Change: Fix and improve the look of China Mine explosion effects

[xezon]

This change improves the look of Mine explosion effects.

Original

Red mines spawn small white flares. Fade out is not smooth.
Purple neutron mines spawn huge yellow flares. Flare lasts shorter than red flare.

original.mp4

Patched

Red mines spawn small red flares. Fade out is smooth.
Purple neutron mines spawn medium purple flares. Flare lasts same time as red flare.

Effects for Neutron Nuke Cannon and EMP Mines remains unchanged.

patched.mp4

[commy2]

A bit too purple? Looks like the Scrin are invading again.

[xezon]

It is the same color as the mines. Do you think it should be a bit brighter?

[commy2]

More blue and white, less red.

[ImTimK]

Original Neutron a LOT better, new one looks too slow, small and weak and color reminds more of a toxin cloud.

New red one is kinda fine too though.

Maybe this could improve animation:

• Same overall animation length.
• Faster initial explosion (expansion part), makes it look powerful I think.
• Longer smoother fadeout.
• Keep neutron size.
• Neutron color more white blue'ish instead of yellow.

[commy2]

The OG Neutron always seemed to me like the game is glitching out. It doesn't even look like Nuke Cannon Neutron does. Maybe some inspiration can be found from that (including sound).

[xezon]

• Red Mine & Neutron Mine flash time reduced from 15 to 10 frames
• Neutron mine flash size increased from 20 to 30
• Neutron mine flash color more bright and blue

patched_mines2.mp4

[commy2]

I strongly prefer the original mine effect for Landmines. I don't see why the explosion has to be red just because the mines themselves glow red. Red explosions make me think of Demogen and his TNT clouds (tank shells, suicide, Bomb Truck, Scud Launcher, Scud Storm etc.)

The Neutron mine explosion is indeed whack and should be fixed. Why not make that one closer to what the Nuke Cannon Neutron Shell looks like and call it a day?

[MTKing4]

I kinda agree with commy

Red Explosion = Demo
Purple Explosion = Gamma

Maybe just fix the particles with no color change.

[commy2]

Yeah, goes without saying that particle bug fixes are very much appreciated. But changing colors are "sideways" changes, if you understand what I'm saying, and not direct improvements, and therefore a matter of taste.

[xezon]

What about this version?

• Same colors as per original
• Neutron Flash is smaller than original
• Fixed glitches

patched_mines_3.mp4

[MTKing4]

This looks good

[xezon]

Good. Shall we go with it?

[MTKing4]

Yes for me

[ImTimK]

Last video looks pretty good, neutron explosion is pretty big still, is what I like.

I'm also curious what a white flash would look like with neutrons.

[Stubbjax]

What about this version?

* Same colors as per original

* Neutron Flash is smaller than original

* Fixed glitches

I feel like the flare colours should match or at least be swapped. It's more obvious when you compare side by side:

Otherwise I think the size reduction on the neutron mines while keeping the original distinction / feeling is a definite improvement.

[xezon]

I don't like the Original colors either. But to me it read as if the others want to keep original colors.

[ImTimK]

It's just that the first version overdid it a little, like the purple flash looked really toxic or alien-like and the red kinda too "demo'ish".

[xezon]

In the first version I matched flare colors with actual mine colors.

[ImTimK]

Long story short, I agree with Stubjax, last version looks very good, just swap the colors and it's perfect.

[xezon]

Documentation added. White flash effect re-added to Neutron explosion. Looks good.