SFM Particle Editor Tutorial

Since there hasn't really been any tutorial for this Editor (not that I know at least), here you guys go! Hope it's understandable in some way, haha.
For anyone keen on reading up a bit more, this is like all you can get:
developer.valv...
developer.valv...
I might create a second video dedicated to some more advanced tricks and attributes that I didn't mention here.

[@Aldestructo]

If anybody's confused... Pcf files stand for particle configuration files, because they're particle configurations! Simple.

[@pixeltropolis4926]

Awesome tutorial, the smooth voice and great skill helped me get through the process and make my own particles, thanks so much!

[@sigthestargazer7276]

Just found this vid, really useful hope more vids are this entertaining and helpful. Keep up the good work!

[@Talentlesssss]

Thank you so much, you just upped my SFM skilled to a whole new level, thank you.

[@Dookster]

theres no particles in here. help?

[@mrdkatrombon3173]

*QUICK TUTORIAL* 30 MINUTES

[@ygglicious]

very nice tutorial. now new users will have it a lot easier. provided they find this. i will definitely recommend this further!

[@HornMeisterBongo]

Great tutorial! It really helped out for making particles in my SFM posters!

[@RedMser]

To everyone who can't find the particles, you have to go to the folder game/usermod/particles (just press the back button twice then go to usermod and then particles!) when searching the particle file because the file browser by default is in the folder game/tf/particles.

[@saintspharmacy6638]

Thanks! This helped me in my poster!!

[@pink3665]

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH Now Temmie can create a beautiful poster,yaYA

[@Aldestructo]

You're a hero.

[@k4mil66]

Och, you safe my poster, thanks

[@joeymonstaman]

Alright, I find the particle, set thetime, blah blah blah, refresh, and it's not there. Why is that?

[@willyt8541]

Helped me out a lot. Couldn't thank you enough!

[@kumpa-csgomore5945]

i found my particle thank you so much your the best!

[@chrisscar005]

Children a little bit more complicated. That sounds like a real child alright.

[@Ash21]

Wow thanks! wasn't a tutorial I was looking for but glad I found it so I can make my own particles.

[@benitz0806]

How do you expand the scale of the flame effect??

[@RedMser]

From another comment: "You'll have to edit/instance the particle system, then manually scale all relevant initializers and operators (e.g. Radius Random, Position within Sphere Random, ...). There's no way to magically do this for all attributes at once, like with models."

[@PentaromaLMA0]

This was recordef at 3 am

[@Sontaburetski]

This guy needs more subs people!

[@lilwabbit03]

thanks so much you earned my subscription but one thing I found funny was in the beginning it was like "hello everyone and I want to make a quick tutorial about the particle system" then you check the length of video and it is over 30 minutes long and your like O_O ok lol xD nice thanks again

[@RedMser]

+Grimfrog Haha, thanks! Yeah, I tried to cut it short, since there is so much to particle making, but this is as short as I got it without missing out anything too important that one couldn't learn themself.

[@lilwabbit03]

it d me how to work with particles finnaly thanks again

[@pierrdaa]

Will you ever make a Lighting Tutorial? The lighting on your pyro shot looks great and you seem to be good at lighting.

[@RedMser]

+PierrDa There's not much to make a tutorial for - I at least wouldn't really know what to show then other than the way I'd light some example scenes... I'd always start with a 3-point lighting setup (google for some infos on that), so one main, fill and rim light, and then add in other light sources like that from unusual effects, bounce lights (lights reflecting off surfaces) and the like. If this doesn't help out enough, I could consider making one regardless! :o

[@pierrdaa]

I've been trying the 3-point lighting setup but I'm not doing so well. I tried to do it but so far my attempts have been pretty bad. My first attempt is my Demoman set and my second attempt is my medic set. My first try was pretty bad because It's brightly lit in a dark location so it looks like a spotlight is pointing at the subject and there's barely any dark spots. My second attempt failed because the subject looked too jagged and low polygonal at the neck, the collar, the arms and other parts so it looked really terrible. Here they are: imgur.com/a/CSMr1

[@RedMser]

Well, I guess I'll get to it some time then, if it isn't as self-explanatory as I thought for it to be! :o

[@pierrdaa]

***** Well, thanks man!

[@MoltenFreddy0414]

I'm wondering how do I find particles i downloaded off the workshop

[@RedMser]

It's simply found inside game/workshop/particles when browsing for the pcf files.

[@MoltenFreddy0414]

Oh thank you so much!

