Hey guys, I've spent the last few months creating a particle system framework for XNA, called DPSF (Dynamic Particle System Framework).  The goal was not to create a bunch of particle systems for people to use, but to develop a framework that allowed users to create their own particle systems quickly and easily while being flexible enough to not limit them in anyway, allowing them to create whatever type of effects they want.  The framework is a single .dll file that you reference in your project, and you build new particle systems by inheriting from the DPSF class.  This class takes care of all of the typical particle system work for you, such as managing the particles in memory and drawing them.  It also includes other features as well, such as an emitter to automatically emit particles, a particle system manager, etc.  DPSF supports pixels, sprites, point sprites, and textured quads, and runs on both Windows and the Xbox 360 (I assume that it runs on the Zune as well, but I have not yet tested this out).

You can check out the two demo videos I made here and here, and you can download DPSF from http://dpsf.freeforums.org --EDIT-- http://dpsf.danskingdom.com --EDIT-- to use in your own XNA projects.  It includes a help document detailing how to use the framework and integrate it into your project, as well as the full DPSF API Documentation, and there is source code you can run and modify as well if you want to learn how to use the framework from examples (the source code given is the code used to create the particle systems in the demo videos).

Let me know what you think of it. If you like it, if you think it sucks (and if so please say why you think so), if you couldn't get it to work, whatever. Let me know your comments.
Thanks.

Looks pretty cool, I'm going to download it and look it over. Thanks

deadlydog:

DPSF supports pixels, sprites, point sprites, and textured quads, and runs on both Windows and the Xbox 360 (I assume that it runs on the Zune as well, but I have not yet tested this out).

Zune only supports 2d graphics with SpriteBatch so based on your description I suspect it won't work on the Zune at all.

The ZMan:

deadlydog:

DPSF supports pixels, sprites, point sprites, and textured quads, and runs on both Windows and the Xbox 360 (I assume that it runs on the Zune as well, but I have not yet tested this out).

Zune only supports 2d graphics with SpriteBatch so based on your description I suspect it won't work on the Zune at all.

The Sprite particle systems are drawn using a SpriteBatch (all others are drawn the usual way with a vertex buffer), so they should work on the Zune, but yes, none of the other types of particle systems would.

That looks impressive. You must have put a lot of time and effort into it. I'll download and have a play and then give you some feedback.

Antony Kancidrowski:

That looks impressive. You must have put a lot of time and effort into it. I'll download and have a play and then give you some feedback.

Yup, this project has been my labor of love for the past 9 months or so. It started out as a project for a directed readings course on particle systems, and has turned into my Masters thesis topic. I would love to get some feedback on DPSF, since this is the first time it's been released. Positive feedback or constructive criticism, I would love both. Thanks.

This looks fantastic! Thanks for making it available to us for use in our projects.

Yeah !! Great stuff...

Nice examples in the video.

I hope it's easy to implement in purely 2D.

mrWebb

This looks very impressive, deadlydog. I will certainly check it out.

I would suggest using a different hosting solution instead of freeforums.org. They feel quite "spammy".

I use the Karvonite persistence framework (http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/karvonite) in my project and it is hosted on the MSDN Code Gallery located at http://code.msdn.microsoft.com. It's free and provides discussion boards, documentation areas,issue trackers and other stuff.

Codeplex would be another option.  It's run by Microsoft and they currently host quite a few XNA Frameworks like the Farseer 2D Physics engine for example

mrwebb:

I hope it's easy to implement in purely 2D.

Yup, 2D is easy if you use Sprite particles (which are drawn using a SpriteBatch).

Oggman:

Codeplex would be another option.  It's run by Microsoft and they currently host quite a few XNA Frameworks like the Farseer 2D Physics engine for example

Codeplex looks great, the only problem is DPSF is not open source (at least not yet, I still haven't decided on this yet or not) and it looks like they only host open source projects.

Zyxil:

I would suggest using a different hosting solution instead of freeforums.org. They feel quite "spammy".

