Using CCParticleBatchNode and CCParticleSystemQuad to create exhaust smoke that moves with a CCSprite

Question

I have played a little with the particle system in cocos2d-iphone and ParticleDesigner, and I use the CCParticleBatchNode to get good performance as I have many of the same emitter. This works great for explosions, but now I would like to have a exhaust smoke on my ships, but here I am stuck.

I can not add the CCParticleBatchNode to my CCSprite's as they can only be added once and it is reused for all exhausts, but how do I then make my CCParticleBatchNode follow or stick to my CCSprite?

Also the exhaust particle system I have made with ParticleDesigner has a gravity/direction, but when my CCSprite's always are moving then is this wrong, should they just emit particles in one place and the movement of the emitter will create the trail, or?

How is this done guys?

Ultrakorne Ultrakorne · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-08T17:24:22

of course you cannot add the ParticleBatchNode to the sprite (the same way you cannot add a particle if the sprite were used in a SpriteBatchNode)

to solve similar problems i use to inherit a class from ccsprite, say MySprite, and then override the position setter

-(void) setPosition:(CGPoint) position {

 myParticleEmitter.position = position; //+ offsets if needed
[super setPosition:position];
}

You need a pointer to the emitter, i usually keep a weak reference to the emitter from MySprite, and automatically every time i set and change a position the emitter follows.

I didnt quite get the second part of your question, but i think you can just update the gravity direction of the emitter when your sprites moves / rotate, overriding also setRotation if needed

Using CCParticleBatchNode and CCParticleSystemQuad to create exhaust smoke that moves with a CCSprite

1 Answers