I need your help to make some animation. This is to be presented to some high school kids. It is supposed to represent some quantum physics events.
First: Two spheres (a blue one and a red one) move straight with non-parallel trajectories. At some point, they meet and turn into a third one (green, the blue and red are gone) which has a different trajectory. Some frames later, this green one desintegrates to become two new spheres again. I would like to have the trajectories drawn behind the spheres. I mean as if they were leaving a print behind then as they move.
Second: I replace the two initial spheres by halves of circles, and when they meet they become a full circle. The latter will draw a tube when moving and then splits again.
I hope it is understandable. Ask me otherwise.
I have tried doing this for the last few days without success. Can you help me?
Additionally don’t try to do everything in one animation but think about breaking it apart into distinct animations which you can then composit together via the sequencer.
It is a school assignement, yes. I do not expect/want anyone to do it for me. Just to tell me how to proceed better.
What I have tried:
a) For the second drawing, the tube one: I tried using “build”. I have some result. I thought using keyshapes would be better, but I did not succeed.
b) For the first one: making the two spheres collide is ok. I then make the other sphere appear by using the channel “alpha”, while the two first disappear. Then again the reverse. That is not a very smart way to proceed.
Total failure: I can not make the trajectories been drawn by the objects as they move. On this point, I have no idea at all.
I am just starting learning blender, so sorry if what I am asking seems to be asked in this forum is too simple. I have never used the sequencer. I have to learn it.
You can use particles to draw your trajectories. I’ve made a simple file here to demonstrate. The particles are emitted from single vertex objects in the centre of the balls.
The simplest way I can think of to make the trajectory lines (dashed lines, tube, whatever) is to place a series of objects (of the desired shape) along the path, all set to transparent in the beginning. Then, as the sphere passes each “trajectory marker” object, it’s alpha is bumped up to visible.
Both the sphere and the particle object have Follow Path constraints to the same curve. When I added the particle system, I didn’t change anything except the life setting. So they don’t move at all, they just pop out and stay still.
