Hello again, I’ve been trying to mess around with particle effects lately. I’m attempting to make a tornado like effect. I have a particle system with a cloud texture, and all I wanted it to do was rotate it so it’d look like it was swirling. I was browsing the forums and knowledge base and found a few references, but I was hoping for something a little more indepth. I was wondering if anyone knows of any sites that show you more about constraining particle systems to lattices? Or the proper method for constraining particle systems at least.
I parented the system to the lattice but it didn’t seem to have any effect. I’m not asking anyone to walk me through it, I was just hoping for a site that discusses it a little.
I’m no expert on the particle system, but I believe the only way to create this efffect would be to parent the emitter to a attice and use the lattice to control the particles.
I’m not too sure that this would allow you much control though…
Despite the fact the particle emitter is constrainted to the lattice, it doesn’t really look like the particles are rotating so to speak. Any suggestions? I realize it’s hard to offer advice without actually seeing how everything is set up. So I understand if this question remains unanswered.
make your particle system move in a single direction mostly, in a lattice that is mostly flat (maybe depth of 2) and about sqare (and big) on the other dimensions)
then roll your lattice up like an ice cream cone
good luck
you could also have your lattice be really long, and 2 on the other dimensions, and roll it up like a screw
I visualize a tornado vortex as being depicted in two parts: - first, the conelike shape, which squirms and wiggles (controlled by one lattice) but really does not appear to rotate at all; - then, a set of rotating particles, debris, frightened cows, Kansas farmhouses, and scrawny Kansas farm girls with ruby slippers, (controlled by a second lattice or lattices) obviously-spinning around it.
So the tornado object is not composed of particles, and it isn’t rotating. The cloud of particles, animals, wicked witches and schoolgirls, is.
Thanks for all the help everybody, haven’t completed it yet but I’m making a lot more progress than I was before I asked.
z3r0 d, thanks for the info on the different methods, pretty helpful for learning about particle manipulation. Because ah, yeah, particles are a little daunting at first. Or perhaps it’s only me…
And sundialsvc4 thanks for showing me that my perception was a little out of whack. The way you layed it out makes a lot of sense. So much sense that I chide myself for not considering the methodology a little more thoroughly. Impressive what one can notice when time is taken to observe.
(After proofing through the above I’m afraid it will come off as sarcastic, I assure you it’s not!)
i am trying to do something similar. i am basically trying to make a simple character out of smoke. so i believ what i need to do is make a particle emmitor (i guess a well subdivided character form would work), and then use lattices or something to make a kindof smoky charcter look…
ok. has anyone sen haunted mansion? the ghost effects in there are a lot like what i am after… i would like the character to be makde out of smoke, and then kindof have the smoke drifting off of them a little… kindof like steam rising from boiling water…
if this is even possible then how should i go about it?
and does anyone know if static particles (like hair) could move, kindof like how hair blows in the wind… maybe parent it to a lattice and do some kindof wave effect on it???
