhere around here that might help.

 

I have had a quick look at the status effect already to no avail sadly, but I will have a more thorough look today. Sadly I wish to be able to use this on servers etc so I am unable to make a custom animation, unless it somehow gets synced. Thank you for your help anyways.

 

Particles and projectiles arent really my "Thing" but im certain there was a mod that gave the player spell casting that did text-based particles when you cast the spell... Perhaps give that a look.

http://community.playstarbound.com/index.php?resources/arcane-add-on.877/

 

I just had a look at with no avail sadly. It seems to just be doing what starbound does. I am wanting to be able to do it through a actiononreap event

 

How do I go about doing that? I have no clue were to even start with AI

 

Well, thats a shame then. I guess I would have to leave it then :C

Oh well, the event I wanted it for has finsihed anyways. Thanks for the help though.