Creating Missile Vollys - Suggestions?

[JohnnyRandom]

Model the missile and use particle flow.
You can assign the missile shape with a shape instance operator.

Use a position object operator to setup the birth positions on the mech.

Create a spawn test to emit a particle trail.

That is the gist of it.

[Skygrasper]

Thanks for the info. This is my first time using particle flow, and the image below is about as much as I have been able to figure out by myself:


http://Korbel3D.com/WIP/Pflow_test.jpg


Where is the "Spawn Test" that will generate the missile trail you spoke of? do I need a plugin for it?

Also, is there a way to get it to follow a spline path? I want the missiles to be arching up in the air. I suppose this could also be acheived with a gravity force however.

Any additional information would be great.

[noouch]

The spawn test is the yellow operator that says "Spawn" (the yellow icon means the operator tests a condition)

[Piflik]

You can use a 'Find Target' Test or a 'Speed by Icon' Operator to make particles follow a path. Have a read on them in the Max User Reference...

[Skygrasper]

Alright, so I got the spawn test working, emitting planes facing twords the camera, with a temporary smoke-like material on it, and the particle is following a spline.

http://Korbel3D.com/WIP/Pflow_Test_2.jpg

Now the problem I have is the "Grow for" and "Fade for" settings for the fire/smoke trails. I cant seem to find out which modifier allows you to set/change those. I thought the "Age Test" and "Scale Test" would be what I'm looking for, but unless I'm mistaken, thats not the case.

Any Ideas on where I can find the "Grow for" and "Fade for" settings/modifiers for the particles that are created from the spawn test?

[JonathanFreisler]

"grow for" is scale (i guess). You can animate the scale and set particles to inherit the animation accordingly to there age.

And "fade for" could be controled by your material you have on the particles.

[Skygrasper]

So I got the particles to grow, but now Im having problems with the material. Ive tried all 3 of the particle flow material options, yet none of them work, the material just stays yellow. It should start off yellow, fade to an orange, then into another 3 shades of grey.

Heres what I've got below:

http://Korbel3D.com/WIP/Pflow_Test_3.jpg

Any help with this problem would be great.

[JonathanFreisler]

Particle age maps only work when the particles have a delete or similar node. So put a delete at the end of the flow and set it to age, and set the age to the time your particles scale down. So as they finish scaling they delete.

Your particles need to know what 100% is and then it works the rest out accordingly.

[Skygrasper]

Thanks for the help. I've finally got the missile volley looking somewhat like I want it to. Considering its my first time ever using Particle Flow, I think I did alright. The speed may be a little to high, or the rate may be a little to low as the particles really thin out near the missiles, but I dont want to spend forever trying to make it look perfect.

Heres what I ended up with:

http://korbel3d.com/WIP/Timberwolf_low_poly_Desert_Scene.jpg

Thanks again for your help.

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