The effects.csv file defines all of the explosions and smoke effects visible during gameplay. These effects are basically a pcx file played a variety of ways. The pcx file uses solid black for the alpha channel. All of the pcx files referenced in this file must be found in the graphics/effects folder.

Note: There must be one effect that is named smoke. This name is hardcoded for use at the end of all barrels of all weapons when that weapon is fired.

Column	Explanation
A: Name	This is the name of this effect. This name is referenced in other csv files that need access to an effect.
B: Particle File	This is the name of the pcx file for this effect. This file uses solid black as the alpha channel.
C: Alpha Start	When an effect is played in the game, it slowly disappears until completely invisible. This has nothing to do with the alpha channel of solid black in the pcx file for parts of the file that will never be seen. This value is between 255-0, with 255 meaning that the effect starts as completely solid and 0 meaning completely invisible. We start most of our effects at 225, meaning that they are semi transparent when first appearing. If someone wanted to make the smoke last longer, they could just set this value higher.
D: Alpha Step	This is how must alpha the effect will lose on every frame of the game. We set this value to -1, meaning that the alpha will be decreased by 1 each frame until it is completely invisible.
E: Scale Start	This is the scale of the effect. If a value of 0 is here, then the effect will be played at the exact size that it exists in the file. This value is a percentage meaing that if you put in 0.5, then the effect will start at half size.
F: Scale Step	This is how much the scale will change on each frame. This value will be added to the current scale on each frame to get the final scale of the effect. If you want the effect to increase in size over time, then use a positive number, if you want it to get smaller, use a negative number.
G: Gravity	This sets the height of the effect over time. If you use a positive number here, the effect will rise each frame, a negative number will have it sink towards the terrain.
H: Should the Particles Move	This determines whether or not the particle will move. Use a value of 1 to have the effect move, a value of 0 will keep the effect in its original position.
I: Emitter Frames	An emitter is a random bunch of very small pixels that will explode out from the area of the effect. These are randomly generated by the engine for this amount of frames. We only use 1 frame for a small amount of emitters, to get more just increase this number.
J: Should the emitter move	This determines whether or not the location of the emitter should move. The emitter being the source from where the small pixels are generated.
K: Num Particles	This is really the number of small pixels that the emitter should generate each frame in which they are being generated..
L: Random Particle Velocity	This is the speed that the small pixels should move. I don't know how to compare it to speed in the game, so just experiment until you get it looking like you want it to.