[@itslin4161]

I downloaded some particle add ons but there are not in my particle folder..

[@Catto109]

Uhhhhhh I dont understand when you switch back to sfm I don't know which folder to go through

[@SO_SIC]

Total ASMR.

[@maniacisaspy3728]

How did you blur out the background and make it focus on the soldier? P.s good tutorial!

[@RedMser]

It'd probably take too long to post in a comment, so check this video instead: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6LIiKOGj66Cra8

[@maniacisaspy3728]

***** Right, Sorry i didn't reply in a long time, But where can I find focaldistance and aperture?

[@RedMser]

The video linked should talk about it. Create a camera as an animation set and you can edit its parameters.

[@maniacisaspy3728]

Thanks guys :D It's worked out, I'd really appreciate feedback :D steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=451875965

[@Jozial1]

Would you be able to explain how to scale imported particle systems? I have a camp fire i downloaded from the workshop and I want to scale it up and I'm unsure how to do it. I've tried different methods but nothing works unfortunately

[@RedMser]

You'll have to edit/instance the particle system, then manually scale all relevant initializers and operators (e.g. Radius Random, Position within Sphere Random, ...). There's no way to magically do this for all attributes at once, like with models.

[@QuilloManar]

How do you add a control point, I want to make a bunch of particles spawn at one control point and head to the second control point. I know the basics around constraints, but how do you actually add that second control point?

[@QuilloManar]

Never mind, telling an operator to use a specific control point will create that control point.

[@coolchouzhao]

Where’d you get the dota 2 fire particle?

[@RedMser]

Back when Dota 2 used Source, you could simply copy its game data. I think now with Source 2 you have to download it from somewhere externally to get it into SFM.

[@coolchouzhao]

Red Mser I don’t have dota :(

[@RedMser]

It's a free game, but yeah you'd have to get the content from somewhere else anyway. I didn't try this, but it seems to be what you want: 8yaron8.deviantart.com/art/DotA-2-content-on-Source-1-559491931

[@sonario6489]

Captions option. You should probably have it. I can barely hear you without turning my volume up to over 50% So, it is possible to view particles without having to preview with shift every single time?

[@Exdon5453]

for whatever reason, when I stop the animation, the snow slowly continues to fall, but it's "ghost" stops, making the snow stretch and look like rain particules, how can I change that and make them stay round?

[@RedMser]

Ex Jr Disable or weaken the effect of motion blur on the camera.

[@gemmavincent7968]

I have no .pcf files, where can I get some?

[@ludwigthestrange]

This helped so much. Thank you.

[@harrysjaaksma]

definitly helped alot thanks man!

[@PaceStudios2012]

I opened the window in the editor to look for filed and its blank

[@keybladegames_real]

But what about particle creation?

[@rekhyl]

When i try to find the particles it goes to C:\ in the sfm and doesnt want to change.... It is really annoying, any suggestions?

[@peteryang9019]

Such a quick tutorial!

[@smarshed1659]

Hi red Mser...I've been having this problem lately,So..I've been trying to make a poster with a medic and heavy and the medic is supposed to be healing the heavy. I tried locking the control point 0 to the muzzle and i connected the control point 1 to heavy's spine but the beam just turns to this circle and there's a large gap between the beam and the medic and heavy. PLs help!

[@RedMser]

Physical Films Rotate the control points, their direction affects the arc.

[@mmmct2708]

hello me again um i'm trying to make a partic bigger that people use for souls which is in the workshop um were in the video i can find to size up this particle cuz i tryed one of the ways but didn't have a effect to it please help me..again ;-;

[@RedMser]

That would be the Radius Random initializer, or the Radius Scale operator.

[@mr.bramley6910]

hi great tutorial but when i export the sfm as a poster it makes the snow go in lines and not circles? why? please help!

[@RedMser]

+[SFM]HeyItsJosh rightclick your viewport, go to render settings and disable the checkbox for motion blur! :)

[@mr.bramley6910]

+Red Mser ty m8!

[@skylarkthefoxx5408]

Hey Red, mind helping me with something? I made a certain save that was an explosion, but I can't see it in SFM whenever I put it up somewhere. Have any idea what's wrong?

[@RedMser]

If it shows up correctly in the particle editor, then you most likely have no Initalizer to specify its position (such as a Position Within Sphere Random).

[@skylarkthefoxx5408]

Ooooh. Let me try that.

[@WfrArcPol]

how do you scroll out in the viewpoint?

