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-rw-r--r--doc/lua_api.txt346
1 files changed, 329 insertions, 17 deletions
diff --git a/doc/lua_api.txt b/doc/lua_api.txt
index 2bf1e2171..f7fdad56e 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.txt
+++ b/doc/lua_api.txt
@@ -4856,6 +4856,11 @@ Utilities
abm_min_max_y = true,
-- dynamic_add_media supports passing a table with options (5.5.0)
dynamic_add_media_table = true,
+ -- particlespawners support texpools and animation of properties,
+ -- particle textures support smooth fade and scale animations, and
+ -- sprite-sheet particle animations can by synced to the lifetime
+ -- of individual particles (5.6.0)
+ particlespawner_tweenable = true,
-- allows get_sky to return a table instead of separate values (5.6.0)
get_sky_as_table = true,
}
@@ -8984,6 +8989,8 @@ Used by `minetest.add_particle`.
texture = "image.png",
-- The texture of the particle
+ -- v5.6.0 and later: also supports the table format described in the
+ -- following section
playername = "singleplayer",
-- Optional, if specified spawns particle only on the player's client
@@ -9005,6 +9012,12 @@ Used by `minetest.add_particle`.
-- If set to a valid number 1-6, specifies the tile from which the
-- particle texture is picked.
-- Otherwise, the default behavior is used. (currently: any random tile)
+
+ drag = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
+ -- v5.6.0 and later: Optional drag value, consult the following section
+
+ bounce = {min = ..., max = ..., bias = 0},
+ -- v5.6.0 and later: Optional bounce range, consult the following section
}
@@ -9013,7 +9026,20 @@ Used by `minetest.add_particle`.
Used by `minetest.add_particlespawner`.
+Before v5.6.0, particlespawners used a different syntax and had a more limited set
+of features. Definition fields that are the same in both legacy and modern versions
+are shown in the next listing, and the fields that are used by legacy versions are
+shown separated by a comment; the modern fields are too complex to compactly
+describe in this manner and are documented after the listing.
+
+The older syntax can be used in combination with the newer syntax (e.g. having
+`minpos`, `maxpos`, and `pos` all set) to support older servers. On newer servers,
+the new syntax will override the older syntax; on older servers, the newer syntax
+will be ignored.
+
{
+ -- Common fields (same name and meaning in both new and legacy syntax)
+
amount = 1,
-- Number of particles spawned over the time period `time`.
@@ -9022,22 +9048,6 @@ Used by `minetest.add_particlespawner`.
-- If time is 0 spawner has infinite lifespan and spawns the `amount` on
-- a per-second basis.
- minpos = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
- maxpos = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
- minvel = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
- maxvel = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
- minacc = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
- maxacc = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
- minexptime = 1,
- maxexptime = 1,
- minsize = 1,
- maxsize = 1,
- -- The particles' properties are random values between the min and max
- -- values.
- -- applies to: pos, velocity, acceleration, expirationtime, size
- -- If `node` is set, min and maxsize can be set to 0 to spawn
- -- randomly-sized particles (just like actual node dig particles).
-
collisiondetection = false,
-- If true collide with `walkable` nodes and, depending on the
-- `object_collision` field, objects too.
@@ -9066,8 +9076,11 @@ Used by `minetest.add_particlespawner`.
animation = {Tile Animation definition},
-- Optional, specifies how to animate the particles' texture
+ -- v5.6.0 and later: set length to -1 to sychronize the length
+ -- of the animation with the expiration time of individual particles.
+ -- (-2 causes the animation to be played twice, and so on)
- glow = 0
+ glow = 0,
-- Optional, specify particle self-luminescence in darkness.
-- Values 0-14.
@@ -9081,8 +9094,307 @@ Used by `minetest.add_particlespawner`.
-- If set to a valid number 1-6, specifies the tile from which the
-- particle texture is picked.
-- Otherwise, the default behavior is used. (currently: any random tile)
+
+ -- Legacy definition fields
+
+ minpos = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
+ maxpos = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
+ minvel = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
+ maxvel = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
+ minacc = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
+ maxacc = {x=0, y=0, z=0},
+ minexptime = 1,
+ maxexptime = 1,
+ minsize = 1,
+ maxsize = 1,
+ -- The particles' properties are random values between the min and max
+ -- values.
