Configuring

Sequences

The step syntax: every token, every shape, and the parameters that move a display.

An effect is a list of steps, played in order. Every step is a token in brackets, then what it is drawn with, then parameters separated by ;:

- '[CIRCLE] NETHERITE_SWORD;as:item;radius:3;points:12;from:0,10,0;ease:in'

(0,0,0) is the moment's own anchor: the bow for a launch, the projectile for a trail step, the point of impact for a hit. Positive Y is up.

Displays or particles

A shape line draws displays when it carries as:, and particles when it does not.

Written	Drawn with
`as:item`	An item model.
`as:block`	A block model.
`as:head`	A player head: a base64 texture, or `{killer}` / `{victim}` for a face.
`as:text`	A line of text.
(nothing)	The particle named at the head of the line.

- '[CIRCLE] FLAME;radius:2.0;points:32;color:255,80,0'      # particles
- '[CIRCLE] DEEPSLATE;as:block;radius:3.4;points:12'         # displays

Shapes

Twenty-five of them, plus DISPLAY for a single object at the anchor:

CIRCLE SPHERE DOME CUBE LINE RIBBON SCATTER BEAM SPIRAL DOUBLE_HELIX TORNADO STAR CAGE DISC VORTEX WAVE CROSS GALAXY TORUS BURST PYRAMID RING_PULSE WINGS ARCH CLAW DISPLAY

Each has its own parameters:

Shape	Parameters
`CIRCLE`, `SPHERE`, `DOME`	`radius` `points`
`BEAM`	`height` `points`
`SPIRAL`	`height` `radius` `turns` `points`
`DOUBLE_HELIX`	`height` `radius` `turns` `points` `strands`
`TORNADO`	`height` `radius` `top_radius` `turns` `points`
`STAR`	`radius` `spikes` `inner` `points`
`CAGE`	`radius` `height` `columns` `points`
`DISC`	`radius` `rings` `points`
`VORTEX`	`radius` `turns` `points`
`WAVE`	`length` `amplitude` `frequency` `arms` `angle` `points`
`CROSS`	`radius` `arms` `angle` `points`
`GALAXY`	`radius` `turns` `arms` `points`
`TORUS`	`radius` `tube` `segments` `tube_segments`
`BURST`	`radius` `beams` `angle` `points`
`PYRAMID`	`base` `height` `points`
`RING_PULSE`	`radius` `rings` `spacing` `points`
`WINGS`	`span` `arch` `depth` `dir` `points`
`ARCH`	`radius` `arc` `dir` `points`
`CLAW`	`radius` `claws` `spread` `curve` `dir` `drop` `points`
`CUBE`	`width` `points` `edges`
`LINE`	`length` `dir` `climb` `points`
`RIBBON`	`radius` `points` `waves` `amplitude`
`SCATTER`	`radius` `height` `points` `seed` `floor`
`DISPLAY`	(none — one object at the anchor)

What every shape understands

y scale color size count ticks interval face rotate

Parameter	What it does
`y`	Lifts the whole shape. `SPHERE` and `TORUS` sit a block up by default; everything else at zero.
`scale`	Grows or shrinks the geometry itself.
`ticks`	`1` draws the whole shape in one frame; higher spreads it over time, so a spiral looks drawn rather than dropped.
`interval`	Seconds between those frames. Defaults to `0.05`.
`rotate`	Turns the whole shape, in degrees.
`face`	Turns it to face whoever fired the shot.
`color`, `size`, `count`	Particle lines only: `DUST` takes `color:255,80,0`, `size` is the dot, `count` the particles per point.

Moving a display

Everything below works on any shape drawn with as:.

