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> Designing Visuals, Rendering, and Graphics > Cascade Particle Systems > Particle System Reference > Beam Modules

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Beam Modules

These modules are used to configure the behavior of emitters using the Beam TypeData module.

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Beam Modifier
Noise
Source
Target

These modules are used to configure or modify the behavior of emitters using the Beam TypeData module.

Beam Modifier

The Beam Modifier module allows either the Source or Target of the beam to be modified. It provides the following properties:

Property

Description

Modifier

Modifier Type

Specifies what the module is modifying. Values include:


Type	Description
PEB2MT_Source	The module modifies the beam's Source.
PEB2MT_Target	The module modifies the beam's Target.

Position

Position Options

Options associated with the Position property. Values includes:


Option	Description
Lock	If true , the position of the Source/Target is locked for the life of the particle.
Modify	If true , the position of the Source/Target will be modified. Otherwise, position is not affected.
Scale	If true , the position of the Source/Target is scaled by the Position value of the modifier module. Otherwise, override the position of the Source/Target.

Position

The position value used to modify the position of the Source/Target.

Tangent

Tangent Options

Options associated with the Tangent property. Values includes:


Option	Description
Lock	If true , the tangent of the Source/Target is locked for the life of the particle.
Modify	If true , the tangent of the Source/Target will be modified. Otherwise, tangent is not affected.
Scale	If true , the tangent of the Source/Target is scaled by the Tangent value of the modifier module. Otherwise, override the tangent of the Source/Target.

Tangent

The tangent value used to modify the tangent of the Source/Target.

Absolute Tangent

If true , treat the tangent as an absolute tangent in world space (i.e., do not transform it).

Strength

Strength Options

Options associated with the Strength property. Values includes:


Option	Description
Lock	If true , the tangent of the Source/Target is locked for the life of the particle.
Modify	If true , the tangent of the Source/Target will be modified. Otherwise, tangent is not affected.
Scale	If true , the tangent of the Source/Target is scaled by the Tangent value of the modifier module. Otherwise, override the tangent of the Source/Target.

Strength

The strength value used to modify the strength of the Source/Target.

Noise

The Beam Noise module allows for injecting noise along the beam. It provides the following properties:


Property	Description
LowFreq
Low Freq_Enabled	If true , indicates that low-frequency noise is enabled. Currently, low-frequency noise is the only noise supported.
Frequency	The frequency of the noise points along the beam.
Frequency_Low Range	If greater than 0, this value gives the low end of a range for the frequency. At the spawn time of a particle, the frequency for it will be set in the [Frequency_LowRange..Frequency] range.
Noise Range	A distribution providing the range of the noise point positions. If using a constant curve, the mapping is time 0.0f is at the first frequency point, time 1.0 is at the target point. The remaining points are looked up by using the (CurrentFrequencyPoint * (1.0/TotalFrequencyPoints)).
Noise Range Scale	This distribution provides a method for scaling the noise range over the emitter time.
NRScale Emitter Time	If true , the NoiseRangeScale results will be retrieved using the emitter time. If false , the NoiseRangeScale results will be retrieved using the particle time.
Noise Speed	A vector distribution providing the speed at which noise points move.
Smooth	If true , attempt to smoothly move between noise points.
Noise Lock Radius	The radius of the sphere around noise points that indicates they are locked.
Oscillate	If true , noise points will bounce back and forth across the beam direct line.
Noise Lock Time	How long the noise points should be locked before picking a new noise point.
Noise Tension	The tension to apply to the tessellated noise line.
Use Noise Tangents	If true , tangents are calculated at each noise point. Unused.
Noise Tangent Strength	The strength to apply to tangents at noise points during the interpolation along the beam.
Noise Tessellation	The number of points to interpolate between noise points.
Target Noise	If true , apply noise to the target point.
FrequencyDistance	The distance at which to place noise point. If this value is 0.0, then use the standard Frequency/Frequency_LowRange pair to determine the frequency of noise points. If not 0.0, noise points will be distributed at the given distance up to the static Frequency value. This allows for having fewer noise points on shorter beams, and to add noise points automatically as the beam grows.
Apply Noise Scale	If true , apply the NoiseScale to the beam.
Noise Scale	The scale factor to apply to the noise range when bApplyNoiseScale is true . The lookup value for this distribution is determined by dividing the number of noise points present by the maximum number of noise points (ie, the Frequency).

