<span style="color: red;">I am currently working on Dm-Colossus fixing the bugs and prettying it up the best I can . But I have no idea how to make my jump pads (which already works) look nice and better than just a model on the ground that launches you up.

I would like something more like the jump pads in halo 2 with the air stream forcing the player up or even atrocity's remake of lambda bunker with the cool affect of the spiral particles for his jump pad. So if anyone as any idea or suggestions please fill me in. I really want to emphasize a part of the map that is key. Thanks to anyone who can help me out.
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try func_dustmotes

Its a brushed based entity, but I am not sure if it is in anything but CS:S

Thanks man Ill have to check that out. But on another note, in HL2 single player when you turn on the gas traps that you can then light to scorch zombies. can you make a large vertical pillar of that gas type effect? I think that would be perfect if it's possible.

You may want to look into env_gas and point it upwards at a low rate of expulsion.

There is also a model called "models/Effects/vol_light.mdl" that can look like there is dust moving around.

BTW red is a bit hard to read - Stick to the white text if ya can bud.

some times you cant see text people write =P

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Posting And You

The gas is produced by env_steam, with the type set to "Heatwave." Be careful though, it's a very performance-intensive shader, and it'll kill framerate if you use it too much or in large areas.

Thanks guys, is there any way to tone it down or make something that looks more like a straight airstream that is less taxing? again thanks for all the help.

You know, if the suggestions are up your alley but you change your mind whether they're helpful or not, Don't mark them incorrect, or at least, not immediately.

Anyway, you can make your own shaded effect, if you wish. If there's nothing that you can find that fits. Also an effect like this isn't a taxing as some of the entities.

Here's a tutorial (It links to some other tutorials or talks about other subjects, just look around on that site, they're all talked about and explained).

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

Yeah sorry man, Still trying to figure out the site. All of the answers I recieved were helpful but none were definite. So I thought that posting it as a helpful answer it would close the thread, or something to that sort. and then no one else would toss up suggestions.

But thanks alot for the tutorial I'll give that a spin.

It's okay.
There's "correct" and "incorrect". All I was saying was everyone who suggested an answer wasn't wrong ... it was still very helpful and later on if someone searches the database for this type of topic, their responses will most likely be overlooked initially since they are marked incorrect ... even though they are pretty valid. Generally unless it's out of nowhere and has nothing to do with what you're asking (and you've explained your question well enough, which you did) then just leave it alone until you "accept" someone Else's answer (If one comes along).

All other answers will look like normal posts.

Also, if you figure it out on your own, post it up, mark it as an answer then accept it. (But do try to give credit to people who help!)

Anyway, Interlopers also has some nice tutorials. Including another tutorial on refraction textures. There's also tutorials on water and reflection stuff. And I really think like a func_door or train or whatever, going to speed of the player, which is passable, of course, and a refracting texture, triggered on player_touch, for the pad, with some tinkering, would achieve the effect you're looking for.

Sprites and all that stuff can be added too. Anyway, here's the link:

http://interlopers.net/index.php?page=tex.htm

Actually, now that I think about that ... that would look really bizarre.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

I got a pretty good looking result using env_smokestack. Here are some roundabout values I thought looked good for a jump pad after some tinkering:

Spread at the base: 32-64
Spread speed: 15-30, depending on spread at the base
Speed: 30-45, could be lower or higher depending on what you want it to look like
Particle start size: 3-6
Particle end size: 1
Emmision rate: 10-20, remember more particles means lower performance
Twist: 45-90
Roll speed: 10-20

Just tinker with it, this is the best way I could think of to make a jump pad particle effect.

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o

One thing to remember about env_smokestack is that it stops smoking
when the player can't see it. I don't know if it's the same in
multiplayer.

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

Okay here was the solution I got. Remember these will have to be tweaked because I have 6 jump pads in the level and did not want to lag out the map. So I'm sure with only one pad you can crank up the number of sprites and trail length.

Initial state: on

Spread at Base: 50

Spread Speed: 25

Speed: 600

Particle Start Size: 3

Particle End Size: 1

Emission Rate: 25
Length of Smoke Trail: 400

Wind X/Y Angle: 0

Wind Speed: 0

Particle Material: Effects/strider_muzzle.vmt

Twist: 10

Roll Speed: 10

Base Color: 255 255 255

Translucency: 90

Then you can just toss some ambient generics on the pad and toss aloop of gas (dominant) and another ambient loop of machine hum (recessive)

Thank you everyone for your help. The pads turned out pretty good.