Fat Pint Games › Asset Documentation › Confetti Engine

Burst, rain and launch colourful confetti into your GameMaker projects.

GameMaker Asset

Confetti Engine

A modular confetti system for GameMaker that can rain, burst and launch animated confetti into the game world, with support for custom sprites and text-based confetti.

Version 1.0.0GameMaker 2023.0+Custom SpritesText Confetti

Features

Spawn animated confetti using rain, burst and directional launch effects.
Choose whether confetti expires or lands inside the game world.
Choose fade, sparkle, scale, spiral or pop exit animations.
Use the included sprite, custom sprites or generated text sprites.
Control which objects confetti can land on and which destroy it.

Tested with: IDE 2024.11.0.179 and Runtime 2024.11.0.226.

Licence

You may use the Confetti Engine in personal or commercial projects.

Credit is not required, but is appreciated.

How to Use

Place obj_confetti_init into a room at the start of your game.

This persistent object only needs to be created once. It creates the global variables and particle systems required by the Confetti Engine.

Important: Make sure obj_confetti_init exists before creating confetti.

Configuration Arrays

`global.confetti_layer_collision_objects`

Contains objects that confetti is allowed to land on.
Confetti landing on these objects moves to ABOVE_LAYER.
Characters are usually omitted because they normally walk above landed confetti.

`confetti_destroy_collision_objects`

Contains objects that destroy confetti on contact.
Use this for walls and surfaces where confetti should not remain.

`font_array_`

Contains fonts that may be used for text confetti.
The fonts are pre-baked into the texture page to prevent text from being cut off before the font loads.

Macros

`#macro ABOVE_LAYER`

Default: "Above"

The layer on which confetti is initially created. It should draw above characters and most room objects.

`#macro FLOOR_LAYER`

Default: "Floor"

The layer that landed confetti moves to when it reaches the floor. It should draw below characters and other game objects.

`#macro CONFETTI_MAX_INSTANCES`

Default: 2000

The maximum number of confetti instances allowed at once. Set it to undefined or -1 to disable the limit.

Main Functions

`confetti_fall_create()`

Rains confetti throughout a rectangular area.

`confetti_burst_create()`

Bursts confetti outward from a rectangular origin.

`confetti_launch_create()`

Launches confetti in a directional cone.

`confetti_text_sprite_create()`

Converts text into a temporary sprite for use as confetti.

See obj_confetti_spawner in the Example folder for calls using these functions.

Function Arguments

Arguments marked Optional have default values.

`confetti_fall_create()`

Argument	Required	Description
`_settle_style`	Yes	`settle_style.expire` or `settle_style.inworld`.
`_exit_style`	Optional	Exit animation; defaults to `exit_style.fade`.
`_amount`	Yes	Number of confetti instances.
`_min_x`, `_max_x`	Yes	Horizontal spawn range.
`_min_y`, `_max_y`	Yes	Vertical spawn range.
`_scale`	Optional	Draw scale; default `1`.
`_colour`	Optional	Draw colour; default `c_white`.
`_sprite_index`	Optional	Sprite; default `spr_confetti`.

`confetti_burst_create()`

Argument	Required	Description
`_settle_style`	Yes	`settle_style.expire` or `settle_style.inworld`.
`_exit_style`	Optional	Exit animation; defaults to `exit_style.fade`.
`_amount`	Yes	Number of confetti instances.
`_min_x`, `_max_x`	Yes	Horizontal origin range.
`_min_y`, `_max_y`	Yes	Vertical origin range.
`_scale`	Optional	Draw scale; default `1`.
`_force`	Optional	Outward force; default `random_range(7,18)`.
`_colour`	Optional	Draw colour; default `c_white`.
`_sprite_index`	Optional	Sprite; default `spr_confetti`.