[@RedMser]

+Badmecha007 hold leftclick and scroll with the mousewheel (or hold S if you want to move backwards)

[@DipperGames420]

Could this create something akin to the stuff you see in the Dragon Ball series? I've been trying to find an accurate, yet realistic way to have characters transform into their alternate states (I.E, Super Saiyan, Ultra Instinct, etc.), yet the most identical thing I found was placing a volumetric light under the models, which in hindsight didn't look that amazing.

[@RedMser]

It definitely is possible, but you'll need quite a solid understanding of everything you're doing. I don't know if any particle systems like that are available for download, but my friend has been doing particles like that successfully: kzbin.info

[@civilprotection-cu9ip]

Thanks man, helped me a lot!

[@PaceStudios2012]

I can't find my particles please help

[@bingchillin248]

How do you change the scale to a particle?

[@RedMser]

To make each particle bigger, change the radius options (either the initializer "radius random", the operator "radius scale", or the system property "radius"). You may also need to change the other properties to make it seem bigger, like stronger gravity or bigger spawning radius.

[@bingchillin248]

ty my good man.

[@springmations4111]

You helped me a lot thanks u earned a sub

[@kacper4972]

Hi! I want to make medigun effect, but I haven't got particles in forlder. Particles must be download? please help!

[@RedMser]

+Cosiek PL It's probably in your game\tf\particles folder and not in game\usermod\particles! :)

[@kacper4972]

I know I find this files, but thanks for answer :)

[@PaceStudios2012]

+Cosiek PL how do I find these files?

[@spitememe2009]

does anyone know how to make somebody on fire in SFM I think its a particle

[@kumpa-csgomore5945]

i cant find the particle that i created ;(

[@Sontaburetski]

I have a question. How do you make particles last longer?

[@RedMser]

+Nintendo Nation Just change the lifetime_min/max in the Lifetime Random initializer. You might also have to, when creating the particle system animation set, increase the "Particle System Lifetime" value.

[@Sontaburetski]

thank you, you helped a lot! You also need more subs.

[@americantemplar6553]

but how can i add shiny effects on weapons?

[@RedMser]

Depends on what you mean with "shiny effects"... Unusual weapons? Those are pretty tough to set up, but there's info on them online. Specialized killstreakers? Those aren't particles, so not covered here, but again you can find stuff about them if you search online.

[@GoldenHooves]

When do you mention Brightness here if you do?

[@RedMser]

+Jonathan Eden What do you mean? How bright a particle is on the final render? Get a more vibrant color, increase the values on the alpha random and don't change tonemapScale on the camera.

[@GoldenHooves]

***** I wanna increase the brightness of particles but I don't want to spam the particles. And I want to make the map darker using tonemapScale

[@RedMser]

Make the map darker by removing its lights instead, I'd suggest. You can't make the particles brighter if you have lowered your tonemapScale, I'm afraid, since it is layered on top of every other additive blending or whatever you try to make your particles brighter...

[@GoldenHooves]

***** Oh, thanks anyway.

[@jovanstokic7274]

well it doesnt work for me when i put it in sfm i click play but the particles dont spawn :(

[@TheSkywalker334]

in case you didn't watch the Valve tutorial and still confused, scrub the playhead outside the shot and scrub back in. it should be showing up now

[@jovanstokic7274]

um yea... i just download particles from the worskshop

[@jaybird498]

Basicily,instead of downloading the particle,he just makes one

[@witherspoon800]

can u make subtitles ? plsssss

[@gardenofeden2003]

Hey Red, I opened up the particle folder, and there is nothing in there, do I have to install something, or should it be there already?

[@RedMser]

As said in another comment, be sure to check which folder you are in. By default, tf/particles should have stuff in it and usermod/particles should be empty. Depending on where you are saving your custom pcf file, you should find it in that folder as well. I do agree it is pretty confusing with the folder names being the same and all.

[@shanebroomfield2122]

Next time can u pls speak up I can bearley hear what u are say

[@stickymaggot]

IceEnder Boy use headset bruh

[@shanebroomfield2122]

Fine

[@adesouky556]

You Sir , are Awesome ! .. You Just earned a Sub ;)

[@kristhegamer2726]

how doesnt your particle blur realy badly in clip editor????

[@RedMser]

+Kristián Vídenský You gotta disable Motion Blur in the Render Settings.

