MyMaxSo Part 1

using tools of choice Intro : Every One of us have our tools of Choice be it in 3ds Max or Maya or Softimage. However, every so often we need to use a tools in software we are not comfortable with often a dilemma to do even the simplest of things In this part we are covering the simple particle effect of emitting particles from an object and these particles to be replaced (instanced) by another object.

Maya

Again we have the human character and another object Objective : Emitting the twisted red object out to the human character. Select the character Dynamics >> particles >>emit from object

To replace the particles with the red twisted object we need to Dynamics>>particle>>instance (replacement)

We lets say we need to add another object It can be edited in the instance tab

This is fairly easy to do, however most standard users cannot figure out how to add the objects into the instance modifier, as no sooner the user selects the object (in this case the sphere) the attribute editor changes to show the properties of the sphere. For this not to happen

First select the particles (go the the particle instance tabset then Deselect the Autoload option from the list in the Attribute editor. Now you can easily add objects from the scene. As well as edit things like how they have to cycle the objectetc.

3ds Max
So lets start using 3ds Max

Objective : Emitting the tea pots out to the human character. We start by creating a PF Source

On creating the source we can edit this by going into modify and using particle view

This gives us a graphically representation of the way the particles are created, and we can then edit this to our liking.

First of all we want the Character model to be emitting the particles. First we will change the Position Icon to Position Object (Drag and Drop)

Select the object we want to emit from by adding the object

Above image the particiles have been increased just for depiction. We will reduced the number of particles to 100 as we need to replace the particles with objects, in this case the teapots. We now need to replace the emitted shape with a shape instance

We then edit the shape instance with whatever object we want to instance

Again the above image has an increased number of particle in order to show the emission. It is preferable to set the display as key ticks rather than geometry, as it simulates much faster. And since it is only viewport display, rest assured it will render property with all the instanced geometry taking the place of the key ticks

Please bear in mind that the instanced geometry could be a group of objects or object with different elements, and one could have each object/element replacing each particle.

Quite similarly the options of scaling the instance, emit it is random orderetc.

Softimage Most of us who do not know Softimage will first be worried how to interact within Softimage hence there is a nice selection

Next part is to bring in the human character or model from Max of Maya. One can do this simply by the one click interop i.e >>file>>Send to Softimage Select the human character and in the ICE module Particles >> Create >> Basic emissions

This creates the complete ICE Tree If (for some reason you cannot see the ICE Tree On the bottom left column click on

This should bring up the ICE Tree. To edit the parameters of any of these boxes all one needs to do is double click on it. And edit the parameters

Things like color or size or speed or number of particle or rate. If the particles are moving very fast, there by creating a step pattern, one can select the Fast Moving Emitter. However what we want is the particles to be replaced (instanced) by another object

Do a quick search for instance and drag out the instance shape

Link this to the Emit from Geometry

It is possible that all the parameters have not show up.

Click the upper right of each block (circled in red, in the above pic), to display the different levels at which various parameters can be seen. On playing back the scene you will notice that the particles have disappeared. We have not yet linked up what object should replace the particles Double click the instance shape node in the ICE Tree

Clicking on Explorer we can select what object we want to instant, which in this case is the red torus. If we need to instance multiple objects, we can put the objects in a group. From the Explorer select the group. Make sure the Heirarchy Mode is Object and Children.

Whoops, whats this???

All that is emitted is Cones what about the other objects. Well change the index !!!

Now the cubes are showing up. Hence we know for sure that the index is driving what object is instanced. Hence we need some function to drive this index value. There are very many parameters that can do this, depending on what effect we want. Lets settle for a random function. Type rand in the search bar and drage out the randomize Around Value.

The randomize around value gives a Scalar output and the index on the instance Shape is an Integer value(wellwhat if I did not know all this details.???) ICE recognizes the a scalar value when we drag to link this to index (Instance Shape), and automatically puts in a Round value. Thereby we have a Randomised particles emitting from Surface.

Digitally signed by Prem Moraes DN: cn=Prem Moraes, o, ou=ACE, email=prem.moraes@gm ail.com, c=IN Date: 2011.09.13 17:11:41 '+05'30