function fire_init_startup()
{
	VECTOR temp, fire_coords;
	var fire_playing, i;
	while (!player) {wait (1);}
	while (1)
	{
		t_mace = ptr_for_handle(mace_handle);
		if ((t_mace != NULL) && (player.life > 0) && (mouse_mode == 0))
		{
			SND_CREATE_STATIC(fire_sound_effect, trpg_fire_wav);
			while (mouse_left) // this loop will run for as long as the player is alive
			{	
				// only generate fire while the player is standing still		
				if((key_pressed(key_for_str(key_forward))) + (key_pressed(key_for_str(key_backward))) + (key_pressed(key_for_str(key_right))) + (key_pressed(key_for_str(key_left))) == 0)
				{
					vec_for_vertex (temp, t_mace, trpg_staff_fire_effect_vertex); // get the origin of the fire vector - it's the 44th mace vertex
					for (i = 0; i <= trpg_staff_fire_effect_length; i += trpg_staff_fire_effect_offset) // create a mace fire source every 10 quants (for a total of 100 fire sources)
					{
						vec_set (fire_coords.x, vector(i, 0, 0));
		  	     		vec_rotate (fire_coords, camera.pan); // allow the player to fire at will, at any angle, regardless of player's model (fixed) tilt angle
		      		vec_add (fire_coords, temp.x);
						effect(fire_effect, trpg_staff_fire_particles_per_frame, fire_coords.x, nullvector);
					}        	
					c_trace (temp.x, fire_coords.x, IGNORE_ME | IGNORE_FLAG2 | ACTIVATE_SHOOT); // trace along the fire line
					if (!snd_playing(fire_playing))
 						fire_playing = snd_play(fire_sound_effect, trpg_staff_fire_sound_volume, 0);
					if (player.life <= 0) // the player has died while firing?
						break; // then get out of this loop
				}
				wait (1);
			}
		}
		wait (1);
	}
}