Particle Physics Reference

Here each of the Particle Physics settings and functionality are explained.

Particle Emitter Settings Dialog

The Particle Emitter Settings dialog is accessible from the Custom tool by selecting Particle Emitter
Settings when the Particle Physics emitter part is selected in the Browser.

Preview Checkbox
Displays particle motion set in the Motion window in the Figure window. Particles are shown as an aggregation of spheres.

Render Checkbox
The particles are rendered along with other objects.

Basic Settings Tab
Emission Angle Slider and Textbox

Sets the angle at which the particles are emitted.
The axis passing through the center of the particleemitter cone is considered 0.0.

Number Textbox
Sets the number of particles emitted in one second.
In a 30 frames-per-second animation, this number divided by 30 will be the number of particles emitted per frame.

Emission Velocity Textbox
Sets the initial velocity of the particles in meters per second (m/s).

Variation Slider and Textbox
Varies the life and emission velocity of each particle for a more natural look.

False Start Textbox
Delays the emission of the particles by the specified number of seconds.

Animation Tab

Size Textbox

Sets the maximum initial size of the particles, in meters. The graph measures 0 to 100%, making it possible to animate the particles’ size.

Life Textbox

Sets the lifetime of the particle from its generation
until it disappears, in seconds.

Gradation Bar

Sets the color variation of the emitted particles. Up to six new markers can be added by clicking on the gradation bar. To move a marker, click and drag it along the gradation bar. To delete a marker,
click and drag it up or down, away from the gradation bar. The markers on each end cannot be moved or deleted.

Markers

Marks the thresholds along the gradation bar for the color, size, transparency and glow.
Lifecycle Graph
Displays the size, transparency and glow of the particles over time. The markers are represented by points on the graph.

Color Picker Box
Click on the box to select a new color for the currently selected marker.

Size Slider and Textbox
Sets the size ratio.

Transparency Slider and Textbox
Sets the transparency ratio.

Glow Slider and Textbox
Sets the glow ratio. 0.0 means no glow, 1.0 means the particle will be the specified color.

Effects Tab

Receive Light Checkbox
Sets the particle emitter to receive light. When off, the particles are not affected by lights in the scene and keep the color set by the billboard. Objects set as particles do not receive light.

Blend Glow Checkbox
Blends the particles set by the billboard with the glow values set in the Animation tab using an addition blend. Creates a sparkling effect.

Drop Shadow Checkbox
Drops shadows from a light source. Distant lights, point lights and spot lights are supported. Objects set as particles do not drop shadows.

Wind Settings Dialog

Settings for all the wind effects (Cross Wind, Turbulent Wind, Tornado Wind and Gravitational Pull) can be made from the Wind Settings dialog. Wind settings can be previewed in the Figure window.
To open the Wind Settings dialog, select the Wind Particle Physics part, and select Wind Settings from the Custom tool.

Cross Wind

Enable Checkbox
Clear this checkbox to disable the cross wind effect.

Radius Textbox
The radius of the wind object centered around the start point.

Wind Velocity Textbox
The wind velocity at the start point of the wind object.

Effective Angle Textbox and Slider
The angle of the wind object’s end point from its start point.

Attenuation Textbox and Slider
Measures how fast the wind velocity drops with distance from the start point.

Turbulent Wind

Enable Checkbox
Clear this checkbox to disable the turbulent wind effect.

Range Textboxes
The size of the turbulent wind area in meters, measured in the X, Y and Z directions.

Wind Velocity Textbox
Measures the maximum wind velocity inside the turbulent wind range.

Tornado Wind

Enable Checkbox
Clear this checkbox to disable the tornado wind effect.

Initial Radius Textbox
Defines the radius of the tornado at the start point.

Terminal Radius Textbox
Defines the radius of the tornado at the end point.

Wind Velocity Textbox
Measures the maximum wind velocity at the start point.

Attenuation Slider and Textbox
Measures how fast the wind velocity drops with distance from the start point.

Spin in Reverse Direction Checkbox
Enable this checkbox to reverse the direction of rotation, so that the tornado spins counter-clockwise as viewed from above. Normally the tornado wind spins clockwise.

Gravitational Pull

Enable Checkbox
Clear this checkbox to disable the gravitational pull effect.

Radius Textbox
The radius of the circle centered around the start point. The terminus of the gravitational pull is the base point.

Strength of Gravitation
Defines the strength of the gravitational pull at the start point.

Effective Angle Slider and Textbox
The angle of the end point of the gravitational pull from the start point.

Attenuation Slider and Textbox
Measures how fast the strength of the gravitational pull drops with distance from the start point.

