[GEN/ZH] Pulsing effects with animated textures (GMax)

[Dibelius]

Short tutorial of how you can create this effect only by animating the textures itself and not the meshes:


http://www.deezire.net/tutorials/images/animated-redlight.gif


OK, here is an example of a green pulsing effect:
(You can make any color you want. here it's only an example)

At first, extract the object PABlinkLiteR.W3D or PABlinkLiteB.W3D from the W3DZH.big and import it in GMax (+RenX plugin). Then select the attached planes and give them a new material. Afterwards select the pyramid and make another material. To define the material take the settings below:


-----
THESE ARE SETTINGS YOU MUST DEFINE IN THE MATERIAL EDITOR OF GMAX
-----

Material #1 -- material for the planes (the real pulsing effect)
Pass 1, Ambient: (color 0 0 0)
Pass 1, Diffuse: (color 0 0 0)
Pass 1, Emissive: (color 0 255 0) -- set the color here (in this case: green)
Pass 1, Stage 0 Mapping Args:
Pass 1, Stage 1 Mapping Type: Edge
Pass 1, Stage 1 Mapping Args: VPerSec=1.9
Pass 1, Blend Mode: Add
Pass 1, Detail Color: Scale
Pass 1, Texture Stage 0: PSBlink.tga
Pass 1, Texture Stage 1: PSGrad.tga

Material #2 -- material for the pyramid
Pass 1, Ambient: (color 0 0 0)
Pass 1, Diffuse: (color 0 0 0)
Pass 1, Emissive: (color 0 255 0) -- set the color here (in this case: green)
Pass 1, Stage 0 Mapping Type: Linear Offset
Pass 1, Stage 0 Mapping Args: VPerSec=-1.9
Pass 1, Blend Mode: Add
Pass 1, Texture Stage 0: PSGrad.tga

The Mapping Type Edge with the argument VPerSec=(float) is the responsible thing to get the desired pulsing effect. The argument VPerSec controls how fast it pulses.

The textures PSBlink.tga and PSGrad.tga are original textures of Zero Hour... simply extract them out of the TexturesZH.big file.

You should see your new pulsing effect like you know them from the red and blue ones with exactly the same pulsing rate. Of course you can play with the arguments to get other results. Another argument for the Edge Mapping Type is UseReflect=(bool)
{bool = false/true}

You can use it for every object you like and of course for weapon effects as well.

What comes in my mind are e.g. texture-animated glowing projectiles for a futured-based mod. These projectiles could use this effect.

So the borders are only set by you fantasy.

Greetz Dibelius