thinkingParticles 6 Subscription Drop 4 - ImplicitShape Surface Control
15This feature video talks about thinkingParticles Subscription Drop 4 enhancements to the ImplicitShape node.
With this superb enhancement, artists can now procedurally control the colors of the surfaces, the V-coordinates of the surface, or any other aspect of the material created by implicitShape operator node.
-- In the example scene (after the skull..), you see that we have procedurally control the reflectivity, glossiness and the colour of the material. Watch till the end, as the chocolate hardens, we remove the reflectivity and the glossiness of the material. Fully procedural and totally controlled by particle effects. Then, watch..when we remove the hardening, and turn back to the original material the chocolate flow returns its fluidity, reflectivity and glossy look.
-- a plus point is that this is a per particle procedural effect hence, you can control any part of the material as you wish: its transparency, reflection, self-illumination ... any aspect can be procedurally controlled.
Quick tutorial DYNAMIC SETUP - colors and materials in thinkingParticles 6.0
-- current sample scene shows a viewport playback real time inclusive of the simulation and the visualization as is, while this tutorial video is being recorded. Note the amazing real time speed.
-- for beginners, this quick tut maybe slightly overwhelming but not impossible as TP follows logic and is procedural, and all you need is to pay close attention, use the pause button to catch frames and take some notes.
DYNAMICSET
-- To get the dynamicSet window: right menu under selection thinkingParticles, click 'properties'.
-- On the left sidebar window there is a few folders and the first two are Create with sub-set 'particles'.
-- Start with the TimeInterval which dictates how long you wish to set the choco fluid flowing. (right menu you will see the settings for the start frame and end frame).
-- connect to MatterWaves which is the particles emitter. TP Drop 4 offers a new feature in MatterWaves, right menu scroll and you will see new feature: Flow function.
-- When Flow is checked, MatterWaves will generate particles in a continuous flow in a continuous rate ( as set by the artist).
COLOR
-- H Color Choc -- H Color Milk are as the name implies, the colors of the milk chocolate particles in this sample.
-- the colors are stored in their respective Data Channels (for control of particle group properties and at final stage Alembic import/export, etc) It's so intricate that each particle group's color is stored independently in the Data Channels for effects modification.
Notice how simple it is for the milk chocolate fluid simulation setup: just TimeInterval -- MatterWaves -- H Color.. -- Data Channels and we're done.
HARDENING FX
-- Let's now turn to the 'Harden' setup for hardening/cool down of the chocolate flow, which we assume when it cools down the chocolate will lose it reflectivity and shining texture.
-- C Threshold is used to control this hardening or freezing FX
-- C Threshold is connected to helper Egg Timer for a duration of 30 frames as one wishes to set it for the hardening effect to take place.
-- Most importantly, make sure the Output Y-axis for the ValueToValue, linked to the Egg Timer is always 0.0 (min) to 1.0 (max).
-- H Point3 and H Color is used to drive the hardening process, defines the reflectivity/glossiness as well, so the two is linked to ParticleData (where the activation is stored).
-- the color that will changed is stored in the Particle Data set of the other node as can be seen there are two Particle Data.
MATERIALS
-- from the top menu icons, bring up the Material control panel: how do we access the data channels? Thru the Main Material Parameters --Vertex Color Parameters --Diffuse, click 'M' Color.
-- the implicitShape supports the vertex color channels. In this sample, the implicitShape stores the vertex color channels per vertex and for that matter, any info we wish to send.
FORCES & SIM
-- for these two, please review the previous two quick tutorials. Basically, gravity is one force.
SHAPE
-- implicitShape right menu, roll out menu for new feature called 'Data to Mapping Channel' that enables the artist to procedurally control every aspect of your surface and material, eg., decide which data channel you choose to map to your material channel.
-- keep in mind that material mapping can also work with components: so RGB allows you to transmit to the Material Editor three individual values. RGB are represented by numbers so you have three individual numerical values, of course, they form the colors which give you all the flexibility of colors and hue.
Thank- you for watching this tutorial and remember to check out the other Subscription Drop 4 videos. There are also many previous tutorial playlists. Remember to Subscribe.
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