Particle Flow - emitter animation rotation.

[JohnnyRandom]

You can use an ellipse and a path constraint.

1. Create an ellipse or circle spline

2. Create a point helper (command panel->create tab->helpers->Point or Create Menu->Helpers->Point)

3. With the Point helper selected goto the Animation Menu->Constraints->Path Constraint and link the two. You can modify the point helper behaviour along the path in the Comand Panel->Animation tab

4. Pick your pflow emitter object, enable the Select and Link tool, and either hit keyboard shortcut H to open the Select By Name Dialog or in the viewport choose the Point Helper

5. Done :)

[VTeixeira]

Huge thanks Johnny.
Really appreciate the help.
Cheers

[Bobo]

Huge thanks Johnny.
Really appreciate the help.
Cheers

Alternatively,

*Create a Point Helper at the center of rotation.
*Parent the Emitter to the Point Helper (Select Emitter, click Link icon, click and drag from the Emitter to the Point Helper, done).
*Disable the PFlow so it does not update.
*Go to the last frame of the animation, enable Auto Key and rotate the Point Helper at 360 degrees - the emitter will rotate around it as about an external pivot point.
*Go to the first frame and enable the PFlow emission and play back.

[VTeixeira]

How can I create a point helper?
Thanks Borislav.

[Bobo]

How can I create a point helper?
Thanks Borislav.

Create tab in Command Panel, Helpers icon, Point.
It is the equivalent of a Null in other packages. Does not render, but is very useful in hierarchies and rigs.

[VTeixeira]

I'll do that.
Thanks for all the help.
Cheers

[VTeixeira]

Sorry, sorry for asking this but I really can't find that " click Link icon" I've searched a lot.
I feel embarrassed.


I've finally get there.
Thanks for all the help.
Cheers

[Bobo]

Sorry, sorry for asking this but I really can't find that " click Link icon" I've searched a lot.
I feel embarrassed.

It is a completely different workflow compared to Maya's "Select First Object, Select Second Object, Hit P to Parent". Max uses an icon to Parent a.k.a. Link (it is the first icon on the Main Toolbar in Max 2010), and another one to Unlink (second icon). You can select any number of objects in the scene, press the "Select and Link" icon and either click, hold and drag to the parent object with a rubber line following the mouse from each object (mouse cursor changes when the parent under the mouse is valid), or hit the H key and select the parent by name without dragging.

[JohnnyRandom]

Alternatively,

*Create a Point Helper at the center of rotation.
*Parent the Emitter to the Point Helper (Select Emitter, click Link icon, click and drag from the Emitter to the Point Helper, done).
*Disable the PFlow so it does not update.
*Go to the last frame of the animation, enable Auto Key and rotate the Point Helper at 360 degrees - the emitter will rotate around it as about an external pivot point.
*Go to the first frame and enable the PFlow emission and play back.

LOL, Or do it the easy way :) This is definitely faster and more direct than using the Path Constraint.

[VTeixeira]

Really a huge thanks to both of you.
It's a lot different. I see what you mean.
Just wanted to add a simple particle emitter, emitting fuel to interact with the fumefx container to get some nice abstract fire results.
Really appreciate the help.
Cheers

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