git:20260716.f96ad6f to git:20260919.e20f73c

---

name: roblox-vfx

last_reviewed: 2026-06-17

---

# roblox-vfx

**Main source:** https://create.roblox.com/docs/en-us/effects/particle-emitters + the Effects section of the docs and the ParticleEmitter class reference.

- Parent ParticleEmitter to a BasePart (emission fills bounds or chosen EmissionDirection face) **or** (strongly preferred for control) to an Attachment.

- Rotate the parent or the attachment to steer emission. EmissionDirection is ignored when parented to an Attachment; rotate the Attachment itself to aim particles.

- EmissionDirection only matters when parented to a part.

1. Texture (prefer .png with alpha; grayscale + LightEmission=1 to hide dark areas).

3. Size (NumberSequence, often with envelope for natural variation). **Warning:** Large sizes = high GPU fill-rate cost.

5. Lifetime (or NumberRange for per-particle random).

Then motion (Speed at birth, SpreadAngle, Acceleration for gravity/wind, Drag + WindAffectsDrag when global wind is enabled, VelocityInheritance, LockedToPart, TimeScale).

Shape = Box / Sphere / Cylinder / Disc.

- ShapeStyle = Volume (everywhere inside) or Surface (only the skin).

- ShapeInOut = Inward / Outward / InAndOut.

- ShapePartial further modulates the shape. Cylinder: radius on the emission side. Disc: inner-radius proportion (`0` = fully closed disc, `1` = emission only on the outer rim). Sphere: hemispherical angle (`1` = full sphere, `0.5` = half-dome, `0` = point).

Sphere/Cylinder shapes do **not** display correctly when the emitter is parented to an Attachment. Only use them with a BasePart parent (the part can be tiny and invisible).

## Flipbooks (animated textures over particle life)

- FlipbookLayout, FlipbookSizeX/Y.

- FlipbookFramerate (or random range, max 30).

- FlipbookBlendFrames: crossfade between adjacent frames in Loop/OneShot/PingPong for smoother animation.

- FlipbookStartRandom: each particle starts at a random frame (useful when framerate is 0 for static but varied look).

**Memory warning:** Flipbooks are heavier. Reuse textures, keep resolution reasonable, limit unique animated emitters on low-memory clients (older phones will auto-disable flipbooks).

- LightEmission: 0 normal, 1 additive/glow (works even in dark scenes).

- LightInfluence: 0 = ignore world light, 1 = fully affected.

- Brightness: scales the light the emitter contributes when `LightInfluence` is 0. No effect when `LightInfluence` is 1.

- Orientation: FacingCamera (classic billboard), FacingCameraWorldUp, VelocityParallel, VelocityPerpendicular.

- ZOffset: render layer offset in studs (layer multiple emitters without moving them in 3D).

- Rate × Size × average opacity × how many overlap on screen = cost.

- Always test at both lowest and highest Studio Editor Quality Level.

- Mobile rate is capped lower.

- Use .Enabled = false to pause (existing particles continue until they die or you call :Clear()).

- Many simultaneous high-rate/large/transparent emitters will cause the engine to throttle or drop effects on low-end clients.

- Measure overdraw in Studio with **View → Stats → GPU → Fill Rate** and **Render → Overdraw**. Reduce total opaque pixel area before lowering Rate.

- ParticleEmitter state replicates, but individual particles do not. A server-owned emitter will spawn the same particles on every client automatically.

- For one-shot bursts, prefer **client-authoritative emission**: the server signals an event, each affected client spawns the burst locally. This avoids network replication of per-burst timing and respects each client's quality settings.

- Use `RemoteEvent:FireClient` or a local signal so clients own transient visuals; keep gameplay logic authoritative on the server.

- Stop or reduce expensive emitters when the camera is far away. Common thresholds: disable at 100–300 studs, reduce Rate by half at half-distance.

- Use `workspace.CurrentCamera` distance checks or zone systems. Avoid per-frame `Magnitude` checks for many emitters; instead use a tagged culling heartbeat or spatial partition.

- For ambient weather/large crowds, spawn emitters only in the near-camera region rather than globally.

- Call `ContentProvider:PreloadAsync({texture})` for flipbook atlases and prominent effect textures before they are needed (e.g., during loading screens or before a combat sequence). This prevents mid-burst pop-in on lower-end devices.

## Patterns

- Continuous ambient (fire, smoke, rain): Rate + Lifetime + Size tuned so density looks right at normal camera distances.

- One-shot bursts (explosion, impact, muzzle flash): Set Rate low or 0, then call emitter:Emit(num) from an animation marker or event.

- Attached effects (foot dust, weapon trail, aura): Parent emitter or its attachment to the moving part/bone. Use LockedToPart or VelocityInheritance as appropriate.

- Wind-reactive: Enable global wind in the environment, set Drag > 0 and WindAffectsDrag = true on the emitter.

- Combined with animation: Marker "FootStep" → find foot Attachment → Emit or play a short one-shot emitter.

See the references/ folder (particle-emitter-properties.md, shapes-flipbooks-and-advanced.md) for the exhaustive property reference, visual examples, optimization checklists, and concrete code for common effects (integration covered in SKILL and cross-skill notes).

- Beam: textured ribbon between two Attachments (lasers, energy, ropes). Key properties: `Texture`, `TextureMode`/`TextureLength`/`TextureSpeed`, `Color`, `Transparency` (NumberSequence along the beam), `Width0`/`Width1`, `CurveSize0`/`CurveSize1`, `FaceCamera`, `LightEmission`, `LightInfluence`, `ZOffset`.

- Trail: ribbon left behind two Attachments as their parent part moves (sword trails, projectile paths, after-images). Key properties: `Color`, `Transparency`, `Texture`, `TextureMode`, `TextureLength`, `MinLength`, `MaxLength`, `WidthScale`, `LightEmission`, `LightInfluence`, `FaceCamera`, `Lifetime`.

- Highlight: cheap, effective outlines (selection, targeting, "powered up"). Has both an outline and a solid interior fill (`FillColor`/`FillTransparency`, `OutlineColor`/`OutlineTransparency`). `DepthMode` controls whether the highlight is visible through walls (`AlwaysOnTop`) or only when not occluded (`Occluded`). There is a client-side cap of 255 simultaneous `Highlight` instances (disabled instances still count toward the cap).

- PointLight / SpotLight / SurfaceLight + Atmosphere + PostProcessing for overall mood that makes particles read correctly.

- Always destroy cloned one-shot emitters after their maximum lifetime (`Debris:AddItem` or `task.delay`). Do not leave disabled emitter instances accumulating in the workspace.

- For attached continuous emitters, set `Enabled = false` and `:Clear()` before reparenting or destroying to avoid orphaned particles.

- When pooling emitters, reset Rate, Lifetime, Size, and Transparency to known defaults before reuse so stale state does not leak into the next burst.

## Scripts

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## Reference index

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