Tutorial 12: Particle Source

 

In this tutorial you will learn how to use Particle Source and Maya particles.

 

For this tutorial please load Tut_12_start.ma scene from your [MAYA]/FumeFX/Tutorials folder.

 

 

From the Outliner, select fumeFX1 and particle 1.

 

From the FumeFX Shelf click on the Create Particle Source icon .

This will create particle1_source in the scene.

Select particle1_sourceProxy Attribute Editor.

Since we do not need the Fuel in this sim, from the Fuel rollout change Type to Disabled.

Inside the Temperature rollout change the Amount to 200.

In the Smoke rollout, set Type to Add,  Amount to 1.0, enable the Controller checkbox and set Amount2 to 5. Those options will add smoke to the grid with the amount varying with the particle age.

 

 

Inside the Radius rollout, change the Radius value to 0.5, enable the Controller and set Radius2 to 3.0.

 

Scroll up to Viewport rollout and enable the Show in viewport.

Change Draw to Smoke.

If you scrub the Maya time slider, you will notice how Particle source draws particle radius with yellow color and smoke value change over the particle life is drawn inside. With the Reduce parameter you can reduce the number of shapes that are drawn inside the viewport.

 

 

We now have to adjust FumeFX parameters, so open the fumeFXShape1 Attribute Editor.

Change Spacing to 0.2. You can go even lower for the more detailed simulation.

Set Sensitivity to Velocity. This option will expand the grid way ahead of the smoke, allowing more natural fluid flow.

We will add more small swirls if we increase Vorticity Strength to 1.0 (Parameter is located under the Simulation - >System rollout).

We need to increase the simulation range, so under the Output rollout set the End Frame to 100.

We will also need to set the Play To value to 100 (under the Playback rollout).

Under the System rollout, set X Turbulence to 0.02.

Under the Turbulence Noise rollout set Scale to 2.0.

Create a point light and place it above the grid at coordinates 0,60, - 40.

Inside the light's Attribute Editor enable the Use Ray Trace Shadows option.

 

Select fumeFX1 node.
Under Rendering Settings - >Smoke enable Cast Shadows and Receive Shadows.

From the FumeFX Releationship Manager select pointLight1.

 

 

 

Run the simulation and render the animation.