+ -- applies to: pos, velocity, acceleration, expirationtime, size
+ -- If `node` is set, min and maxsize can be set to 0 to spawn
+ -- randomly-sized particles (just like actual node dig particles).
+ }
+
+### Modern definition fields
+
+After v5.6.0, spawner properties can be defined in several different ways depending
+on the level of control you need. `pos` for instance can be set as a single vector,
+in which case all particles will appear at that exact point throughout the lifetime
+of the spawner. Alternately, it can be specified as a min-max pair, specifying a
+cubic range the particles can appear randomly within. Finally, some properties can
+be animated by suffixing their key with `_tween` (e.g. `pos_tween`) and supplying
+a tween table.
+
+The following definitions are all equivalent, listed in order of precedence from
+lowest (the legacy syntax) to highest (tween tables). If multiple forms of a
+property definition are present, the highest-precidence form will be selected
+and all lower-precedence fields will be ignored, allowing for graceful
+degradation in older clients).
+
+ {
+ -- old syntax
+ maxpos = {x = 0, y = 0, z = 0},
+ minpos = {x = 0, y = 0, z = 0},
+
+ -- absolute value
+ pos = 0,
+ -- all components of every particle's position vector will be set to this
+ -- value
+
+ -- vec3
+ pos = vector.new(0,0,0),
+ -- all particles will appear at this exact position throughout the lifetime
+ -- of the particlespawner
+
+ -- vec3 range
+ pos = {
+ -- the particle will appear at a position that is picked at random from
+ -- within a cubic range
+
+ min = vector.new(0,0,0),
+ -- `min` is the minimum value this property will be set to in particles
+ -- spawned by the generator
+
+ max = vector.new(0,0,0),
+ -- `max` is the minimum value this property will be set to in particles
+ -- spawned by the generator
+
+ bias = 0,
+ -- when `bias` is 0, all random values are exactly as likely as any
+ -- other. when it is positive, the higher it is, the more likely values
+ -- will appear towards the minimum end of the allowed spectrum. when
+ -- it is negative, the lower it is, the more likely values will appear
+ -- towards the maximum end of the allowed spectrum. the curve is
+ -- exponential and there is no particular maximum or minimum value
+ },
+
+ -- tween table
+ pos_tween = {...},
+ -- a tween table should consist of a list of frames in the same form as the
+ -- untweened pos property above, which the engine will interpolate between,
+ -- and optionally a number of properties that control how the interpolation
+ -- takes place. currently **only two frames**, the first and the last, are
+ -- used, but extra frames are accepted for the sake of forward compatibility.
+ -- any of the above definition styles can be used here as well in any combination
+ -- supported by the property type
+
+ pos_tween = {
+ style = "fwd",
+ -- linear animation from first to last frame (default)
+ style = "rev",
+ -- linear animation from last to first frame
+ style = "pulse",
+ -- linear animation from first to last then back to first again
+ style = "flicker",
+ -- like "pulse", but slightly randomized to add a bit of stutter
+
+ reps = 1,
+ -- number of times the animation is played over the particle's lifespan
+
+ start = 0.0,
+ -- point in the spawner's lifespan at which the animation begins. 0 is
+ -- the very beginning, 1 is the very end
+
+ -- frames can be defined in a number of different ways, depending on the
+ -- underlying type of the property. for now, all but the first and last
+ -- frame are ignored
+
+ -- frames
+
+ -- floats
+ 0, 0,
+
+ -- vec3s
+ vector.new(0,0,0),
+ vector.new(0,0,0),
+
+ -- vec3 ranges
+ { min = vector.new(0,0,0), max = vector.new(0,0,0), bias = 0 },
+ { min = vector.new(0,0,0), max = vector.new(0,0,0), bias = 0 },
+
+ -- mixed
+ 0, { min = vector.new(0,0,0), max = vector.new(0,0,0), bias = 0 },
+ },
}
+All of the properties that can be defined in this way are listed in the next
+section, along with the datatypes they accept.