`confetti_launch_create()`

Argument	Required	Description
`_settle_style`	Yes	`settle_style.expire` or `settle_style.inworld`.
`_exit_style`	Optional	Exit animation; defaults to `exit_style.fade`.
`_amount`	Yes	Number of confetti instances.
`_min_x`, `_max_x`	Yes	Horizontal launch range.
`_min_y`, `_max_y`	Yes	Vertical launch range.
`_scale`	Optional	Draw scale; default `1`.
`_force_min`, `_force_max`	Optional	Minimum and maximum launch force; defaults `5` and `18`.
`_dir`	Optional	Launch direction; default `90`.
`_angle_offset_min`, `_angle_offset_max`	Optional	Cone offsets relative to `_dir`; defaults `-25` and `25`.
`_colour`	Optional	Draw colour; default `c_white`.
`_sprite_index`	Optional	Sprite; default `spr_confetti`.

`confetti_text_sprite_create()`

The readme identifies this function as the text-to-sprite helper but does not provide its exact argument signature.

Use the function definition included with the asset as the source of truth for its arguments.

Settle Styles

`settle_style.expire`

Confetti continues falling until its lifespan ends, then it is destroyed. Use this for temporary effects that play over the game.

`settle_style.inworld`

Confetti falls to its landing position. It moves to ABOVE_LAYER when landing on configured objects; otherwise it moves to FLOOR_LAYER.

Exit Styles

`exit_style.fade`

Fades until opacity reaches zero.

`exit_style.sparkle`

Fades and creates sparkle particles.

`exit_style.scale`

Shrinks out of existence.

`exit_style.spiral`

Spins and fades away.

`exit_style.pop`

Bounces and creates sparkle particles.

Usage Examples

Adjust room coordinates, colours, sprites and amounts to suit your project.

`confetti_fall_create()`

Victory confetti rain

confetti_fall_create(
    settle_style.expire,
    exit_style.fade,
    250,
    0,
    room_width,
    -64,
    0,
    1,
    c_white,
    spr_confetti
);

Rains 250 pieces across the room and fades them after their lifespan.

Festival confetti

confetti_fall_create(
    settle_style.inworld,
    exit_style.sparkle,
    120,
    0,
    room_width,
    -32,
    32,
    0.75,
    c_yellow,
    spr_confetti
);

Creates yellow confetti that can settle in the room and later disappear with sparkles.

`confetti_burst_create()`

Treasure chest celebration

confetti_burst_create(
    settle_style.inworld,
    exit_style.pop,
    80,
    x - 8,
    x + 8,
    y - 8,
    y + 8,
    1,
    14,
    c_yellow,
    spr_confetti
);

Bursts yellow confetti from a chest and lets it settle inside the world.

Custom star burst

confetti_burst_create(
    settle_style.expire,
    exit_style.sparkle,
    50,
    x,
    x,
    y,
    y,
    1.5,
    10,
    c_aqua,
    spr_star
);

Uses a custom star sprite for a magical burst.

`confetti_launch_create()`

Confetti cannon

confetti_launch_create(
    settle_style.inworld,
    exit_style.fade,
    100,
    64,
    96,
    room_height - 32,
    room_height,
    1,
    8,
    18,
    45,
    -12,
    12,
    c_white,
    spr_confetti
);

Launches confetti diagonally upward from the bottom-left of the room.

Boss defeat launch

confetti_launch_create(
    settle_style.expire,
    exit_style.spiral,
    160,
    boss.x - 16,
    boss.x + 16,
    boss.y - 16,
    boss.y + 16,
    1.25,
    10,
    22,
    90,
    -35,
    35,
    c_red,
    spr_confetti
);

Launches a wide red cone from the defeated boss.

Text confetti

Celebration text

var _text_sprite = confetti_text_sprite_create("LEVEL UP!");

confetti_burst_create(
    settle_style.expire,
    exit_style.sparkle,
    24,
    x,
    x,
    y,
    y,
    1,
    9,
    c_white,
    _text_sprite
);

Creates a temporary text sprite and uses it in a confetti burst.

Note: Adjust the text helper call to match the exact function signature included with the asset.

Additional Information

Disabling the confetti limit may reduce frame rate when excessive numbers of instances are created.
Use settle_style.expire for short-lived overlays and settle_style.inworld when pieces should land in the room.
Populate the collision arrays before using in-world confetti.
Add fonts used by text confetti to font_array_.