Ambient Float

Custom particle base

FXMaster+Particle base

Ambient Float is used when custom images should appear across the visible area and drift without a user-selected travel direction. It supports standard particle controls, spin, a persistent background surface, and token interaction.

Create the custom effect through Manage User Particle Effects, then select Ambient Float from Base Effect.

Reference	Value
Package	FXMaster+
Definition type	Custom particle base
Base Effect label	Ambient Float
Exposed parameters	31

Important controls

• Scale: Changes the rendered size of each custom image.
• Speed: Changes how quickly the images drift across the canvas.
• Lifetime: Controls how long each particle remains active before being replaced.
• Density: Controls how many images are visible at once.
• Spin: Controls how quickly the images rotate while drifting.
• Background: Adds a persistent field of settled images.
• Token Trails: Allows moving tokens to disturb the background surface.

Airborne movement

Ambient Float does not expose Direction, Top Down, or Orbit. The base distributes images across the visible area and uses Speed, Lifetime, Density, Opacity, and Spin to define their movement and presentation.

Background and token interaction

Within an enabled custom Ambient Float effect, Background can be toggled and configured separately from the airborne particles. It is not a standalone effect; disabling the custom effect disables both layers. The Background layer can appear at full coverage or fill over time. Enable Token Trails when moving tokens should push, swirl, lift, and temporarily clear the settled images.

Parameters

The table combines the settings inherited by a custom Ambient Float effect in Scene and Region contexts. Scene-only and Region-only badges identify controls limited to one context. Hover or focus an info button to see what the parameter changes on the canvas. Select it to keep the card open.

31 exposed parameters1 Scene-onlyGenerated custom ID API type

iHover or focus an info button to see what the parameter changes on the canvas. Select it to keep the card open. Context badges identify Scene-only and Region-only controls; unbadged parameters are available in both. Hover or focus an availability condition to highlight the parameter that controls it.

Parameter	Control	Default	Range or choices	Availability
Below Tokensi belowTokens	checkbox	Off	—	Always
Below Tilesi belowTiles	checkbox	Off	—	Always
Below Foregroundi belowForeground	checkbox	Off	—	Always
Levelsi levelsScene only	scene-levels	All Levels	—	Always
Tinti tint	color	#FFFFFF (disabled)	—	Always
Sound FXi soundFxEnabled	checkbox	Off	—	Always
Sound FX Soundsi soundFxManualSoundIds	multi-select	Rule default	—	Shown when Sound FX = On and the matching enabled SoundFX rule uses Multi-Sound Mode = Manual with at least two configured sounds
Scalei scale	range	0.24	0.1–1 · step 0.01	Always
Speedi speed	range	0.27	0.1–1 · step 0.01	Always
Lifetimei lifetime	range	0.27	0.1–1 · step 0.01	Always
Densityi density	range	0.15	0.05–1 · step 0.05	Always
Opacityi alpha	range	1	0–1 · step 0.1	Always
Spini spin	range	0.33	0–1 · step 0.01	Always
Backgroundi backgroundEnabled	checkbox	Off	—	Always
Background Filli backgroundMode	select	accumulate	Full Coverage, Fill Over Time	Shown when Background = On
Time to Full Coveragei backgroundDuration	range	180	10–3600 · step 10	Shown when Background = On and Background Fill = Fill Over Time
Background Opacityi backgroundOpacity	range	0.9	0–1 · step 0.01	Shown when Background = On
Ground Coveragei backgroundCoverage	range	0.65	0.05–1 · step 0.05	Shown when Background = On
Fill Variationi backgroundFillVariation	range	0.75	0–1 · step 0.05	Shown when Background = On and Background Fill = Fill Over Time
Pile Amounti backgroundPileStrength	range	0.45	0–1 · step 0.05	Shown when Background = On
Pile Size (Grid Spaces)i backgroundPileSize	range	4	0.5–12 · step 0.5	Shown when Background = On
Ground Particle Sizei backgroundParticleSize	range	0.29	0.01–1 · step 0.01	Shown when Background = On
Token Trailsi backgroundInteractionEnabled	checkbox	Off	—	Shown when Background = On
Trail Widthi backgroundInteractionRadius	range	0.9	0–2 · step 0.05	Shown when Background = On and Token Trails = On
Trail Strengthi backgroundInteractionStrength	range	0.6	0–1 · step 0.05	Shown when Background = On and Token Trails = On
Trail Swirli backgroundInteractionSwirl	range	0.75	0–1 · step 0.05	Shown when Background = On and Token Trails = On
Trail Lift Chancei backgroundInteractionLiftChance	range	0.5	0–1 · step 0.05	Shown when Background = On and Token Trails = On
Settle Time (Seconds)i backgroundInteractionSettleTime	range	2.4	0.1–12 · step 0.1	Shown when Background = On and Token Trails = On
Settle Impacti backgroundInteractionSettleImpact	range	1	0–1 · step 0.05	Shown when Background = On and Token Trails = On
Darkness Activationi darknessActivationEnabled	checkbox	Off	—	Always
Darkness Activation Rangei darknessActivationRange	range-dual	{"min":0,"max":1}	0–1 · step 0.01	Shown when Darkness Activation = On

Direct-effect API example

After a custom effect is created, its generated effect ID can be used as a particle type. Replace the placeholder below with the ID used by the custom definition.

const customType = 'your-custom-particle-id';

const created = await FXMASTER.api.effects.play({
  particles: [{
    id: 'apiMacro_customAmbient_p',
    type: customType,
    options: {
      scale: 0.3,
      speed: 0.3,
      density: 0.15,
      spin: 0.35,
    },
  }],
});

await FXMASTER.api.effects.particles.stop(created.particles);

For scene targeting, stack ordering, updates, and toggle groups, see the Direct Effect API guide.