Single, floating particle

[Xeon Azalee]

I'm trying to the to grips with the host of parameters of llParticleSystem. What I want to do, is a single particle that floats at a certain distance over the emitter - kind of like the voice dot that floats above your head. 

Is that possible? And if yes, which are the important settings to keep the particle floating?

Thank you very much in advance!

[Qie Niangao]

There's not a lot of trickiness to this one, unless I'm missing something. You'll want to use PSYS_SRC_PATTERN_DROP and either have it emitted from a prim at the right place or adjust the particle texture so it's offset to appear in the right place. Then decide on a combination of PSYS_PART_MAX_AGE and PSYS_SRC_BURST_RATE such that the "flashiness" of having multiple particles showing part of the time is acceptable.

If the emitter is moving (like an avatar attachment), you'll probably want PSYS_PART_FOLLOW_SRC_MASK so the particles move along with the attachment rather than being left behind.

ETA: I was kind of assuming that the emitter would be attached and that you'd want that FOLLOW_SRC_MASK set, but if that's not the case, you can have the particle emit some distance from the emitter, using PSYS_SRC_BURST_RADIUS and PSYS_SRC_PATTERN_ANGLE. A kind of starting snippet:

            llParticleSystem(                [ PSYS_SRC_PATTERN, PSYS_SRC_PATTERN_ANGLE                , PSYS_SRC_ANGLE_BEGIN, 0.0                , PSYS_SRC_ANGLE_END, 0.0                , PSYS_SRC_BURST_RADIUS, 2.0                , PSYS_SRC_ACCEL, ZERO_VECTOR                , PSYS_SRC_BURST_SPEED_MIN, 0.0                , PSYS_SRC_BURST_SPEED_MAX, 0.0                ]);

 

 

[Xeon Azalee]

Thanks a lot, Qie, that was just what I needed! Taking your advice as a basis, I was able to get it as I wanted it.