Preloader for particles

[Luca Coeur]

is there a way to preload the images used in particles?

I tried using a bogus particlesystem (as invisible as possible) for preloading

• using scaled down particles (PSYS_PART_START_SCALE set to 0.01, same for the STOP),
• using transparent particles (PSYS_PART_START_ALPHA = 0, STOP = 0.01)
• using a small radius (PSYS_SRC_BURST_RADIUS - so they aren't that obvious)

All those seem to have no effect on the visibility of the texture and will create clientside lag :-(

When I have a prim textured with the same images in the field of view the particles are visible well from the beginning. I tried to avoid that prim though...

[Madelaine McMasters]

I've been able to "preload" particles by setting start and end alpha to zero during the first call to llParticleSystem, waiting a few seconds, then calling it again with start and end alpha where I want them. If the viewer thinks your particles are too small to see, it won't load the textures, so that might be your problem. Fortunately, the particle system doesn't seem to do the same for start and end alpha = 0.

Make your particles large enough to see, with start and end alpha = 0.

[Qie Niangao]

Also--probably not the problem here, but maybe--the size of the particle emitter determines the range over which its particles are visible. If the emitting prim is so small that it doesn't rez at the viewing distance, then the particles won't either, even if they're much larger. I'd guess that the particle textures aren't downloaded, either, in that case.

[phaedra Exonar]

I've used a hollow sphere to hide the preloaded texture on the inside where it can't be seen, or on any prime surface that is hidden, cuts and dimples can be used too.  Mesh would be great for this because you could add a single triangle to what ever shape for the preloader.

[Luca Coeur]

Thank you all for your valuable suggestions, I'll try to figure out why I get to see blank grey  particles instead of my images

 

Luca

 

Edited for typo