Parameter	What it does
`life`	Seconds it exists.
`from:x,y,z`	Where it starts, relative to its point.
`to:x,y,z`	Where it ends. `rise:` is shorthand for a vertical `to`.
`ease`	`in`, `out` or `in_out`. `ease:in` aims a slam.
`gravity`	Debris only. It is added to the movement rather than replacing it.
`spin`	Turns, or `x,y,z` to tumble. `axis` picks the one axis.
`orbit`	Turns carried around the anchor.
`pull`	`1` reaches the centre; a negative number throws it outwards.
`size`	One number, or `x,y,z` for a plate, a pillar or a blade.
`size_to`	The size it ends at.
`vary`	How much individual pieces differ from one another.
`roll`, `tilt`, `turn`	Fixed rotation in degrees.
`face_out`	Faces away from the centre.
`glow`	An outline colour.
`light`	`0` to `15`. Use `light:15` for anything that must read at night.
`model`, `billboard`, `hold`	The display's own model, billboard mode and how long it is held.

Three rules that save an afternoon

ease:in aims a slam and ease:out settles one. gravity: adds to a movement that already descends, so a fall of eight blocks plus gravity goes through the floor — half of gravity times the life squared is how far it drops. And roll: aims a blade, not tilt:: an item model is a flat plate facing south with its tip up and to the right, so roll:135 points it down.

Repeating a line

repeat every turn_each work on any step — a sound, a shape, a ring of blades:

- '[CIRCLE] NETHERITE_SWORD;as:item;radius:2;points:6;repeat:3;every:0.2;turn_each:15'

Parameter	What it does
`repeat`	How many times the line plays.
`every`	Seconds between plays. Defaults to `0.15`.
`turn_each`	Degrees added each time, so the copies fan out.

The other tokens

Token	Parameters
`[DELAY] 0.15`	Seconds to wait before the next line.
`[PARTICLE] FLAME`	`count` `speed` `y` `color` `size` `offset:x,y,z` `block`
`[SOUND] NAME;volume;pitch`	Also `volume:` `pitch:`
`[LIGHTNING]`	`volume:` `pitch:` — flash, sparks and thunder. No strike, no fire, no damage.
`[EXPLOSION]`	`count:` `y:`
`[FIREWORK]`	`color:` `fade:` `type:` `trail:` `flicker:` `power:`
`[BLOCK_BREAK] STONE`	`count:` `y:` `offset:`
`[POTION] speed;100;1`	Also `duration:` `amplifier:`
`[TITLE] title;subtitle;in;stay;out`	Times in seconds.
`[ACTION_BAR] text`
`[MESSAGE] text`	A chat line.
`[COMMAND] give {player} …`	`{player}` `{world}` `{x}` `{y}` `{z}`
`[NPC] {victim}`	The body, below.

`[NPC]` — the body

- '[NPC] {victim};pose:lying;life:2.2;equip:true;face:false'

Parameter	What it does
(the head)	`{victim}`, `{killer}`, or a base64 texture. A player name is refused: it would need a lookup an effect cannot wait for.
`pose`	`lying` by default. `pose_to` with `after` collapses into a second pose.
`life`	Seconds it stays. Defaults to `5`.
`equip`	Whether it wears what the victim wore. On by default.
`face`	Whether it turns to face. On by default.
`from`, `to`, `over`, `ease`, `gravity`, `turn`	How it is thrown or how it falls. `over` defaults to `0.7` seconds.
`glow`	An outline colour.
`hurt`	Plays the damage flash.
`y`	Lifts it.
`spin`	Degrees a second it keeps turning, for its whole life — `turn` finishes, `spin` never does.
`bob`, `bob_every`	Blocks it rises and falls on a loop, and how long one rise and fall takes.
`swing`	Seconds between arm swings.
`scale`	How big it is drawn, `1` being player-sized. Needs a 1.20.5 client.
`hold`, `offhand`	A material put in each hand.
`pitch`	Head pitch in degrees, negative being up.

It is a display, not an entity: nothing can hit it, loot it or walk into it.

When a line is wrong

A step that cannot be read is dropped and reported to the console with the line that caused it — an unknown token, a particle that does not exist, a shape that produced no points, a parameter the token does not understand. The rest of the effect still plays, so one typo costs one line rather than the whole catalogue.

Cost is per line, per kill

A display is cheap to animate — the client does it — but every line is still a packet per viewer. The shipped effects sit around ten to fifteen lines; that is a deliberate ceiling.

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