I use the Karvonite persistence framework (http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/karvonite) in my project and it is hosted on the MSDN Code Gallery located at http://code.msdn.microsoft.com. It's free and provides discussion boards, documentation areas,issue trackers and other stuff.

I agree that I don't like how there are ads when logged in as a guest. Once you register and log in though there aren't any more ads (I believe). http://code.msdn.microsoft.com looks like an interesting solution. The only problem is that I want users to be able to upload their own particle systems for other people to download easily. The forums provide a nice solution to this as they support attachments.  I'll check out this website though and see if they have an easy alternative too. Thanks.

Well done, DPSF looks really good. I particularly like the extensible design and completeness of the default particles.

I would implement it into my project right away but as far as I can tell, all the default particle systems need the Microsoft.XNA.Framework.Game class. This is unfortunate because it means they can't be used in a WinForms project (well currently not in a way that is supported by Msft). I bet you only need a Game class to get the GraphicsDevice via the IServiceProvider? If so, please consider adding another constructor that takes an IServiceProvider to each default particle system. This will allow them to be quickly bolted into non-Game reliant engines & editors.

I guess the alternative is for me to write my own default particle systems. Well, at least if I'm going to re-invent the wheel (yet again), this time it will be attached to a really nice frame[work], excuse the pun  :)

Roonda:

Well done, DPSF looks really good. I particularly like the extensible design and completeness of the default particles.

Thanks, this is what I was going for when I designed it. I will likely still add more functionality to the default particles as time goes on and ideas come to me.

Roonda:

I would implement it into my project right away but as far as I can tell, all the default particle systems need the Microsoft.XNA.Framework.Game class. This is unfortunate because it means they can't be used in a WinForms project (well currently not in a way that is supported by Msft).

Actually you do not need to supply the Game parameter in the constructor unless you are using the DSPFAsDrawableGameComponent.dll, which causes DPSF to inherit from the DrawableGameComponent class.  If you are using the regular DPSF.dll, just pass null into the constructor and everything should still work fine, since you pass the GraphicsDevice and ContentManager to use into the particle system's AutoInitialize() function. I have the Game parameter in the constructor for DPSF.dll mainly for consistency with DPSFAsDrawableGameComponent.dll, since it requires it.

Thanks for the feedback!!

deadlydog:

Actually you do not need to supply the Game parameter in the constructor

Ah, nice. In that case, I'll give it a whirl ASAP.

Just a quick update. DPSF is now onto version 1.1.1.0, and it now has a project homepage at http://dpsf.danskingdom.com.

Any thoughts/comments on DPSF or the new homepage would be appreciated. Thanks.

The homepage looks nice. Also, an update on my situation: It was very easy to get the particle system running in the end. I simply copied some of the demo systems into my own project, referenced the DLL and linked up the update & draw methods. I haven't had much of a chance to try making my own systems yet (although I do hope to). Oh, and ff anyone builds an DPSF editor before me, please share it :-)

I agree, it looks very cool.
The best effect is the smoke cloud getting disturbed by a passing object, that looks amazing. I'd love to have that in my own game.

Roonda:

Oh, and ff anyone builds an DPSF editor before me, please share it :-)

Yes, I would like to build a GUI editor for the Default Classes provided by DPSF in the future once I have more time (I'm currently writing my Masters thesis on DPSF right now), but if anyone else develops one I would love to see it as well.

McClorsky:

The best effect is the smoke cloud getting disturbed by a passing object, that looks amazing. I'd love to have that in my own game.

Well, you easily can. Like Roonda said, it's easy to integrate DPSF into your own XNA projects; just import a file and reference a dll.  Also, that smoke cloud effect is super simple to create as well; just take a look at the SmokePS.cs file in the demo's source code.  It simply has one function to attract the particles, and another to repel it.  And actually, this effect can be done even easier if you use the Default Classes I provide, as they have built-in support for Magnets, which are used to attract and repel particles. So all you would need to do is create a new Magnet to affect the particles, and update the Magnet's position according to the object you want to attract/repel particles. Take a look at the MagnetsPS.cs file for how to do this; it can easily be set up in about 5 lines of code.

