Chainsaw (unstable=4)

Introduction

The Chainsaw effect (unstable=4) is completely different from the heat-based effects in the earlier guides. Instead of simulating fire, sparks, or dents, Chainsaw generates a repeating waveform that scrolls along the blade.

You can think of it as a signal generator for your saber. You choose a waveform shape, set the pattern speed and frequency, then blend that moving pattern between your blade color and effect color. The result can look like sharp saw teeth, smooth rolling waves, hard striped bands, or chaotic flicker.

Heat-Based Effects vs. Chainsaw

Enabling Chainsaw

In your blade profile, set:

unstable=4

How Chainsaw Works

Each frame, Chainsaw does four main things:

1. Advance the pattern using a scrolling position based on sparkd
2. Generate the waveform for each pixel using the selected shape from lcool and the frequency from sparkf
3. Apply amplitude and offset using mapb and mapc
4. Blend color between the blade base color and ecolor using the waveform as the blend amount

If audio mapping is enabled, an additional volume-based blend toward the effect color is layered on top.

Parameter Mapping

lcool — Waveform Shape

Default: 20

In Chainsaw, lcool selects the waveform type instead of controlling cooling.

Tip: Sawtooth gives the most obvious chainsaw-teeth look. Sine is great for smooth energy waves. Square is perfect for bold banded patterns.

hcool — Not Used

The hcool parameter has no visible effect on Chainsaw. You can leave it at the default.

sparkd — Pattern Speed

Default: 10

This controls how fast the pattern scrolls along the blade.

Important: During a clash, Chainsaw doubles the speed. During lockup, it triples the speed.

sparkf — Pattern Frequency / Multiplier

Default: 120

This controls how many waveform cycles fit on the blade. Lower values create a few large features. Higher values create many tightly packed features.

drift — Pattern Direction

Default: 0

This flips the direction the pattern scrolls.

drift=0    # one direction
drift=1    # opposite direction

Use this to match the wave travel direction to your personal preference or blade orientation.

Color & Modulation Controls

Chainsaw does not use the heat-map rendering path. It directly blends between your blade base color and the effect color.

ecolor — Effect Color

This is the target color that the waveform blends toward.

ecolor=1023,1023,1023,0   # white
ecolor=1023,0,0,0         # red
ecolor=0,800,1023,0       # cyan
ecolor=1023,400,0,0       # orange

On CFX, color channel values can go up to 1023.

mapb — Amplitude / Modulation Depth

Default: 50

This controls how much the waveform swings between blade color and effect color.

mapc — Offset / Baseline Blend

Default: 50

This adds a constant blend bias toward the effect color. It shifts the whole wave upward.

Tip: mapb controls the wave height, while mapc controls where that wave sits. High mapb with low mapc gives crisp contrast. Lower mapb with higher mapc gives a gentler pattern on top of a more saturated base.

mapping_color — Not Used

mapping_color has no effect on Chainsaw because this mode does not use the heat-map color system.

Audio Reactivity

mapping_unstable — Reactivity Source

Default: 1

mapping_unstable=0 — None

The pattern stays fully static except for its normal scrolling. Speed and frequency remain fixed.

mapping_unstable=1 — Audio

Chainsaw reacts to sound in two ways:

1. Speed and frequency boost — louder sounds increase the pattern speed and density
2. Per-pixel color overlay — louder sounds push the whole blade farther toward ecolor

This means the blade not only scrolls faster under load, but also glows more intensely toward the effect color.

Note: Chainsaw’s audio feel is stronger during combat because clash and lockup already accelerate the pattern even before the extra audio overlay is applied.

Refresh Rate

refreshfx — Effect Refresh Interval

Default: 12 ms

This controls how often the pattern advances. Since Chainsaw scrolls by a certain amount per frame, refresh rate directly changes the visible motion speed.

Putting It All Together: Recipes

Recipe 1: Classic Chainsaw Teeth

Sharp sawtooth teeth with aggressive, readable structure.

unstable=4
lcool=10
sparkd=15
sparkf=60
drift=0
mapb=200
mapc=20
mapping_unstable=1
ecolor=1023,1023,1023,0

Recipe 2: Tron Disc

A smooth cyan sine wave with a futuristic rolling energy feel.

unstable=4
lcool=90
sparkd=20
sparkf=80
drift=0
mapb=220
mapc=30
mapping_unstable=1
ecolor=0,800,1023,0

Recipe 3: Energy Bands

Square-wave banding for strong striped motion.

unstable=4
lcool=140
sparkd=10
sparkf=50
drift=0
mapb=255
mapc=0
mapping_unstable=0
ecolor=1023,400,0,0

Recipe 4: Gentle Rolling Glow

A slow, elegant triangle wave with broad movement.

unstable=4
lcool=50
sparkd=5
sparkf=15
drift=0
mapb=120
mapc=60
mapping_unstable=1
ecolor=1023,800,400,0
refreshfx=20

Recipe 5: Chaos Flicker

Drunk mode for a corrupted, random, unstable energy pattern.

unstable=4
lcool=180
sparkd=30
sparkf=100
drift=0
mapb=200
mapc=40
mapping_unstable=1
ecolor=1023,200,200,0
refreshfx=10

Recipe 6: Slow Barber Pole

A wide slow wave for a hypnotic scrolling pattern.

unstable=4
lcool=5
sparkd=3
sparkf=8
drift=0
mapb=180
mapc=30
mapping_unstable=0
ecolor=1023,0,0,0
refreshfx=15

Quick Reference Card

Tuning Tips

1. Start with waveform shape first. The choice of lcool changes the entire personality of the effect.
2. sparkf controls density. Low values give broad sweeping waves, high values give fine texture.
3. sparkd controls animation speed. Keep in mind it gets boosted further during clash and lockup.
4. Adjust contrast with mapb and mapc before changing everything else. Those two values often decide whether the effect feels subtle or extreme.
5. Drunk mode is its own thing. It does not really read as chainsaw teeth, but it is useful for corrupted or unstable glitch blades.
6. Square wave plus slow speed gives a great theater-chase look. It works especially well for bold alternating band patterns.

Crystal Focus X firmware guide · Unstable Effects Collection · Part 4 — Chainsaw (unstable=4)