Source

The Beam Source module implements a single source for a beam emitter. (If a source module is not present in a beam emitter, the emitter location itself is used as the source.) It provides the following properties:

Property

Description

Source

Source Method

This enumeration allows for setting the method for obtaining the beams source position. It can be one of the following:


Method	Description
PEB2STM_Default	Use the Source distribution.
PEB2STM_UserSet	Use the user set value.
PEB2STM_Emitter	Use the emitter position as the source.
PEB2STM_Particle	Currently unused.
PEB2STM_Actor	Use the position of the Actor of the given name.

Source Name

The name of the Actor to use as the source. Only used when SourceMethod is set to PEB2STM_Actor. If the Actor is not found, the fallback is to use the Source distribution.

Source Absolute

If true , treat the source as an absolute position in world space (i.e., do not transform it).

Source

A vector distribution allowing for the setting of the source position. Used when the method is set to Default, or in the event of any other method failing to determine a source point. The value is retrieved from the distribution using the current emitter time.

Lock Source

If true , the source position will only be set at spawn time.

Source Tangent Method

This enumeration allows for setting the method for obtaining the beams source tangent. It can be one of the following:


Method	Description
PEB2STTM_Direct	Use a direct line between the source and target.
PEB2STTM_UserSet	Use the user set value.
PEB2STTM_Distribution	Use the values from the SourceTangent distribution.
PEB2STTM_Emitter	Use the direction the emitter is facing.

Source Tangent

A vector distribution allowing for setting the source tangent. Used when the SourceTangentMethod is set to PEB2STTM_Distribution. The value is retrieved using the current emitter time.

Lock Source Tangent

If true , the source tangent will only be set at spawn time.

Source Strength

A float distribution that provides the strength of the tangent from the source point for each beam. The value is retrieved using the current emitter time. This strength is used regardless of the method used to obtain the Source/SourceTangent.

Lock Source Strength

If true , the source strength will only be set at spawn time.

Target

The Beam Target module implements a single target for a beam emitter. (If a target module is not present in a beam emitter, the emitter assumes that the beam is to be used directionally.) It provides the following properties:

Property

Description

Target

Target Method

This enumeration allows for setting the method for obtaining the beams target position. It can be one of the following:


Method	Description
PEB2STM_Default	Use the Target distribution.
PEB2STM_UserSet	Use the user set value.
PEB2STM_Emitter	Currently unsupported.
PEB2STM_Particle	Currently unsupported.
PEB2STM_Actor	Use the position of the Actor of the given name.

If set to either Emitter or Particle, the target will use the value from the distribution.

Target Name

The name of the Actor to use as the target. Only used when TargetMethod is set to PEB2STM_Actor. If the Actor is not found, the fallback is to use the Target distribution.

Target

A vector distribution allowing for the setting of the target position. Used when the method is set to Default, or in the event of any other method failing to determine a target point. The value is retrieved from the distribution using the current emitter time.

Target Absolute

If true , treat the target as an absolute position in world space (ie, do not transform it).

Lock Target

If true , the target position will only be set at spawn time.

Target Tangent Method

This enumeration allows for setting the method for obtaining the beams target tangent. It can be one of the following:


Method	Description
PEB2STTM_Direct	Use a direct line between the source and target.
PEB2STTM_UserSet	Use the user set value.
PEB2STTM_Distribution	Use the values from the TargetTangent distribution.
PEB2STTM_Emitter	Use the direction the emitter is facing.

Target Tangent

A vector distribution allowing for setting the target tangent. Used when the TargetTangentMethod is set to PEB2STTM_Distribution. The value is retrieved using the current emitter time.

Lock Target Tangent

If true , the target tangent will only be set at spawn time.

Target Strength

A float distribution that provides the strength of the tangent from the target point for each beam. The value is retrieved using the current emitter time. This strength is used regardless of the method used to obtain the Target/TargetTangent.

Lock Target Strength

If true , the target strength will only be set at spawn time.

Lock Radius

The radius of the sphere that the current beam-end should be in to be considered locked to the target point. Used when utilizing a beam that has a Speed value set.