Particles attached to skeletal meshes

[feanix]

Is it possible to attach a particle system to a mesh via a bone or something? For instance, a character with a flaming skull or a monster with drool dripping from between it's teeth?

[bigjohn]

I'd love to know the answer to this too. I found this old page:
http://udn.epicgames.com/Two/ParticleSystems.html

That has a section on attaching a particle system to a skeletal mesh, and this is exactly what I'm trying to do, but I don't know how to pull it off in UDK.

Also, is it possible to import just a skeleton into UDK? Meaning, without a mesh. So I can use it solely for the purpose of animating a particle system.

Any advice would be appreciated :)

[Denny]

Make a really tiny polygon with a masked material making it invisible, you should then have "just a skeleton". ;)

Regarding particles you can spawn some with AnimNotifies in the AnimSet, per animation sequence. It isn't recommended to use for particles that should stay permanent as it will spawn a new emitter each time the animation sequence is played/looped. For permanent particles I suggest going through UnrealScript. For example, the flames would be a permanent particle, while an attack like a fire blast could be an AnimNotify.

[Maripon]

Hey,
could you give a quick example of how to do a permanent particle effect on a character in UnrealScript? (An NPC)