[@kristhegamer2726]

kinda figure it out couple months ago... i just slowed down the movement of the particle to 0.1 speed and it is perfect! even if it took you *HALF A YEAR* to respond i still want to thank you because without you i would be completly cluless and here are few art works i made: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=577389814 (its pretty bad in my opinion), steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=595295596 and steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=588043023

[@RedMser]

+Kristián Vídenský Haha yeah, I just now saw your comment (or forgot to reply when I first saw it), decided to do it now instead of never, didn't wanna feel bad, like I ignored you or something. Also, those aren't bad! I like how you're using that one sans model I did the port for, haha. Nice work though! :)

[@kristhegamer2726]

***** first: thank you very much and second: oh my god! how stupid im for not noticing your name sooner!

[@polygous]

i have my particles folder and the pcf file but nothing in it

[@RedMser]

Nothing "in it"? In the particles folder or in the PCF file?

[@polygous]

***** nope, completely empty

[@RedMser]

Check which particles folder you are opening. By default, it's in game/usermod/particles, but if you saved the PCF file in TF2's particles directory, you have to navigate to game/tf/particles instead!

[@polygous]

***** i searched it all for 1hr nothing in any

[@skylarkthefoxx5408]

Yeah, to be honest, I'm having the same problem. Everything's empty. Plus, I can't navigate to the TF file because there is no option to operate to it.EDIT: Actually, now I get it! What you have to do for some people is navigate all the way back to the beginning and THEN work your way back up. So, umm, yeah. hope I helped.

[@sonario6489]

Ooookaaaaaaaaayyyyy I could do it one time but now I cant and forgot what I needed to do to have the particles appear on screen and be able to be seen moving when I move the dot.

[@RedMser]

Move the playhead outside of the shot and back in.

[@juraichloe]

After 30+30min. doing excat same thing you did in the video, nothing. Do I have to make myself more clear? Nothing, there's just nothing, even that I added the particle there's just nothing.

[@RedMser]

DattazJuraic Did you do the "move playhead out of shot" thing? Without it, any particle ain't visible. Also be sure the particle is positioned inside of the map, of course :p

[@juraichloe]

When did that come? ;D If that's the case, I didn't notice it.

[@juraichloe]

***** I seriously want to know, my art will not be published anymore D::

[@RedMser]

DattazJuraic Not sure if I'm following you, what exactly is the issue? Didn't the "fix" I mentioned fix it? Which particle(s) are you trying it on? On what map?

[@juraichloe]

I don't know how to make it visible. You said that without ^^^ thingy the effect is not visible. Help?

[@mmmct2708]

PLS MAKE A TUTORIAL of how to make a fire effect most of us starter's don't know how to make a fire effect pls pls pls make a vid on that

[@RedMser]

The second half of the video (around 24:00 ) quickly runs through it.

[@mmmct2708]

no i mean like a good fire like a bomb fire flamethrower fire that kind of fire i'm a starter on sfm and i really need to know how to make a good fire effect so if its not to hard pls make a tutorial of how to make flamethrower fire

[@SirCheeseEater]

Jesus, I need subtitles

[@heatherhittaofficial4560]

hitting the add made my omen crash

[@CyberOrladin]

man ur awesome thanks

[@Tatsu0ni]

someone should make a chanel of particle editor tutorials like the hammer editor serries chanel TopHATTwaffle Hoogland

[@RedMser]

firelordA2 Well, I could go make more but idk what else to really cover... :/

[@PegmodeChiptune]

+Red Mser what about smoke, force generators and children?

[@VaskoG384]

All i wanted was to make a spy on fire...why does everything have to be so complicated?

[@RedMser]

TF2 already includes a lot of particles itself. If you can find the particle file used for burning players, you can simply use that. In fact, I believe there's tutorials which explain exactly how you make a character appear on fire, so search for that if you need more info!

[@EmptyVoidedSoul]

Thanks!

[@spitememe2009]

thx for the help

[@sickman2233]

is this ASMR?

[@deltaknight2764]

I don't even have any particle files

[@RedMser]

Check which folder you're in (as stated on the pinned comment). The particle editor saved/loads to usermod's particles folder by default, while when creating a new particle system animation set it starts in tf's particles folder.

[@deltaknight2764]

I did everything you did, and not even the default particles are in the folder, it's completely empty.

[@RedMser]

The "default particles" from TF2 should be in the folder SourceFilmmaker/game/tf/particles/ Can you try opening that folder in Windows, and see if it has .pcf files? If so, that same folder should show particles in SFM as well, if you open it.

[@Tallzom]

i did rain :3

[@KNIF3Channel]

Too lewd