Ghost in the Mirror

HOW IT'S MADE

Ghost in the Mirror stacks 7 particle emitters, each with its own job. Techniques worth a look: a sprite dissolve, collisions, keyframed parameters and post filters (bloom, vignette and chromatic aberration). 2 scene layers (ground and props) show in the studio for context and stay out of every export.

It loops seamlessly every 3.6 s, and 7 of its layers fire in bursts, so it pulses instead of flowing evenly. Start times are staggered from 0 s to 2.55 s, so the layers arrive one after another. To change its colour, select "Red mist" in the studio and edit Colour A and Colour B. Size on the same layer sets how big its particles are. The colour swatches by the downloads recolour every layer at once.

Layers, in draw order

1. Mirror glassparticlesOne burst of 80 shards at 1.55 s. They are flung outward, fall under gravity and bounce when they hit something.
2. Mirror glassparticlesOne burst of 80 shards at 2.55 s. They fly in and form a shape.
3. Ghost womanspriteA placed image. Extras: dissolve and keyframed motion.
4. Crack glowparticles / additiveA single particle at 1.05 s. It grows as it ages. Colour: red.
5. Break flashparticles / additiveA single particle at 1.55 s. It grows as it ages. Colour: pale red.
6. Red mistparticlesOne burst of 16 image sprites from a disc at 1.55 s. They grow as they age, spin and slow down with drag. Colour: deep red.
7. Glass glintsparticles / additiveOne burst of 30 stars from a disc at 1.55 s. They fall under gravity and shrink as they age. Colours range between white and pale red.
8. Glass dustparticlesOne burst of 40 shards from a disc at 1.55 s. They fall under gravity, bounce when they hit something and spin. Colours range between pale blue and grey.