# Parameterize "Spawn Total" in scattered instruments, for AOE hits?

**URL:** <https://qa.fmod.com/t/parameterize-spawn-total-in-scattered-instruments-for-aoe-hits/16851>\
**Category:** FMOD Studio\
**Created:** [March 9, 2021, 1:59pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/parameterize-spawn-total-in-scattered-instruments-for-aoe-hits/16851 "2021-03-09T13:59:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Alcibiade](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/alcibiade/32/4284_2.png) [@Alcibiade](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Alcibiade)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 1:59pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/parameterize-spawn-total-in-scattered-instruments-for-aoe-hits/16851/1 "2021-03-09T13:59:19Z")

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Hi,  
It would be fantastic to be able to parameterize “Spawn Total” in scattered instruments, for instance for multiple hits with an Area Of Effect attack (ie a fireball that hits 3, 4 or 5 characters).  
Is there a workaround for this kind of effet?

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**Author:** ![tristanjl](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/tristanjl/32/261_2.png) [@tristanjl](https://qa.fmod.com/u/tristanjl)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 10:31pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/parameterize-spawn-total-in-scattered-instruments-for-aoe-hits/16851/2 "2021-03-09T22:31:00Z")

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Hi, this feature is already planned for the next major version.

In the mean time, you might be able to create something that fits your need with a nested event containing a scatterer and a loop region with probability. May require some experimentation though.

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**Author:** ![Alcibiade](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/alcibiade/32/4284_2.png) [@Alcibiade](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Alcibiade)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/parameterize-spawn-total-in-scattered-instruments-for-aoe-hits/16851/3 "2021-03-09T23:40:53Z")

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Thanks, @tristanjl!  
But could you explain the workaround you had in mind? I’m trying but I don’t get it yet! On what would you put the parameter? On what is the probability and what for?

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**Author:** ![tristanjl](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/tristanjl/32/261_2.png) [@tristanjl](https://qa.fmod.com/u/tristanjl)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/parameterize-spawn-total-in-scattered-instruments-for-aoe-hits/16851/4 "2021-03-10T00:17:14Z")

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Ok, I thought about it a bit more, and possibly something like this might be the easiest solution. (ignore my probability comment - I was thinking about a separate request for this feature).

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fmod/original/2X/d/dd92ed16fbef46e5df822a6e3b89d98c7dc246bf.png)

The first instrument has spawn total as min spawn count, and the instrument in the loop has a spawn total of 1. The marker has a parameter condition checking for approximately 0. The spawn count parameter should be set to the number of additional spawns you are looking for.

This does fall over with a large difference between min and max spawn interval and a large number of spawns, but might cover your specific use case.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Alcibiade](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/alcibiade/32/4284_2.png) [@Alcibiade](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Alcibiade)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/parameterize-spawn-total-in-scattered-instruments-for-aoe-hits/16851/5 "2021-03-10T00:40:11Z")

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Thanks for the workaround! However, by re-triggering the scatterer at constant rate we loose one of the greatest feature of the scatterer instrument for my particular case, the spawn interval randomisation (to avoid the machine gun effect). I would prefer a less accurate spawn count but a more randomised spawn timing, so I may stick to this variant (the condition is on the loop):

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fmod/original/2X/0/00256ca1e6e75c2f488d63bec527e1071040ef4c.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tristanjl](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/tristanjl/32/261_2.png) [@tristanjl](https://qa.fmod.com/u/tristanjl)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2021, 12:06am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/parameterize-spawn-total-in-scattered-instruments-for-aoe-hits/16851/6 "2021-04-21T00:06:28Z")

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Automation of spawn total has now been added in 2.02.00