REALISTIC tracers... Thread - S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Last Day mod for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Thank you for all of your hard work on this mod!

Please strongly consider modifying the appearance of tracer rounds so that they look far more believable. Too often, tracer rounds are shown in a ridiculously huge way, with tracer lengths being 3+ meters long...! I've loved the STALKER series from day one, but the tracer effects are absurd.

Tracer rounds should be MUCH shorter in length, and their colors need to be adjusted to be more realistic looking. A lot of games make their red tracers look like a flame-orange color, or a perfect-apple-red. In reality, they are CARMINE in hue, which is a deep-pink. Most video recordings do a pretty good job of showing what they look like (note, however, that footage of them at night tends to make them look redder and longer than they actually are - this is due to the limitations of camera recording capabilities when there's less daylight). Footage of red tracers during daytime do show that they have a carmine color.

Here are the settings that I use. I spent a lot of time "perfecting" these tracers. Please try them out, and if you like them, then please feel free to incorporate them into this mod. I'd be honored if you did so! Thank you for all of your hard work and consideration! Good luck!

RED Tracer

tracer_length_max                                  = 1.5	;225
tracer_length_min                                  = 0
tracer_shader                                      = effects\bullet_tracer
tracer_texture                                     = fx\fx_tracer_weapons
tracer_width                                       = 0.065	;0.08

whine_sounds                                       = weapons\bulletcrack01, weapons\bulletcrack02, weapons\bulletwhiz01,
                                                     weapons\bulletcrack03, weapons\bulletwhiz02, weapons\bulletcrack04,
                                                     weapons\bulletcrack05, weapons\bulletwhiz03, weapons\bulletcrack06,
                                                     weapons\bulletwhiz04

[tracers_color_table]
color_0                                            = 255, 46, 137, 255	;




GREEN Tracer

tracer_length_max                                  = 1.5	;225
tracer_length_min                                  = 0
tracer_shader                                      = effects\bullet_tracer
tracer_texture                                     = fx\fx_tracer_weapons
tracer_width                                       = 0.065	;0.08

whine_sounds                                       = weapons\bulletcrack01, weapons\bulletcrack02, weapons\bulletwhiz01,
                                                     weapons\bulletcrack03, weapons\bulletwhiz02, weapons\bulletcrack04,
                                                     weapons\bulletcrack05, weapons\bulletwhiz03, weapons\bulletcrack06,
                                                     weapons\bulletwhiz04

[tracers_color_table]
color_0                                            = 38, 247, 129, 255	;

Sounds fantastic, I suggest you at least release this as a standalone mod.

How can I implement this into my own modded game? Which file?

Here's how to do it...

INSTRUCTIONS
(1.) Go to where your STALKER title is installed on your computer.
(2.) Left-click on its directory, and then left-click the “gamedata” folder,
then left-click the “configs” folder,
then left-click the “weapons” folder.
(3.) Scroll down to the bottom of the list, and use the Notepad program to open up the file named “weapons.ltx”.
(4.) Select “Edit,” then “Find...”
(5.) Enter the following text in the pop-up box:
tracer_length_max
(6.) Press the “Find Next” interface, and you’ll be taken to where that text is located in the file.

Please let me know what you think of it when you're done trying it out.