Ok, so as I’ve gone along through the various sections of stuff to learn in UE4, I have come across the term flipbook/flipbooking in regards to particle systems and occasionally explosions, etc. I have yet to come across an adequate explanation of what they/it actually are/is. Can anyone explain what it is, why you use it, how you make it, and/or how you use it?
Flipbook or Flipbooking is a texture that has many frames put all in one texture. If it is imported as a flipbook, you will have the option of setting how many frames per second the texture will be “flipped” through. You can also set how many frames the texture contains length and height wise. This will initially play an animation when viewed in a particle system or material.
This might give you some brief insight on how they are made.
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101171
They usually follow the power of 2 rule 128/256/ etc per frame.