Particle effects

Particle effects are used frequently in Team Fortress 2 to serve as decorations or visual cues for both various in-game events and cosmetic purposes. Any particle effect can be attached to any item or model theoretically, however, some effects appear exclusively on items of a particular quality; for example, the Unusual effect only appear on items with the Unusual quality.

Status effects

Status effects are used to indicate a change in player state to other players. A common example would be the overheal particles emitted from an overhealed player or one that recently picked up a health kit.

G.R.U. skull effect

The G.R.U. skull effect is emitted when the Gloves of Running Urgently are wielded by the player.

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  In-game screenshot

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  Particle effects for teams RED and BLU.

Overheal effect

Main article: Overheal

When a player is overhealed by the Medic, the player will emit medical crosses. The overheal effect is also emitted when injured players pick up Health kits. It is also used on the Medi Gun beam itself.

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  In-game screenshot

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  The healing particle emitted for RED players.

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  The healing particle emitted for BLU players.

Critical spark effect

Main articles: Critical hits, Übercharge

The critical spark effect is used to indicate that a player's weapon will deal critical damage. This is usually accompanied by a team-colored overlay on the weapon itself. It is also used on the Medi Gun and Kritzkrieg to indicate that a charge is ready to be deployed.

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  In-game screenshot of a weapon charged with critical hits.

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  In-game screenshot of a fully charged Medi Gun.

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  Spark sprite

Weapon effects

Most non-hitscan weapons have particle effects. These include the Rocket Launcher and Flamethrower.

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  The Flamethrower fire effect sprite sheet.

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  The Rocket trail effect sprites.

Gameplay effects

Particles are used to indicate gameplay events.

Intelligence paper trail effect

While the Intelligence is being carried, it emits a stream of papers.

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  In-game screenshot

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  The papers emitted from the Intelligence carrier.

Balloon effect

While birthday mode is activated, players will spurt balloons instead of blood.

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  Birthday mode gibs

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  The balloon sprite emitted.

Decorative effects

Decorative effects are not used to indicate any gameplay changes and are used purely for aesthetics.

Holy glow effect

The holy glow effect is attached to the Cheater's Lament.

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  In-game screenshot

Community sparkle effect

The Community sparkle effect is attached to Community or Self-Made items.

• Selfmadedalokohs.png

  In-game screenshot

• Sparkle sprite.png

  Sparkle particle sprite

• Sparkle sprite2.png

  Sparkle particle sprite

Treasure Hat effect

Main article: Treasure Hat

There is no known localized name for the Treasure Hat effect, but it is attached as a new particle system defined as "coin_spin". The particles from this effect are influenced by the movement of the wearer and will only be emitted when the player is in motion.

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  In-game screenshot

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  The sprite sheet used in the effect's spinning animation.

Map stamps effect

Main article: Map stamps

The map stamps effect is attached to the World Traveler's Hat. These render similarly to the purple and green Unusual confetti effects, but use stamp sprites instead. Like the Treasure Hat, the effect is influenced by the movement of the wearer and will only be emitted when the player is in motion.

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  In-game screenshot

• Stamp sprites.png

  The sprite sheet used for the effect's spinning animation.

Musical notes effect

The musical notes effect is attached to the Earbuds and Noise Maker (see below section).

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  In-game screenshot

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  The music note sprite.

Noise Maker effect

Main article: Noise Maker

The Noise Maker effect emits musical notes or ghost particles when used.

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  "Noise" particle effect.

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  "Noise" particle effect.

Flying bits effect

Intended to be used for rendering flames on gibs, the flying bits effect is also attached to certain Valve weapons.

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  In-game screenshot

Nemesis burst effect

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  Nemesis burst effect

Unusual effect

The Unusual effect is attached to Unusual quality items. The first 14 effects were added to the game with the Mann-Conomy Update, 8 more unusual effects were added with the August 18, 2011 Patch.

The different particle effects are viewable in this animation, as well as in this video.

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  Green Confetti

• Unusual purple Confetti.png

  Purple Confetti

• Unusual Ghost.png

  Haunted Ghosts

• Unusual green energy glow.png

  Green Energy

• Unusual purple energy.png

  Purple Energy

• Unusual tf2logo.png

  Circling TF Logo

• Unusual Flies.png

  Massed Flies

• Unusual Chieftain's Challenge normal burning fire effect.png

  Burning Flames

• Unusual Green Flame Effect.png

  Scorching Flames

• Unusual plasma effect 2.png

  Searing Plasma

• Vivid Plasma.png

  Vivid Plasma

• Unusual sunbeam.png

  Sunbeams

• Unusual Peace.png

  Circling Peace Sign

• Medic Unusual Heart Effect.png

  Circling Heart

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  Bubbles

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  Steaming

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  Orbiting Fire

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  Orbiting Planets

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  Nuts and Bolts

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  Smoking

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  Stormy Storm

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  Blizzardy Storm

Other effects

Effect particle 1 used during the burning of players.

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  Effect particle 1

Notes

• The Spy disguised as a player with items that have attached particle effects currently does not reproduce the particle attachment.
• Particle effects that are attached to an item will not be visible to the player wielding it in first-person view.

Update history

September 30, 2010 Patch (Mann-Conomy Update)

• Added Green Confetti, Purple Confetti, Haunted Ghosts, Green Energy, Purple Energy, Circling TF Logo, Massed Flies, Burning Flames, Scorching Flames, Searing Plasma, Vivid Plasma, Sunbeams, Circling Peace Sign, and Circling Heart unusual effects.
• Added G.R.U. particle effect.

December 7, 2010 Patch

• Added Treasure Hat particle effect.

December 17, 2010 Patch (Australian Christmas)

• Added World Traveler's Hat particle effect.

August 18, 2011 Patch (Manno-Technology Bundle)

• [Undocumented] Added Stormy Storm, Blizzardy Storm, Nuts n' Bolts,Orbiting Planets, Orbiting Fire, Bubbling, Smoking, Steaming unusual efects.

August 23, 2011 Patch

• Fixed sunbeans effect.

External links

• Particle system on the Valve Developer Community