3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [454]
Figure 42.6 shows a box selected as an emitter for a PArray. The PBomb is bound to the PArray and not to the box object. The Speed value for the PArray has been set to 0, and the Particle Type is set to Fragments. Notice that the PBomb's icon determines the center of the blast.
FIGURE 42.6
You can use the PBomb Space Warp with the PArray particle system to create explosions.
Path Follow
The Path Follow Space Warp causes particles to follow a path defined by a spline. The Basic Parameters rollout for this Space Warp includes a Pick Shape Object button for selecting the spline path to use. You can also specify a Range value or the Unlimited Range option. The Range distance is measured from the path to the particle.
Cross-Reference
The Path Follow Space Warp is similar to the Path Constraint, which is discussed in Chapter 22, “Animating with Constraints and Simple Controllers.” •
In the Motion Timing section, the Start Frame value is the frame where the particles start following the path, the Travel Time is the number of frames required to travel the entire path, and the Last Frame is where the particles no longer follow the path. There is also a Variation value to add some randomness to the movement of the particles.
The Basic Parameters rollout also includes a Particle Motion section with two options for controlling how the particles proceed down the path: Along Offset Splines and Along Parallel Splines. The first causes the particles to move along splines that are offset from the original, and the second moves all particles from their initial location along parallel path splines. The Constant Speed option makes all particles move at the same speed.
Also in the Particle Motion section is the Stream Taper value. This value is the amount by which the particles move away from the path over time. Options include Converge, Diverge, or Both. Converging streams move all particles closer to the path, and diverging streams do the opposite. The Stream value is the number of spiral turns that the particles take along the path. This swirling motion can be Clockwise, Counterclockwise, or Bidirectional. The Seed value determines the randomness of the stream settings.
Figure 42.7 shows a Path Follow Space Warp bound to a Super Spray particle system. A Helix shape has been selected as the path.
Gravity
The Gravity Space Warp adds the effect of gravity to a scene. This causes objects to accelerate in the direction specified by the Gravity Space Warp, like the Wind Space Warp. The Parameters rollout includes Strength and Decay values. Additional options make the gravity planar or spherical. You can turn on the Range Indicators to display a plane or sphere where the gravity is half its maximum value.
Wind
The Wind Space Warp causes objects to accelerate. The Parameters rollout includes Strength and Decay values. Additional options make the gravity planar or spherical. The Turbulence value randomly moves the objects in different directions, and the Frequency value controls how often these random turbulent changes occur. Larger Scale values cause turbulence to affect larger areas, but smaller values are wilder and more chaotic.
You can turn on the Range Indicators just like the Gravity Space Warp. Figure 42.8 shows the Wind Space Warp pushing the particles being emitted from a Super Spray particle system.
FIGURE 42.7
A Path Follow Space Warp bound to an emitter from the Super Spray particle system and following a Helix path
FIGURE 42.8
You can use the Wind Space Warp to blow particles and dynamic objects.
Displace
The Displace Space Warp is like a force field: It pushes objects and is useful when applied to a particle system. It can also work on any deformable object in addition to particle systems. The strength of the displacement can be defined with Strength and Decay values or with a grayscale