diff --git a/data/shader/particle.frag b/data/shader/particle.frag
index c6a381f..f492427 100644
--- a/data/shader/particle.frag
+++ b/data/shader/particle.frag
@@ -21,14 +21,15 @@ void main()
         discard;
     }
 
-    float d = decay/(1.0+max(0.0, 1.0-explCenterDist));
+    float d = decay/(1.0+max(0.0, 1.0-2.0*explCenterDist));
     float h = (1.0-d)/6.0;
     float v = max(0.0, (1.0-log(d)));
-    float s = 1.0;
+    float s = max(0.0, min(30.0 * sqrt(decay) * explCenterDist, 1.0));
 
     //v /= decay * 10.0*length(vertex-explCenter);
     //v /= 1.0+2.0*length(vertex-explCenter);
-    v /= 1.0 + max(0.0, min(35.0*(decay-0.2), 1.0)) * 15.0 * explCenterDist;
+    //v /= 1.0 + max(0.0, min(35.0*(decay-0.2), 1.0)) + 10.0 * explCenterDist;
+    v /= 1.0 + 10.0 * explCenterDist;
 
     gl_FragColor = vec4(hsv2rgb(vec3(h, s, v)), 1.0);
 
diff --git a/data/shader/particle.vert b/data/shader/particle.vert
index f4ef9da..641d628 100644
--- a/data/shader/particle.vert
+++ b/data/shader/particle.vert
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ attribute vec3 in_velocity;
 uniform float age;
 uniform float size;
 uniform float maxVelocity;
-uniform float maxAge;
+uniform float halfAge;
 uniform vec3  explCenter;
 
 varying float decay;
@@ -17,15 +17,16 @@ varying float explCenterDist;
 // TODO: rotate to face the user!
 void main()
 {
-  //decay = min(1.0, age+5.0*length(velocity)) / maxAge;
+  //decay = min(1.0, age+5.0*length(velocity)) / halfAge;
   //decay = max(decay*decay, sqrt(decay));
-  decay = age / maxAge;
+  decay = age / halfAge;
 
   // faster particles are smaller
-  float s = size * (1.0-length(in_velocity)/maxVelocity);
+  //float s = size * (1.0-length(in_velocity)/maxVelocity);
+  float s = size;
   vec2 base = in_vertex;
   vec3 p = s*vec3(base, 0.0);
-  vec3 offset = log(1.0+age) * in_velocity + in_position;
+  vec3 offset = (0.1*age + log(1.0+age*5.0)) * in_velocity + in_position;
   p += offset;
 
   gl_Position = vec4(p, 1.0);
diff --git a/game/renderer_polygon_3d/particle_batch.cpp b/game/renderer_polygon_3d/particle_batch.cpp
index b9ac890..70d366f 100644
--- a/game/renderer_polygon_3d/particle_batch.cpp
+++ b/game/renderer_polygon_3d/particle_batch.cpp
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ int getDivisorForIndex(int index)
 }
 
 namespace endofthejedi {
-    ParticleBatch::ParticleBatch(size_t id, size_t numParticles, float particleSize, float maxAge)
+    ParticleBatch::ParticleBatch(size_t id, size_t numParticles, float particleSize, float halfAge)
         : m_id(id)
         , m_numParticles(numParticles)
         , m_particleRadius(particleSize)
-        , m_maxAge(maxAge)
+        , m_halfAge(halfAge)
         , m_age(0.0)
         , m_maxVelocity(1.0)
         , m_center(glm::vec3(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f))
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ namespace endofthejedi {
 
         glUniform1f(m_shader.location("age"),         m_age);
         glUniform1f(m_shader.location("maxVelocity"), m_maxVelocity);
-        glUniform1f(m_shader.location("maxAge"),      m_maxAge);
+        glUniform1f(m_shader.location("halfAge"),      m_halfAge);
         glUniform1f(m_shader.location("size"),        m_particleRadius);
         glUniform3f(m_shader.location("center"),      m_center.x, m_center.y, m_center.z);
 
@@ -206,6 +206,6 @@ namespace endofthejedi {
 
     bool ParticleBatch::done() const
     {
-        return m_age >= m_maxAge;
+        return m_age >= 5.0*m_halfAge;
     }
 }
diff --git a/game/renderer_polygon_3d/particle_batch.hpp b/game/renderer_polygon_3d/particle_batch.hpp
index 004a82f..5c7de78 100644
--- a/game/renderer_polygon_3d/particle_batch.hpp
+++ b/game/renderer_polygon_3d/particle_batch.hpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 namespace endofthejedi {
     class ParticleBatch {
         public:
-            ParticleBatch(size_t id, size_t numParticles, float particleRadius, float maxAge);
+            ParticleBatch(size_t id, size_t numParticles, float particleRadius, float halfAge);
 
             // deallocate opengl stuff on destroy
             ~ParticleBatch();
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ namespace endofthejedi {
             size_t                 m_id;
             size_t                 m_numParticles;
             float                  m_particleRadius;
-            const float            m_maxAge;
+            const float            m_halfAge;
             float                  m_age;
             float                  m_maxVelocity;
             glm::vec3              m_center;
diff --git a/game/renderer_polygon_3d/renderer_polygon_3d.cpp b/game/renderer_polygon_3d/renderer_polygon_3d.cpp
index 890fea5..f7616cb 100644
--- a/game/renderer_polygon_3d/renderer_polygon_3d.cpp
+++ b/game/renderer_polygon_3d/renderer_polygon_3d.cpp
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ namespace endofthejedi {
             //glm::vec3 v = 0.5f*glm::vec3(sin(t), cos(t), util::randf_m1_1());
 
             glm::vec3 v = glm::ballRand(maxVelocity);
-            v *= util::randf_0_1() + util::randf_0_1();
+            v *= util::randf_0_1() * util::randf_0_1();
 
             batch->setParticle(i, glm::vec3(pos, 0.0) + glm::ballRand(explSize), v);
         }