Object Physics Settings Dialog

The Object Physics Settings dialog is accessible by selecting an object inside the “‘physical - Particle
Physics” part in the Browser and choosing Physics Settings from the Custom tool.

Preview Checkbox
Displays the object with the applied Object Physics Settings in the Figure window.

Render Checkbox
Renders the selected object after applying the Object Physics Settings.

Receive Force Checkbox
Enables the object to be affected by other objects with collision settings applied, effective between
the Start Frame and the End Frame. If both the Start Frame and the End Frame are set to 0,the object will receive forces from other object throughout the animation.

Basic Shape Pull-Down Menu
Sets the preview shape displayed in the Figure window. Sphere, Box or Mesh shapes can be selected.
Preview objects are marked by a “p” in the Figure window.

Accuracy Pull-Down Menu
Sets the number of subdivisions of the preview object. Select from Coarse (no subdivision), Normal (8 subdivisions), Fine (16 subdivisions) and Very Fine (32 subdivisions).

Material Pull-Down Menu
The type of material determines the Mass Density, Bounce and Friction values. Choose from Gold, Uranium, Lead, Copper, Iron, Aluminum, Magnesium, Water, Wood, Air or Smoke, or select Custom to specify other settings for the Mass Density, Bounce and Friction of the object.

Mass Density Pull-Down Menu
The average density of the particle. Choose from Gold, Uranium, Lead, Copper, Iron, Aluminum, Magnesium, Water, Wood, Air or Smoke, or select Custom to specify a value.

Bounce
Sets the amount of bounce exhibited by the particles.

Friction
Sets the coefficient of friction for collisions.

Initial Velocity
Sets the initial velocity of the object in the X, Y and Z directions (from left to right respectively), in meters per second (m/s).

Particle Physics Settings Dialog
The Particle Physics Settings dialog can be opened by selecting the Billboard - Particle Physics part in the Browser and choosing Physics Settings from the Custom tool.

Basic Shape Pull-Down Menu
Sets the preview shape displayed in the Figure window. Sphere, Box or Mesh shapes can be selected.
Preview objects are marked by a “p” in the Figure window.

Accuracy Pull-Down Menu
Sets the number of subdivisions of the preview object. Select from Coarse (no subdivision), Normal (8 subdivisions), Fine (16 subdivisions) and Very Fine (32 subdivisions).
Note: ‘’Billboard particles are always set to a Sphere basic shape and Coarse accuracy.’’

Material Pull-Down Menu
The type of material determines the Mass Density, Bounce and Friction values. Choose from Gold, Uranium, Lead, Copper, Iron, Aluminum, Magnesium, Water, Wood, Air or Smoke, or select Custom to specify other settings.

Custom Material Settings
Select Custom from the Material pull-down menu to enable the custom material settings.
Mass Density The average density of the particle.
Choose from Gold, Uranium, Lead, Copper, Iron, Aluminum, Magnesium, Water, Wood, Air or Smoke, or select Custom to specify other settings.

Bounce
Sets the amount of bounce exhibited by the particles.

Friction
Sets the coefficient of friction for collisions.

Collision Detection
Particles will be affected by the collision detection of other objects.

Collision Detection of Particles
Particles will be affected by the collision detection of other particles.

Particles Disappear after Colliding
Particles that collide with other objects or particles will disappear.

Billboard Settings Dialog
The Billboard Settings dialog is accessible by selecting the Billboard - Particle Physics part in the Browser and selecting Billboard Settings from the Custom tool.

Particle Physics Settings Dialog

The Particle Physics Settings dialog can be accessed by selecting Particle Physics from the Effector pulldown menu on the Effects tab of the Image window and clicking Set...

World Information
Gravity

Select Custom to specify another value for gravity.
Air Resistance

Motion Blur
Motion Blur
Enables motion blur.

Number of Frames
The number of frames for which motion blur is enabled.

Effector
Drop Shadow
Sets the strength of shadows dropped by billboard particles.

Particle Physics Limitations

Physics calculations for particles and physics objects will be recalculated if the sequence in the Motion window is moved. Immediately after loading a scene, the Figure window will not calculate or draw the preview. If the Motion window sequence is moved backwards the physics calculations will be redone from the first frame. If the Motion window sequence is moved forwards then only the physics calculation of the accumulated difference is done. Hierarchical Physics Objects parts cannot be placed inside the Physics Object - Particle Physics part in the Browser. It will be read as a single part. When using a custom image as a movie for the Particle Billboard, drop shadows are not supported. Motion blur for particle billboards does not support shadows. Shadows and light generated by particle billboards only support distant lights, point lights and spot lights.