Tesla

Tesla turns every line of a shape into a live electric discharge. Three jagged arcs run along each segment side by side, each wandering and flickering on its own, with small forks branching off them and a white-hot core at their center. Use it on the edges or wireframe of an object and the whole shape looks charged.

How it looks

The three arcs sit at slightly different offsets across the line and travel at slightly different speeds, so they drift in and out of sync like separate discharge channels. Each has its own tint, from deep blue through bright cyan, and each has a hard white center, a softer inner glow and a wide faint halo. Short forks split off along the line and change position many times a second. The brightness pulses fast, and a faint blue field glows between the arcs.

Settings

• Speed sets how fast the arcs crawl and flicker.
• Intensity scales the brightness of cores, glow and halos together.
• Fork Density sets how many forks branch off along each line; higher values give a busier, more broken discharge.
• Glow Color tints the wide halo around each arc.

Use it for

Sci-fi energy shields, tech product reveals, power and electricity themes, game hit effects and dramatic logo intros. For a simpler crackle see Electric; for real bolts in the scene, add the lightning effect.