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Zippo85
09-21-2006, 12:01 PM
After watching the matrix for the n'th time i wanted to recreate the "code-rain" as closely as possible. It all started out good but now ive gotten stuck.

This is what ive got:

I have a "Non-rendered" particle that moves in the desired direction and spawns the first "number" in the row (part 1 in the picture). This number should change as it "moves" down, like this: http://www.rasmus.be/01.mov (http://www.rasmus.be/01.mov)

This number is deleated right after is spawns the next number in the row (part 2 in the picture). All the numbers are made with "shape instance operators" so that it randomly selects a different character every time a new particle is spawned. like this http://www.rasmus.be/02.mov (http://www.rasmus.be/02.mov)

The "trail" of numbers left by the first number in the row should change although not as frequent as the first numer in the row and not all of them. This i achived bu making a looped event (part 3 in the picture). After the initial spawn of the "trail" those particles are age-tested (<30 +/- 30) then they get split so that 60% change and the rest idle. The changed ones get deleated and spawn a new particle (thus making a new shape or "number") then they go back into the age-test and so on and so on.

Now this all works perfectly but what realy made me scratch my noodle is this: The rows should fade away one by one from the top to the buttom, so that the numbers dont stay on the screen. I figured that i might need some sort of script for that but since i have Zero experience in scripting im kinda stuck. and i thought that maby one of you pFlow champions could help me.

http://www.rasmus.be/codesystem.jpg
CapitanRed
09-21-2006, 07:39 PM
did i understand that right? you wan't the particles lose color intensity, and get black(transparent) smoothly?
you can apply a dynamic material with particle age map in the opacity. so they will disappear smoothly.

nice set up of the flow:thumbsup:
Zippo85
09-21-2006, 07:43 PM
I've tryed that...but for some reason the only result i get with material dynamic is that all the particles fade at the same time.
CapitanRed
09-21-2006, 08:25 PM
Did you set the material to particle age?sorry, i just think that it should work. i'll try it by myself.
CapitanRed
09-21-2006, 08:55 PM
it is working fine for me. put in a delete operator.
Zippo85
09-21-2006, 09:23 PM
Hmmf....i cant get it to work. i think it might be because the particles keep deleating them selves and spaning a replacement, thus resetting the age.

would you post an image of your pflow tree? and maby the setup of you material operator?
CapitanRed
09-23-2006, 12:41 AM
sorry man, i did a screen shot yester day, and closed max. and then i couldn't save the screenshot. it was 2 in the morning and i was to tired to do it again.

i still can't do the screenshot, but here you have the file.

look in the material dynamic operator, what the settings are. this is very important ;)
Zippo85
09-24-2006, 03:30 PM
Thanks m8. Think i cracked it. The setup you sent me worked perfectly....although there seem to be an issue with the material and vRay. No matter, i was going to render it with scanline anyway.
Glacierise
09-24-2006, 11:30 PM
There is an offset in the dynamic material operator, so particles start from different frames in the material animation (and will fade at different frames, respectively).
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