+
+#### List of particlespawner properties
+All of the properties in this list can be animated with `*_tween` tables
+unless otherwise specified. For example, `jitter` can be tweened by setting
+a `jitter_tween` table instead of (or in addition to) a `jitter` table/value.
+Types used are defined in the previous section.
+
+* vec3 range `pos`: the position at which particles can appear
+* vec3 range `vel`: the initial velocity of the particle
+* vec3 range `acc`: the direction and speed with which the particle
+ accelerates
+* vec3 range `jitter`: offsets the velocity of each particle by a random
+ amount within the specified range each frame. used to create Brownian motion.
+* vec3 range `drag`: the amount by which absolute particle velocity along
+ each axis is decreased per second. a value of 1.0 means that the particle
+ will be slowed to a stop over the space of a second; a value of -1.0 means
+ that the particle speed will be doubled every second. to avoid interfering
+ with gravity provided by `acc`, a drag vector like `vector.new(1,0,1)` can
+ be used instead of a uniform value.
+* float range `bounce`: how bouncy the particles are when `collisiondetection`
+ is turned on. values less than or equal to `0` turn off particle bounce;
+ `1` makes the particles bounce without losing any velocity, and `2` makes
+ them double their velocity with every bounce. `bounce` is not bounded but
+ values much larger than `1.0` probably aren't very useful.
+* float range `exptime`: the number of seconds after which the particle
+ disappears.
+* table `attract`: sets the birth orientation of particles relative to various
+ shapes defined in world coordinate space. this is an alternative means of
+ setting the velocity which allows particles to emerge from or enter into
+ some entity or node on the map, rather than simply being assigned random
+ velocity values within a range. the velocity calculated by this method will
+ be **added** to that specified by `vel` if `vel` is also set, so in most
+ cases **`vel` should be set to 0**. `attract` has the fields:
+ * string `kind`: selects the kind of shape towards which the particles will
+ be oriented. it must have one of the following values:
+ * `"none"`: no attractor is set and the `attractor` table is ignored
+ * `"point"`: the particles are attracted to a specific point in space.
+ use this also if you want a sphere-like effect, in combination with
+ the `radius` property.
+ * `"line"`: the particles are attracted to an (infinite) line passing
+ through the points `origin` and `angle`. use this for e.g. beacon
+ effects, energy beam effects, etc.
+ * `"plane"`: the particles are attracted to an (infinite) plane on whose
+ surface `origin` designates a point in world coordinate space. use this
+ for e.g. particles entering or emerging from a portal.
+ * float range `strength`: the speed with which particles will move towards
+ `attractor`. If negative, the particles will instead move away from that
+ point.
+ * vec3 `origin`: the origin point of the shape towards which particles will
+ initially be oriented. functions as an offset if `origin_attached` is also
+ set.
+ * vec3 `direction`: sets the direction in which the attractor shape faces. for
+ lines, this sets the angle of the line; e.g. a vector of (0,1,0) will
+ create a vertical line that passes through `origin`. for planes, `direction`
+ is the surface normal of an infinite plane on whose surface `origin` is
+ a point. functions as an offset if `direction_attached` is also set.
+ * entity `origin_attached`: allows the origin to be specified as an offset
+ from the position of an entity rather than a coordinate in world space.
+ * entity `direction_attached`: allows the direction to be specified as an offset
+ from the position of an entity rather than a coordinate in world space.
+ * bool `die_on_contact`: if true, the particles' lifetimes are adjusted so
+ that they will die as they cross the attractor threshold. this behavior
+ is the default but is undesirable for some kinds of animations; set it to
+ false to allow particles to live out their natural lives.
+* vec3 range `radius`: if set, particles will be arranged in a sphere around
+ `pos`. A constant can be used to create a spherical shell of particles, a
+ vector to create an ovoid shell, and a range to create a volume; e.g.
+ `{min = 0.5, max = 1, bias = 1}` will allow particles to appear between 0.5
+ and 1 nodes away from `pos` but will cluster them towards the center of the
+ sphere. Usually if `radius` is used, `pos` should be a single point, but it
+ can still be a range if you really know what you're doing (e.g. to create a
+ "roundcube" emitter volume).
