**Major update (Jan. 27th, 2024)!!**

The mod has been updated with a complete overhaul to its visuals. Visuals are meant to be more impressive; less uniform in its use of particle effects; and slightly larger overall than before.

Notable updates include:
- Upscaled explosion plumes
- Increased duration, size, and luminosity of explosion plumes
- More variability in colour for molten metal particles
- 2D reactor fluid particles changed to geometrical particles
- “Generic” electrical ejection particles changed to more-specialized electrical particles
- Addition of electrical particle “spheres” that expand with explosion
- Addition of post-explosion embers, smoke, electricity, and visual distortion
- Addition of multiple types of geometrical metal debris
- Other added VFX particles and smaller changes
- Mod no longer increases damage: only changes VFX. (See my mod “High-damage Critical” for a version with increased damage.)

Note:
The old version of this mod is available for those that are interested. Also note that there is a lesser-demanding version of the current version of the mod available, as well, for those with less-powerful computers that wish to use this mod.

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy!

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Note:

There is a much more impressive version of the mod available as an option. This version includes collision for the following particles: molten metal, reactor fluid, and metal debris. This version has been made an option as MW5 appears to have issues with certain types of collision – one of the types of which (greatly) affects the collision version of this mod.

In order to get around this issue, a part of the game had to be altered that prevents allied and enemy ‘Mechs from knowing that an explosion is taking place. As a result, they will take damage. The only way to avoid this is to either get lucky that ‘Mechs are not within the explosion’s damage radius, or to directly order lancemates (at least) to navigate away from the explosion.

Certain other objects in the game will still have collision issues, as they would all have to be altered (and found) in order for this mod to work flawlessly... which could *still* impact other mods if they weren't compatible. (This would be a lot of extra work with potentially no solution - even after being found.) As a result, these other objects have been omitted from being altered in this mod. These objects are not very numerous, but can pose an issue from time to time (if perfect consistency is important to you). (One of these being trees.)

If these factors are not issues for you, then you will certainly appreciate the added immersion of the “impressive” version of this mod.

In Addition:
Note that the old version of this mod is available for those that are interested. Also note that there is a lesser-demanding version of the current version of the mod available, as well, for those with less-powerful computers that wish to use this mod.

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Reason for Mod, and Additions/Changes:

Critical explosions felt a little small, and visually unimpressive, so I wanted to enhance them in order to make them both more visually impactful.

Changes:
- Increased duration of explosion plumes by 150% (from 6 to 15 seconds)
- About 4.5x the amount of smoke, with about double the time it exists for
- Smoke rings cover about 150% more area
- Large, initial explosion is now about 150% larger, while second, smaller explosion is now about 100% larger
- Increased luminosity of explosion plumes. (They glow more)
- Explosion plumes have been upscaled to improve their fidelity

Additions:
- Multiple types of smoke and dust
- Post-explosion smoke
- Improved core explosion smoke plume with additional smoke. (Follows explosion plumes upward near center of explosion)
- Explosion plumes now cast light (in order to reflect their luminosity and impact - both of them colour-matching)
- An additional, smaller flash for the second explosion
- A smaller, faster, less-visible distortion ring for the second explosion
- A high amount of molten metal particle effects added (due to volume of ‘Mech being destroyed)
- An ejection of electrical particles
- Addition of electrical particle “spheres” that expand with explosion
- A relatively low amount of reactor fluid geometric particles (due to smaller size of ‘Mech reactor compared to overall destroyed chassis material)
- Geometric metal debris (in order to illustrate reactor and ‘Mech parts blowing off in the course of the explosion)
- Electrical effects added to core of explosions (due to reactor and electrical/computer systems being destroyed)
- Smaller electrical effects added to a new, low-VFX post-explosion segment near core of ‘Mech (as a residual effect for electrical/computer systems shorting and burning out)
- Longer-lasting post-explosion electricity FX
- Post-explosion embers/metal particles
- Heat distortion VFX for post-explosion embers, smoke, and electricity
- Other smaller, more nuanced VFX

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Note:

Visuals are not meant to be overwhelming, and the amount of smoke is not meant to be visually impairing nor distracting, so the experience should simply be enhanced (as the mod's title indicates). The explosion is meant to looks very powerful, however, so there will still be quite a few VFX on display!

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Conclusion/In Closing:

As usual, this mod has taken a lot of work. With all of the work that has been done to it, I estimate I have put in over SEVENTY (70) HOURS creating and refining this mod to make it what it is. (This includes play-testing; tuning individual FX; troubleshooting; and creating new VFX.) I try to be quite meticulous, so that the mod maintains – along with all of my other mods maintain – a high degree of quality.

It brings me great pleasure to be able to share this mod with those that appreciate it. I hope that it proves to be an appreciated, significant enhancement to better reflect the impact and realities of a critical explosion (as well as to make for a more impressive visual display).

I hope you enjoy this mod, and find it very impactful! (...In a good way, of course!)

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Other mods by me!:
Alternate Flamer Visuals: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/847
Better Cantina Rewards: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/1005/
Dimmer Loot Beam: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/851
Enhanced Critical: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/848
Enhanced 'Mech Traits: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/910
High-damage Critical: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/860
Improved Airstrike: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/850
Increased Enemy Difficulty: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/861
Increased Treefall Animation Rate ("The 'Timber' Mod!"): https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/852
Increased Warzone Rewards: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/849
Increased Warzone Rewards (Light): https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/854
Party Critical: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/866
Projectile-based Machine Guns: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/748
Re-balanced and Expanded Jump Jets: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/858
Re-balanced and Expanded 'Mechs: https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/1004
Re-balanced and Expanded Weapons (My main mod): https://www.nexusmods.com/mechwarrior5mercenaries/mods/744

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I now have a Ko-fi!

Contribute here if you’d like to: https://ko-fi.com/altamasters1011 :)

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Installation Instructions:
To install, download the .7z file; extract the contents; open the resulting folder and cut the folder inside; and place (paste) into your MechWarrior 5 "Mods" folder within your video game library (please see the provided, simplified guide to locating the folder if you don't know where to find it). The remaining folder (the folder with the same name as the .7z file) can be discarded (deleted).

Please be aware that MW5 requires the player to select the mods they wish to activate within their own mod menu within the game (simply titled "Mods"), and then requires the player to restart the game for it to take effect. See information on load orders in case any conflicts occur, and both download and arrange the mods as you see fit; depending on the version of the game you have (Epic Games vs. Steam).

{Here are the general folder paths to follow to install the mod:
For Steam: <OSDrive>:SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries\MW5Mercs\Mods
For Epic Games: <OSDrive>:\Epic Games\Library\MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries\MW5Mercs\Mods
For Windows: <OSDrive>:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\MW5Mercs\Mods}