DirectQ with r_particlestyle 2

If you've looked at DirectQ's source code you will be quite well aware that I have, and have had for some time, a quite explicit intention to one day add a "fancy particle system" to it. I've also mentioned this from time to time in passing.

It seems as though that day is today.

The intention here is NOT to replace outright the original "dots" system but to provide something that looks vaguely more interesting (and varied) than dots for those who want to use it. Dot particles are still available, still look and work the exact same way as before, and are still the default.

The particle options are now:

r_particlestyle 0 - the default, dots.
r_particlestyle 1 - square particles for those who like DirectQ to look like software Quake.
r_particlestyle 2 - the new "enhanced particle system".

These are also all selectable via the Effects menu, of course.

I've looked over several particle systems in other engines, and an early intention was to port the QMB system, but eventually I've decided to write my own. There are a number of reasons for this, with one important reason being that DirectQ's renderer has evolved so far beyond GLQuake's that it's quite difficult to port anything from other engines. It's also the case that I've had the basic infrastructure required for it for a long time (all it really needed was a set of textures and a few tweaks in places).

Another extremely important reason, perhaps the most important, is that of aesthetics. There's nothing specifically wrong with other engine's systems, but when I see them running with shiny high-resolution 32-bit textures placed next to Quake's low-resolution 8-bit textures and low-polygon graphics, something just jars. It doesn't look right.

So subtle is the effect I'm going for. Something understated, something that doesn't jump out at you and make you say "oh wow, look at that particle system!" Most of the time you probably shouldn't even be aware that it's there, it should just fade into the background and become almost as if it were a natural part of the original game.

Of course, there are times when you need a little bit more. Take blood for example.



One of the key reasons why Quake is Quake is because of the gore. You need to have good, effective looking blood, so in that case it becomes necessary to ramp things up slightly. Not too much, but slightly.

Another is the lava splash when Chthon rises:



Now, I'm not too certain what the original little cloud of dots was supposed to represent, but I've always seen him surrounded by billowing smoke, so smoke it is.

More shots later.