Wow, looks awesome, and I can't wait to try it out. I'll what support on the Zune is like too for you.

We're using the DPSF in a university game making project right now but we're having trouble getting it to run on the Xbox. We just upgraded to your 1.2 version but that didn't fix it. We couldn't even get your demo to run on the Xbox (the Xbox reported the project to be corrupt, and we got a weird runtime error in Visual Studio). The game did compile. And it works just fine on the PC.

Any help?

Clavus:

We're using the DPSF in a university game making project right now but we're having trouble getting it to run on the Xbox. We just upgraded to your 1.2 version but that didn't fix it. We couldn't even get your demo to run on the Xbox (the Xbox reported the project to be corrupt, and we got a weird runtime error in Visual Studio). The game did compile. And it works just fine on the PC.

Any help?

I have moved your question to the official DPSF Forums and posted a reply there so that future users with a similar problem can find the solution easier.

Just a quick update. DPSF is now at version 1.3.0.0 and includes tutorials to help get it setup and understand how it works quicker. Let me know what you guys think.

Hi Dan,

Thanks for all your work on this rather nice particle framework. However, it would be great if you could clarify your intentions with the license for me, and other prospective users. From the DPSF forums on Feb 4th:

deadlydog:

gameXcore wrote: Are there any liscence restrictions associated with using DPSF in a commercial title?

As of right now there are not, but this may change. At the moment only my source code is copyrighted, but even this may change if I decide to open source the project. I should know what's happening with it in the next few months.

Fair enough. Now that a few months have passed, do you have an update on the situation? My only worry is that you might decide to go commercial, meaning I'd have to start paying to continue using my custom particle systems with any new DPSF versions. I don't have a problem if you do that, and I will even purchase a license if it's well priced, but it'd be great to have some clarity on the matter.

Cheers,
Aranda

Roonda:

Hi Dan,

Thanks for all your work on this rather nice particle framework. However, it would be great if you could clarify your intentions with the license for me, and other prospective users. From the DPSF forums on Feb 4th:

deadlydog:

gameXcore wrote: Are there any liscence restrictions associated with using DPSF in a commercial title?

As of right now there are not, but this may change. At the moment only my source code is copyrighted, but even this may change if I decide to open source the project. I should know what's happening with it in the next few months.

Fair enough. Now that a few months have passed, do you have an update on the situation? My only worry is that you might decide to go commercial, meaning I'd have to start paying to continue using my custom particle systems with any new DPSF versions. I don't have a problem if you do that, and I will even purchase a license if it's well priced, but it'd be great to have some clarity on the matter.

Cheers,
Aranda

Hi Aranda, good question. I don't have a "100% for sure" answer for this yet. Likely the licensing will stay like it is now; that is, you can use DPSF for free in your games as long as you don't sell your games for profit. If you do plan to sell your game then you will need to purchase a DPSF license.

I should have a more definitive answer in the next few weeks.

deadlydog:

Hi Aranda, good question. I don't have a "100% for sure" answer for this yet. Likely the licensing will stay like it is now; that is, you can use DPSF for free in your games as long as you don't sell your games for profit. If you do plan to sell your game then you will need to purchase a DPSF license.

I should have a more definitive answer in the next few weeks.

Alright, so it looks like I will not be going "commercial" with DPSF (starting up your own company is a lot of work), but for now you will still need to purchase a license to use DPSF in a commercial product (you can use it for free in titles that you release for free though); $20 if you use it in an XBox 360 Marketplace downloadable game or a cheap Windows game ($10 price tag), $500 if you use it in a full blown release title (ones that are released to stores in physical form on disc). This may change in the next few months once I finish my Masters degree and get a job however.  If I do not have the time to maintain it regularly I will likely make it open source, but I'll jump that hurdle when I reach it ;)