Plasma Tutorials

Are there any out there that work? I'm trying to learn how to use it so that I can play around with waterfall ideas, but every time I find a plasma tutorial using the search function, the CAPs are no longer available for download, or they don't really explain what's going on.

I know the 'source' and 'cold' parts are important, and need textures. But I have no idea what sort of textures. All I've managed to get are blocky and flashing results.

UPDATE: For some reason Plasma effects aren't working in my .CAP. I can create a new .CAP and get them working just fine. Something in my main .CAP must be conflicting with the Plasma effect though. If you guys can take a look around and see if you can pin point the issue, I'd really appreciate it. <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle">

Here's my .CAP

Found this -> http://69.24.73.172/scirra/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1601

and this -> http://www.scirra.com/forum/plasma-school_topic43365.html

here -> http://www.scirra.com/forum/examples-tutorials-list_topic41594.html

Thanks Zy, I found those earlier <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

The first link has dead downloads. The second looks great, but doesn't explain how to get the effects working. I'm wondering if there's some particular way the textures need to be saved, using specific colours or transparency... or something.

Whenever I try to use the Plasma effect, either nothing is visible at all, only a small corner is visible, or the whole thing is visible but flashes around when the player moves. It varies based on the size of the plasma box.

I'm probably missing something simple, which is why I would love a tutorial that explains how to use the feature. All I can find are examples of what can be done with it, but not how to actually use it. I want to create my own textures and effects rather than copy/paste someone else's <img src="smileys/smiley5.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Learning by doing, google how to draw soft brushes and make a few. Look what happens if you use different textures with different smooth edges or hard ones. Use GIMP to make brushes, google how to use it.

Btw, The links are working for me.

The links work, but the .rar that downloads is empty. It is for me anyway. Do yours have something inside?

As for the brushes, I have Photoshop and know how to create brushes. I experimented with creating several different textures for both the cold and source textures. I just don't understand why they aren't showing up properly. The plasma effect flickers all over the place, flashes on and off when the player moves left and right. I have no idea what's causing it, which is why I was hoping to find a tutorial or explanation about the plasma feature and what all of its various settings actually do.

I'll see if I can use some of the textures from the above examples, and check if they work for me or not.

Which .rar? My first link has a .cap and my second link also.

My third link is my source where I get my links.

In the second example, there are the textures right next to the effects, you can compare them.

The first one isn't working. I wonder if it's Opera... I'll try again with IE.

I've been playing around with the second one, and tweaked one of the fire effects to flow down and look kinda like a waterfall. But trying to create the same effect in my own .CAP leads to the glitchy issues I mentioned above. Something seems to be messing with the plasma effects. I'll keep toying around.

Thanks for your help so far <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

EDIT: Yep, it's Opera being stubborn. IE downloaded the examples just fine <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Looks like it's just an issue with my .CAP that is breaking the plasma effects. Thanks for your help, it's pointed me towards the real issue <img src="smileys/smiley17.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Well, I only can guess, but I can't say what you're doing wrong.

But if I remember what Ashley said 2009...

BEFORE you make a post, have a look at these options:

...

2) Post a .cap file! (".cap" is the format Construct saves files in) This can help everyone solve your problem much more quickly if we can investigate what you've done ourselves and try it out. It saves us time from having to set up what you described, and also, you might forget to mention something important you did in your .cap file (which could be the cause/solution to your problem). Also, the simpler the file is, the better. Post a .cap!

...

source

You maybe should post a cap^^....

Sorry, but I couldn't resist to post it :P

Okay uploading my .CAP file to Dropbox now. It's 35MB though, so it's taking aaaaaaaaaaaages.

I have also uploaded a separate .CAP of my own quick plasma textures working, just so you know it's not me sucking at using it <img src="smileys/smiley17.gif" border="0" align="middle">

Here's the .CAP of a working Plasma effect.

Using those textures in my main .CAP just doesn't work for some reason.

EDIT: Ooo it's uploaded quicker than I thought.

Here you go!

It's one hell of a mess at the moment, so I placed the plasma effect right next to the current starting position.

Hi -Silver-, I was experiment recently with the plasma plugin...

I may say, there is a important parameters around it... the first the cold texture and the second, source texture... been brief, the cold texture serves as a cutoff mask of the source texture, then with the filters you can modify colouring of the final render...

then you have, speed parameters what they speaks by their own names, they controls direction in which the cold mask moves over the source... that was all my understanding about Plasma plugin, i espect this helps you to understand it too.

PD: sorry for my english.

Thanks Yao!

I've managed to get them working perfectly in new .CAP files, but for some reason the .CAP I'm using for my game isn't working. No idea why, the Plasma effects just aren't displaying properly.

Bumping.

I've updated my OP with my .CAP and an explanation of the new issue. Basically, plasma effects aren't working in my .CAP, and I can't figure out why. If anyone has the time to spare to check out my .CAP and see if you can spot the issue, I'd really appreciate the help!

Thanks <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

ok i'll check it now...

EDIT: After open your .cap, I may notice something very very important, when downloading file i supose that, you are using very big sprites, that lacks your VRAM, one suggestion, try to cut the biggers to minor pieces so you can repeat a sprite any times you want, but thats saves you a lot of VRAM why despite you have many instances still that instances uses one unique texture here i lets you a picture to try explain the fact:

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/74660811/examples/sprite_instances.png" border="0" />

this maybe not solves your plasma effect issue, but helps to improve your .cap speed, then we can discard VRAM lack as posibility to your Plasma malfunction.

PD: sorry for my english.

Yep, my parallax backgrounds reach up to 2048x2048 in size. The whole .CAP is just a mess of ideas though, and the backgrounds don't even match up anymore in some areas. It's a test .CAP where I'm throwing together all my ideas, seeing what works and what doesn't, and if they cause any issues. Once I've got enough ideas worked out, I'll build a working level design from a new layout.

Is the VRAM an issue? I haven't noticed it causing any issues on my computer or my girlfriend's laptop so far. This might be a good time to test it on other people's rigs I guess. Does the game have problems running on your computer?

Does the game have problems running on your computer?

Well I try to test it on my job's machine, a AMD phenom 9750 quad-core 2.4 GHz, win7 2 Gb ram, but dont start, i will try it on my own, i5 8Gb ram 1Gb video ram, win7, this weekend, anything i notice i'll post it the next monday.

Any way with your permission i'll apply the above stuff i explained to your cap and post the results again to compare the VRAM usage, are you agree?