Can't set any new Particle System properties through script

All the newly exposed modules seem to be read only. And even then they don't return what I'd expect. For example: Can't set Rotation over Lifetime to a constant value via script nor does it return the constant value I have set in the inspector.

 

Yup, the struct are read-only, the members of the struct are get/set'able, but then again you can't modify them individually so you're stuck in it. Gotta keep sticking with the deprecated variables until that's fixed or the workflow is documented.

 

Using the following code I was able to access most of the members. But when I try to get any value while the curvemode is not set to constant the following error is logged:

and the curveMax and curveMin are always empty. Is this intentional, a bug or am I doing something wrong?

Code (CSharp):

1. var VelLifeTimeModule =this.GetComponent<ParticleSystem>().velocityOverLifetime;
2. var Xcurve = VelLifeTimeModule.x;
3. if(Xcurve.mode == ParticleSystemCurveMode.Constant)
4. {
5.     VelLifeTimeModule.space = ParticleSystemSimulationSpace.Local;
6.     Xcurve.constantMax =1;
7.     Debug.Log(VelLifeTimeModule.x.constantMax);
8.     VelLifeTimeModule.x = Xcurve;
9.     Debug.Log(VelLifeTimeModule.x.constantMax);
10. }else if(Xcurve.mode == ParticleSystemCurveMode.Curve){
11.     Debug.Log( Xcurve.curveMax);
12.     Debug.Log( Xcurve.curveMin);
13. }

 

Hi,


Thank you for your quick response! Too bad that I can't get the curves outside of the constant modes. But since it is possible to set them, I am going to try to make a custom editor script in which curves can be defined that will replace the curves in the particlesystem.


Since I am trying to create some sort of slow-motion effect for articles that are inside of a sphere ( I want to slow down individual particles) I need some way of reading the velocity of the particle but the velocity set in the velocity over lifetime module isn't added to the particle velocity. I wonder why this doesn't happen.


Because of this I wanted to use the curve and find the corresponding velocity using AnimationCurve.Evaluate to get the velocity. But for the random values this is, of course, not possible. Is there a way to recalculate the random value?


Sorry for all these questions, but I promise these are the last (for now )

 

Very excited to see these particle system improvements!

However, i wonder why the access to modules was implemented via properties instead of
GetModule<T> where T: IParticleSystemModule.

That doesn't seem to be very future proof - unless there is no intention to ever let us implement our own modules.
Or if that is coming one day, i see API changes down the road and migration hassle...

I applauded when you removed all the MonoBehaviour shortcuts (.renderer, .camera, .collider),
imho this would be the right time to give ParticleSystem the same treatment

 

I understand why the curves wouldn't be available for play since they're being optimized away, but what about in editor? A lot of the usefulness of direct script control of particle systems is for custom editors or augmentation of the existing tools.

 

I also can't seem to set particleSystem.emission.enabled = false. enabled is get/set, but emission is a struct so can't set it directly (like you can't do transform.position.x = value). But emission is get only, so I can assign it to a local value, change emission.enabled, and set it back

 

I ran into the same issue when upgrading. I decided to try using ParticleSystem.Play/Stop again, although we decided not to use that in the past in favor of the obsolete emissionEnabled property for reasons I am not aware of at the moment.

[EDIT] found the recommended solution which sets emission.enabled after getting a struct reference: http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/enabling-emission.364258/#post-2356966