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Controlling Particle Emissions
Posted: 14 May 2019 01:27 AM   [ Ignore ]  
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I’ve got a Thinking Particle setup that emits 1 particle every 20 frames, using Shot for the birth type. However, it would be nice to also control the start and stop emission of the particles. Any idea how I might set this up?

This is for another gun project and I’ll be emitting bullet cartridges every certain number of frames. Was thinking that this would be the best setup as it would provide the most control. However, if there’s a different way other than Thinking Particles, I’m all ears haha.

Dr. Sassi, I know you showed me a way in the past using cloners and standard emitters, and basically animating the cloner Position.Y. However, in this new particular instance, I don’t need to show the bullet+casing. I only need to show the empty casing being thrown out of the gun.

Thanks!
Matt

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Posted: 14 May 2019 02:16 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]  
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Hi Matt,

Please have a look at the two files below: (updated)
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/p4CLxgXCdoUiNIhCtTSFKVRxT0q8TVUgeZ6pDO7RslG

The first one uses the Frame and Time requirements as you have set up the User Data.
The interval of 20 frames will sit over the start and stop independently. If the start point is 70 frames, the interval will produce its first one at 80. Hence the setup change in the second file.

The second file uses Integer values in the User Data, as it is frame based anyway. The set up is more straightforward and allows with a single extra Node to really start when the start parameter says so, and not based on the interval settings.

Let me know if there is something else, I’m happy to look into it.

All the best

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
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Posted: 14 May 2019 03:10 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]  
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Thanks Dr. Sassi. I think I may have found an error in the second version. If you set Start Emission to 50, then interval to 30, the first particle starts at frame 70. Any way to have the first particle emit at frame 50, and from there do intervals of 30?

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Posted: 14 May 2019 03:44 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]  
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Thanks for the feedback, Matt, I should have tested longer.

Have a look here
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/p4CLxgXCdoUiNIhCtTSFKVRxT0q8TVUgeZ6pDO7RslG

I will test it more after lunch.

Cheers

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
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Posted: 14 May 2019 04:18 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]  
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Thanks! This new version appears to be working better. However, one small thing. If I set the Start and Stop Emission both to 0 in order to disable it, it still spits out a particle on the first frame. Is it possible to add a boolean checkbox that enables/disables it altogether?

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Posted: 14 May 2019 04:46 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]  
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Hi Matt,

Set the start and end point higher than the project’s range wink

(Right or wrong? It starts on frame zero, produces a particle, then it stops in frame zero.)

Or:

Since I used the multiplication of the boolean (integer) values to get a zero or a one on end, you can implement the On/Off checkbox in the same way

Have a look here:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/bV5asyXgpSGbrSOfXPrzaWi5V1Qoz4ZeMdzAZXBUCa1


Cheers

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
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Posted: 14 May 2019 04:50 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 6 ]  
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Ahhh okay, so it just keeps going down the line haha. Alrighty thanks so much, this was a huge help!

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Posted: 14 May 2019 04:53 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 7 ]  
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You’re very welcome, Matt!

ENJOY!

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
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Posted: 14 May 2019 11:02 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 8 ]  
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Dr. Sassi,

There’s some weird stuff going on with the playhead. See my video:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/y6l2cf4vi1icjfp/playhead.mov?dl=0

When clicking previous frame and then sometimes just moving the playhead around, it will jump all over the place. And in my big scene file, it has crashed C4D at times…very strange. I don’t know know if it has something to do with R20 and thinking particles or what? Maybe you can try to see if it’s doing the same thing to you?

Matt

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Posted: 15 May 2019 12:25 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 9 ]  
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Hi Matt,

The crash is weird, but anything else, I would have expected that. Thinking Particles are not able to go back and fore as you have described it.

Set up your scene as you need it, then add MoGraph Cache Tag to the Cloner: Bake.
When this is done, switch off the Xpresso Tag (Attribute Manager> Enable.

All the best

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
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Posted: 15 May 2019 01:40 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 10 ]  
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Oh my goodness, forgot all about the MoGraph cache tag. Thanks, this helped a ton!!

Matt

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Posted: 15 May 2019 01:50 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 11 ]  
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Hi Matt,

Nice that this works for you.

I was wondering if a whole different approach would not better for you. To turn a Cloner into an Emitter is pretty simple. Please have a look here:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/NrejmpMAxgQ0fnpEbDNaZI895FSI9nLz2Wt5iCFwJDX
The adjustments can be made with the Linear Field. Which I assume is pretty straight forward and much more intuitive than other options.

Cheers

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
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Posted: 15 May 2019 02:18 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 12 ]  
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Wow, that’s a different approach I’ve not thought about hah! The joy of 3D is that there are 100 different ways of doing the same thing!
So basically as your field moves over a poly selection, it clones objects to spit out? Can the opposite be achieved by moving the Plane through the field, to control where the clones are “emitted”?

Here’s a hardware render of what I’ve got going on:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6cpqnf8y2v17q2q/casing-eject.mp4?dl=0

The particle emitter was nice, as I was able to control the timing of the casings as they were ejected. It’s definitely cool to see different variations of how to achieve something though smile

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Posted: 15 May 2019 03:29 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 13 ]  
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Matt,

The idea is to have the Linear Field change the selection-entry in the Selection Tag. This can be as well a MoGraph Selection, which can be used in the Dynamic Tag.

Please have a look here:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/nY4VUg28imXMEGiBUFhazrHVRntYSg6wIC7ulivGoD

It is just a sketch.

Cheers

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
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Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
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Posted: 15 May 2019 04:46 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 14 ]  
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Interesting! So if I wanted them just to appear, I would just change the scale transform in my cloner to 0?

Thanks Dr. Sassi!

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Posted: 15 May 2019 05:10 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 15 ]  
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Matt,

Just copy the MG-Selection and invert it, then rename it, and while active call up the MoGraph> Hide Selected.

Have a look here: (Edit, this has a problem,/ edit)
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/mg2WxJN3rmi06D8n7Kxtzh2CkN4NOZh9MDf1bTdfE9C

The clones that fall down, will set their selections back, so they get for a moment back on the polygons.

With a Box Field, this works differently
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/fLbUWwkqGIprRV1uCHJcSIViiCSNd4v3d2wkPTKpCEa

Cheers

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
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