Particle Fade-in

Hi guys!

I was just wondering: Is it too difficult to add a "particle fade in" value to the particle plug-in?

I wanted this so hard, but I have little experience on programming. If you guys say it's easy, I'd try to do it!

I'm trying to create a soothing, calm clouds, but they appear with the opacity already on 100%, so it kinda spoils the mood... Any other tips on achieving this effect?!

Have the actual sprite use a stronger transparency that decreases per frame? Or put them on a layer and change the layer opacity instead?

Try to create the particles as small as possible and let them grow over time, so it's not so obvious that they appear at 100% opacity...

Or you could try to move them upwards/sideways and make the part where they are created covered by an other object.

Thats how i worked around the problem in a 3D game. I spwaned the particles below the ground and let them move upwards slowly.

Yeah, that's what I was doing: Making the particles flow from the outside of the layout... But the effect isn't quite what I wanted

But anyway, don't you guys think a "particle fade in" parameter would be a nice addition?

Yeah, actually there are several parameters the particles would benefit from, but so far the answer has been that they are pretty complex already. Seems like you are better off just spawning objects with the necessary behaviors. It's not too hard either. Just do a repeat or every x ms event.

I was thinking about something like this the other day but what I wanted was particles that start as invisible, but then after a set timer they become visible (meaning each particle becomes visible after traveling, for say, 800 ms). This would be easier I'd think than fade-in (but I'm not a programmer) and would be very useful for some things. Let's say you want a circle of particles, you just set the invisibility timer and then after they are so far from the spawning point they become visible. That would create a "halo" effect of particles. If you want a cool magic shield around your player, this would look really awesome. You could also create a better "sparkler" or "crackling" effect I think.

With this option it would be really easy to make particles look like they are spawning from a ring-like area rather than a single point.

I 2nd this request.

I personally wouldnt particles to become *too complex*, I just wish more parameters supported negative numbers. For instance, you cant create a particle with a negative speed. While im sure this normally would not be necessary (if they all spawned at the same point it would appear exactly as it would as with positive speed, just transformed 180 degrees), if you spawn your particles at random spots then you would end up with an 'implosion' effect of sorts. But, particles cant have negative speeds, so you would need to simulate this kind of effect yourself.

And if this functionality were added, then maybe a negative fade out time could become a fade in time?