fix(particlesys): Simplify ParticleSystemManagerDummy setup (TheSuperHackers#2740)

Author: xezon

Core/GameEngine/Include/GameClient/ParticleSys.h

@@ -753,6 +753,8 @@ class ParticleSystemManager : public SubsystemInterface,
 	virtual void reset() override;									///< reset the manager and all particle systems
 	virtual void update() override;								///< update all particle systems
 
+	virtual Bool isDummy() const { return false; }
+
 	virtual Int getOnScreenParticleCount() = 0;   ///< returns the number of particles on screen
   virtual void setOnScreenParticleCount(int count);
 
@@ -761,8 +763,7 @@ class ParticleSystemManager : public SubsystemInterface,
 	ParticleSystemTemplate *newTemplate( const AsciiString &name );
 
 	/// given a template, instantiate a particle system
-	ParticleSystem *createParticleSystem( const ParticleSystemTemplate *sysTemplate,
-																				Bool createSlaves = TRUE );
+	ParticleSystem *createParticleSystem( const ParticleSystemTemplate *sysTemplate, Bool createSlaves = TRUE );
 
 	/** given a template, instantiate a particle system.
 		if attachTo is not null, attach the particle system to the given object.
@@ -835,11 +836,24 @@ class ParticleSystemManager : public SubsystemInterface,
 	ParticleSystemIDMap m_systemMap; ///< a hash map of all particle systems
 };
 
+
 // TheSuperHackers @feature bobtista 31/01/2026
 // ParticleSystemManager that does nothing. Used for Headless Mode.
+// Generally does not load particle system templates. Certainly does not create particle systems.
 class ParticleSystemManagerDummy : public ParticleSystemManager
 {
 public:
+#if RETAIL_COMPATIBLE_CRC
+	// Must not overload init to keep loading the particle system templates,
+	// which are unfortunately needed to preserve the correct logic crc.
+#else
+	virtual void init() override {}
+	virtual void reset() override {}
+#endif
+	virtual void update() override {}
+
+	virtual Bool isDummy() const override { return true; }
+
 	virtual Int getOnScreenParticleCount() override { return 0; }
 	virtual void doParticles(RenderInfoClass &rinfo) override {}
 	virtual void queueParticleRender() override {}

Core/GameEngine/Source/Common/ReplaySimulation.cpp

@@ -86,8 +86,6 @@ int ReplaySimulation::simulateReplaysInThisProcess(const std::vector<AsciiString
 			UnsignedInt totalTimeSec = TheRecorder->getPlaybackFrameCount() / LOGICFRAMES_PER_SECOND;
 			while (TheRecorder->isPlaybackInProgress())
 			{
-				TheGameClient->updateHeadless();
-
 				const int progressFrameInterval = 10*60*LOGICFRAMES_PER_SECOND;
 				if (TheGameLogic->getFrame() != 0 && TheGameLogic->getFrame() % progressFrameInterval == 0)
 				{

Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/Drawable/Update/BeaconClientUpdate.cpp

@@ -94,9 +94,7 @@ static ParticleSystem* createParticleSystem( Drawable *draw )
 			AsciiString templateName;
 			templateName.format("BeaconSmoke%6.6X", (0xffffff & obj->getIndicatorColor()));
 			const ParticleSystemTemplate *particleTemplate = TheParticleSystemManager->findTemplate( templateName );
-
-			DEBUG_ASSERTCRASH(particleTemplate, ("Could not find particle system %s", templateName.str()));
-
+			DEBUG_ASSERTCRASH(TheParticleSystemManager->isDummy() || particleTemplate, ("Could not find particle system %s", templateName.str()));
 			if (particleTemplate)
 			{
 				system = TheParticleSystemManager->createParticleSystem( particleTemplate );
@@ -107,7 +105,7 @@ static ParticleSystem* createParticleSystem( Drawable *draw )
 			{// THis this will whip up a new particle system to match the house color provided
 				templateName.format("BeaconSmokeFFFFFF");
 				const ParticleSystemTemplate *failsafeTemplate = TheParticleSystemManager->findTemplate( templateName );
-				DEBUG_ASSERTCRASH(failsafeTemplate, ("Doh, this is bad \n I Could not even find the white particle system to make a failsafe system out of."));
+				DEBUG_ASSERTCRASH(TheParticleSystemManager->isDummy() || failsafeTemplate, ("Doh, this is bad \n I Could not even find the white particle system to make a failsafe system out of."));
 				system = TheParticleSystemManager->createParticleSystem( failsafeTemplate );
 				if (system)
 				{

Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/FXList.cpp

@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ class ParticleSystemFXNugget : public FXNugget
 		}
 
 		const ParticleSystemTemplate *tmp = TheParticleSystemManager->findTemplate(m_name);
-		DEBUG_ASSERTCRASH(tmp, ("ParticleSystem %s not found",m_name.str()));
+		DEBUG_ASSERTCRASH(TheParticleSystemManager->isDummy() || tmp, ("ParticleSystem %s not found",m_name.str()));
 		if (tmp)
 		{
 			for (Int i = 0; i < m_count; i++ )

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameClient/GameClient.h

@@ -94,8 +94,6 @@ class GameClient : public SubsystemInterface,
 
 	void step(); ///< Do one fixed time step
 
-	void updateHeadless();
-
 	void addDrawableToLookupTable( Drawable *draw );			///< add drawable ID to hash lookup table
 	void removeDrawableFromLookupTable( Drawable *draw );	///< remove drawable ID from hash lookup table
 

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GameClient.cpp

@@ -750,15 +750,6 @@ void GameClient::step()
 	TheDisplay->step();
 }
 
-void GameClient::updateHeadless()
-{
-	// TheSuperHackers @info helmutbuhler 03/05/2025 bobtista 02/02/2026
-	// Update particles to prevent accumulation in headless mode. Particles are generated
-	// during GameLogic and only cleaned up during rendering. update() lets particles finish
-	// their lifecycle naturally instead of abruptly removing them with reset().
-	TheParticleSystemManager->update();
-}
-
 Bool GameClient::isMovieAbortRequested()
 {
 	if (TheGameEngine)

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameClient/GameClient.h

@@ -98,8 +98,6 @@ class GameClient : public SubsystemInterface,
 
 	void step(); ///< Do one fixed time step
 
-	void updateHeadless();
-
 	void addDrawableToLookupTable( Drawable *draw );			///< add drawable ID to hash lookup table
 	void removeDrawableFromLookupTable( Drawable *draw );	///< remove drawable ID from hash lookup table
 

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GameClient.cpp

@@ -787,15 +787,6 @@ void GameClient::step()
 	TheDisplay->step();
 }
 
-void GameClient::updateHeadless()
-{
-	// TheSuperHackers @info helmutbuhler 03/05/2025 bobtista 02/02/2026
-	// Update particles to prevent accumulation in headless mode. Particles are generated
-	// during GameLogic and only cleaned up during rendering. update() lets particles finish
-	// their lifecycle naturally instead of abruptly removing them with reset().
-	TheParticleSystemManager->update();
-}
-
 Bool GameClient::isMovieAbortRequested()
 {
 	if (TheGameEngine)