   Information on generating "Spell Effects".
  Hello everyone,I was wondering if anyone had any links to tutorials that cover generating WoW style spell effects in an opengl game. I would like the effects to surround a 3d model. I was browsing through the articles on gamedev.net and didn't come across anything that directly related to spell effects. I did find an artcile describing how to create a lens flare effect in opengl. Would generating a spell effect centered around a 3d model follow a similar procedure as generating the lens flare? In other words I would place the texture quads on the floor that the model is standing on (xz plane)? Also, I would imagine that there is a more accurate term for describing this type of effect. If some could let me know what that is I might have better luck googling for it. :^) Thanks in advance.Examples of what I'm talking about:* http://wow.ogaming.com/gallery/Blast-from-the-Past/week12?full=1* http://www.worldofwar.net/playershots/images/screens/346.jpg   
  I'm fairly sure all those effects are being done using a combination of 2D and 3D particle effects.  It's a matter of creating the effect in a particle editor of some sort, and then simply placing the emitter for the effect wherever the spell is cast.If this doesn't sound right, I'd love to hear alternative ways of doing this, something I've been pondering myself for the past few days :)   