+
+### Textures
+
+In versions before v5.6.0, particlespawner textures could only be specified as a single
+texture string. After v5.6.0, textures can now be specified as a table as well. This
+table contains options that allow simple animations to be applied to the texture.
+
+ texture = {
+ name = "mymod_particle_texture.png",
+ -- the texture specification string
+
+ alpha = 1.0,
+ -- controls how visible the particle is; at 1.0 the particle is fully
+ -- visible, at 0, it is completely invisible.
+
+ alpha_tween = {1, 0},
+ -- can be used instead of `alpha` to animate the alpha value over the
+ -- particle's lifetime. these tween tables work identically to the tween
+ -- tables used in particlespawner properties, except that time references
+ -- are understood with respect to the particle's lifetime, not the
+ -- spawner's. {1,0} fades the particle out over its lifetime.
+
+ scale = 1,
+ scale = {x = 1, y = 1},
+ -- scales the texture onscreen
+
+ scale_tween = {
+ {x = 1, y = 1},
+ {x = 0, y = 1},
+ },
+ -- animates the scale over the particle's lifetime. works like the
+ -- alpha_tween table, but can accept two-dimensional vectors as well as
+ -- integer values. the example value would cause the particle to shrink
+ -- in one dimension over the course of its life until it disappears
+
+ blend = "alpha",
+ -- (default) blends transparent pixels with those they are drawn atop
+ -- according to the alpha channel of the source texture. useful for
+ -- e.g. material objects like rocks, dirt, smoke, or node chunks
+ blend = "add",
+ -- adds the value of pixels to those underneath them, modulo the sources
+ -- alpha channel. useful for e.g. bright light effects like sparks or fire
+ blend = "screen",
+ -- like "add" but less bright. useful for subtler light effecs. note that
+ -- this is NOT formally equivalent to the "screen" effect used in image
+ -- editors and compositors, as it does not respect the alpha channel of
+ -- of the image being blended
+ blend = "sub",
+ -- the inverse of "add"; the value of the source pixel is subtracted from
+ -- the pixel underneath it. a white pixel will turn whatever is underneath
+ -- it black; a black pixel will be "transparent". useful for creating
+ -- darkening effects
+
+ animation = {Tile Animation definition},
+ -- overrides the particlespawner's global animation property for a single
+ -- specific texture
+ }
+
+Instead of setting a single texture definition, it is also possible to set a
+`texpool` property. A `texpool` consists of a list of possible particle textures.
+Every time a particle is spawned, the engine will pick a texture at random from
+the `texpool` and assign it as that particle's texture. You can also specify a
+`texture` in addition to a `texpool`; the `texture` value will be ignored on newer
+clients but will be sent to older (pre-v5.6.0) clients that do not implement
+texpools.
+
+ texpool = {
+ "mymod_particle_texture.png";
+ { name = "mymod_spark.png", fade = "out" },
+ {
+ name = "mymod_dust.png",
+ alpha = 0.3,
+ scale = 1.5,
+ animation = {
+ type = "vertical_frames",
+ aspect_w = 16, aspect_h = 16,
+
+ length = 3,
+ -- the animation lasts for 3s and then repeats
+ length = -3,
+ -- repeat the animation three times over the particle's lifetime
+ -- (post-v5.6.0 clients only)
+ },
+ },
+ }
+
+#### List of animatable texture properties
+
+While animated particlespawner values vary over the course of the particlespawner's
+lifetime, animated texture properties vary over the lifespans of the individual
+particles spawned with that texture. So a particle with the texture property
+
+ alpha_tween = {
+ 0.0, 1.0,
+ style = "pulse",
+ reps = 4,
+ }
+
+would be invisible at its spawning, pulse visible four times throughout its
+lifespan, and then vanish again before expiring.
+
+* float `alpha` (0.0 - 1.0): controls the visibility of the texture
+* vec2 `scale`: controls the size of the displayed billboard onscreen. Its units
+ are multiples of the parent particle's assigned size (see the `size` property above)
+
`HTTPRequest` definition
------------------------