Networked Particle Effects in FiveM

Client-side effects only visible to one player — Networked Effects require an event system to be synced for everyone to see at the same time.

Why are Networked Effects important?

client A shoots an explosion → client A sees an explosion
client B, C don't see anything ❌

Edit: server relay → broadcast → every client plays effect at the same time ✅

Basic Pattern: Server Relay

-- ===== client.lua =====
-- send to server
local function RequestNetworkEffect(effectName, dictName, coords, scale)
  TriggerServerEvent("myScript:playEffect", {
    effect = effectName,
    dict = dictName,
    x = coords.x,
    y = coords.y,
    z = coords.z,
    scale = scale or 1.0
  })
end

-- Receive from server and play.
RegisterNetEvent("myScript:broadcastEffect")
AddEventHandler("myScript:broadcastEffect", function(data)
  Citizen.CreateThread(function()
    RequestNamedPtfxAsset(data.dict)
    while not HasNamedPtfxAssetLoaded(data.dict) do
      Citizen.Wait(0)
    end

    UseParticleFxAssetNextCall(data.dict)
    StartParticleFxNonLoopedAtCoord(
      data.effect,
      data.x, data.y, data.z,
      0.0, 0.0, 0.0,
      data.scale,
      false, false, false
    )
  end)
end)

-- ===== server.lua =====
RegisterNetEvent("myScript:playEffect")
AddEventHandler("myScript:playEffect", function(data)
  -- Broadcast to every client in the area
  TriggerClientEvent("myScript:broadcastEffect", -1, data)
end)

Distance-based Broadcasting

Send only nearby players, not the entire server:

-- server.lua
local function GetPlayersNearCoords(coords, radius)
  local nearbyPlayers = {}
  local x, y, z = coords.x, coords.y, coords.z

  for _, playerId in ipairs(GetPlayers()) do
    local ped = GetPlayerPed(playerId)
    local px, py, pz = table.unpack(GetEntityCoords(ped))
    local distance = math.sqrt(
      (px-x)^2 + (py-y)^2 + (pz-z)^2
    )
    if distance <= radius then
      table.insert(nearbyPlayers, playerId)
    end
  end

  return nearbyPlayers
end

RegisterNetEvent("myScript:playEffect")
AddEventHandler("myScript:playEffect", function(data)
  local source = source
  local coords = vector3(data.x, data.y, data.z)

  -- Send only to people within 100 units
  local nearbyPlayers = GetPlayersNearCoords(coords, 100.0)

  for _, playerId in ipairs(nearbyPlayers) do
    TriggerClientEvent("myScript:broadcastEffect", playerId, data)
  end
end)

Looped Networked Effect

For looped effects, start/stop must be handled:

-- client.lua
local activeEffects = {}

RegisterNetEvent("myScript:startLoopedEffect")
AddEventHandler("myScript:startLoopedEffect", function(data)
  Citizen.CreateThread(function()
    if not SafeRequestPtfx(data.dict) then return end

    UseParticleFxAssetNextCall(data.dict)
    local handle = StartParticleFxLoopedAtCoord(
      data.effect,
      data.x, data.y, data.z,
      0.0, 0.0, 0.0,
      data.scale,
      false, false, false, false
    )

    -- Store handle with effect ID
    activeEffects[data.effectId] = handle
  end)
end)

RegisterNetEvent("myScript:stopLoopedEffect")
AddEventHandler("myScript:stopLoopedEffect", function(effectId)
  if activeEffects[effectId] then
    StopParticleFxLooped(activeEffects[effectId], false)
    activeEffects[effectId] = nil
  end
end)

-- server.lua
local effectCounter = 0

RegisterNetEvent("myScript:requestLoopedEffect")
AddEventHandler("myScript:requestLoopedEffect", function(data)
  effectCounter = effectCounter + 1
  data.effectId = "effect_" .. effectCounter
-- Broadcast start
  TriggerClientEvent("myScript:startLoopedEffect", -1, data)

  -- Auto-stop after 10 seconds
  SetTimeout(10000, function()
    TriggerClientEvent("myScript:stopLoopedEffect", -1, data.effectId)
  end)
end)

Native Networked Functions

FiveM has native functions for direct networked effects:

-- Non-looped networked (runs on a client that can be called but can sync)
StartNetworkedParticleFxNonLoopedAtCoord(
  effectName,
  x, y, z,
  rotX, rotY, rotZ,
  scale,
  xAxis, yAxis, zAxis
)

-- Looped networked
local handle = StartNetworkedParticleFxLoopedAtCoord(
  effectName,
  x, y, z,
  rotX, rotY, rotZ,
  scale,
  xAxis, yAxis, zAxis,
  false
)

Summary

Choose a pattern that suits your use case — important effects should use a server relay for accuracy.