Particle Fluid Tools V 0.3.2 (PFluid Tools)
Tools for Generating Surface on Particles.
V 0.3.2
UPDATE: Shrink has some Problems… will look into it later.
-ability to mesh multiple Objects and all Particle Systems in them.
(disabled again! might come later. -ability to Mesh Object Vertices (if Object has no Particle_system))
-Fixed “Metaball in Center” Problem
V 0.3.1
-implemented a different way of how the Metaball is created - much faster now!
-got rid of the Animation issue!
-Option to Shrinkwrap generated Mesh onto Particles (PointCloud). Allows for much thinner Mesh.
version 0.3.1 times: 1000 Particles - 1.6 sec, 2000 = 4.7 sec, 3000=10.4 min, 6000 = 34 sec 12000 = 3.23 min
(macbook pro i7, 2,6ghz) Note: Times vary on how much the Particles are ‘spreaded’/apart from each other.
version 0.2.1 times: 1000 Particles - 7-10sec, 2000 = 35-40, 3000=1min, 6000 = 5.6min
(Sample with 86’000 Particles, “over night, including crash”
See what it does:
video V0.21: http://vimeo.com/30437596
Button Explanation
MBall Size
-Size of generating MetaBall Elements
MBall Resolution
-Resolution, lower Number means higher Resolution. Usually something between 0.4 and 1 should do it. Mesh Size can get pretty high on low numbers. Also computing time takes way longer. Since we smooth the Mesh later it really must not be to high-Res.
MBall Threshold
-threshold for Metaball. (Have to find out what it exactly does
Shrink
-Let’s the generated Mesh Re-Align with Particles.
Skin
- Offset for Shrink. Higher number - less Shrink
(Note: There are issues with the Shrinkwrap Modifier, where it sometimes make Artifacts in Mesh. Therefore - if “Shrink” is enabled it does a pre smoothing of the Mesh trying to get rid of those)
Smooth
- Smoothes the Resulting Mesh (Smooth Modifier)
Mesh Smooth Factor
Sets Smooth Modifier Factor.
Mesh Smooth Iterations
-Sets Smooth Modifier Iterations.
Modifiers Apply
-Setting if the modifiers should be applied or not. (recommend ON for Animation)
Make Mesh
-Generates Mesh
MBall Frame Start
-Start Frame for Mesh Sequence
MBall End Frame
-End Frame for Mesh Sequence
Mesh Sequence
-Generates Mesh Sequence for selected objects. Add Modifiers, if enabled, and add Material Fluid to all of it. Set viewer and render visibility to according Frame and puts them into an Empty “Pfluid Meshes”. Note: currently a stupid system with all those Objects! I will make it better soon.
NOTE: There is some strange Bug which is: if you change the layer of the generated Mesh directly after it is generated it messes up the Modifiers on it. No idea why and shoudn’t be that much of a problem.
How to work with:
-Select an Object with a Particle System and click Make Mesh
(start Blender with Console - It Prints out some Information, esp. useful on animation - to see how much particles there are and which Frame is currently meshed, as well how long it took.)
To make Fluid u want to set the Particles to Fluid instead of Newton and check multiply mass with size, integration Method Verlet is faster, Subframes = 2 or more usually needed.
Be Aware: it is still under heavy developement, so make your Tests until you rely on it in Production. (isn’t his always the case with Blender
Future Plans and Ideas
-.Obj sequence export and Import
Speed Flatening? Means “squeeze” MetaBall Elements according to Particle Speed. Have to do some testing if it works and if it makes sense at all. RealFlow had/has this Feature.
Interpolate particles. Means take Position of Particle for example 3 Frames to make MetaBalls. Idea is to get better Mesh for low Particle count.
-Change of Mesh Modifier Settings (Subsurf, Smooth) after Mesh Sequence generation.
-Simpe/Advanced Mode? Expose or not certain Settings.
-Add Motion Vector (!)
-Particles Velocity -> Material ?
Finally i hope this Tool is of some use for somebody and i would like to hear what you think about it, workflow, issues, Ideas…
If you make something cool with it i’d like to see it
bashi
and finally download it:
PFluidTools032.py.zip (3.1 KB)