A Preview Button in Particles
It is very difficult to align the particles in the direction and location one wants. One plugs in some numbers and checks or unchecks in the 19 different boxes and the only way to see what one did is click "okay" and the main Particles layer window goes away.
Everytime one wants to make a any adjustment in the particles there are several opening and closing steps.
Having a preview button to see what the particles are doing before one closes the Particles layer setting would help tremendously.
Plus a complete description of what each item is in the Particles layer window and the parameters it effects would be very helpful.
Right now it is just hit and miss as to guess what happens when I do something.
A Preview Button in Particles
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
-
Lost Marble
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2356
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:02 pm
- Location: Scotts Valley, California, USA
- Contact:
That would be very helpful!
Thanks - I look forward to using it.
------------
Could you also give a more detailed description of what each element in the Partical layers window means - I have read through the tutorial 6.1 -6.3 that gives some indication of particle use and the Particles layer section the user interface part.
But what are the ranges or purposes of some of the things.
For example: Velocity spread.
In the manual it says: "amount of random variation in the particles' velocity". I am an idiot; what does that mean and how does a number effect it - what are the number ranges?
And What is the difference between a velocity spread of 0.00001 and 1,000,0000 (exaggerating there
). What does it effect? I have noticed the more velocity spread the further the particles travel - is that velocity or distance being effected? (Or is that rate that effects it???)
Or down to the right of acceleration: "rate". ???
In the manual it says: "the rate of acceleration"
What does that number do? How much does a number effect the "rate" (whatever that is) and what is the number based on...units in the screen, pixels, depth or ???
And how do rate and velocity spread relate to each other? More of one less of the other gives me....??? Or vice-versa or...
Since there are some many different parameters to adjust I have no idea what is really effecting what when I change a lot of these things. It is just hit and miss for about 10 tries until I get something working.
Thanks - I look forward to using it.
------------
Could you also give a more detailed description of what each element in the Partical layers window means - I have read through the tutorial 6.1 -6.3 that gives some indication of particle use and the Particles layer section the user interface part.
But what are the ranges or purposes of some of the things.
For example: Velocity spread.
In the manual it says: "amount of random variation in the particles' velocity". I am an idiot; what does that mean and how does a number effect it - what are the number ranges?And What is the difference between a velocity spread of 0.00001 and 1,000,0000 (exaggerating there
). What does it effect? I have noticed the more velocity spread the further the particles travel - is that velocity or distance being effected? (Or is that rate that effects it???)Or down to the right of acceleration: "rate". ???
In the manual it says: "the rate of acceleration"
What does that number do? How much does a number effect the "rate" (whatever that is) and what is the number based on...units in the screen, pixels, depth or ???
And how do rate and velocity spread relate to each other? More of one less of the other gives me....??? Or vice-versa or...
Since there are some many different parameters to adjust I have no idea what is really effecting what when I change a lot of these things. It is just hit and miss for about 10 tries until I get something working.
-
Lost Marble
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2356
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:02 pm
- Location: Scotts Valley, California, USA
- Contact:
OK, I'll answer those questions in a second. First, here's an updated Particle Layer script that lets you make "live" updates to particle parameters:
http://www.lostmarble.com/moho/extras/scripts.shtml
This is a replacement for the Particle Layer tool included with Moho. Once installed, make a particle layer active and select the Particle Layer tool. (This is the last tool in the Layer tool group.) In the tool options area at the top of the main Moho window, you'll see a "Particle Options" popup window. Click that and you'll get the same set of options you see in the Layer Settings window.
The difference is, as you change the values, you will see the result instantly in the editing view. (The window may cover up part of the editing view - just pan the workspace to the side of the window.) Even better, if you start playing back your animation and then adjust these settings, you'll see the changes as the particles play back.
Now, some more info about some of these parameters:
To get an idea about units in Moho, 1 unit is from the center of the Moho workspace to the top of the blue visible rectangle. This means the entire blue rectangle is 2 units high.
So, a velocity of 1 would mean that a particle would move 1 unit per second. Velocity spread is a +/- value applied to the velocity: to include some randomness, you don't want all particles moving at exactly the same speed. Each particle takes a random number less than or equal to the velocity spread value and adds or subtracts it to the standard velocity.
So, velocity is actually the average velocity. The slowest possible particle will move at velocity - velocitySpread and the fastest possible particle will move at velocity + velocitySpread. To get all particles moving at the same speed, set velocity spread to 0.
The acceleration rate is a value that will be added to a particle's velocity every second. If you have an upward velocity of 2, and a downward acceleration rate of 1, then at 0 seconds velocity=2 (upwards), at 1 second velocity=1 (upwards), at 2 seconds velocity=0, at 3 seconds velocity=-1 (downwards), at 4 seconds velocity=-2 (downwards).
In other words, the acceleration rate is the rate of change of the velocity. If the acceleration and the particle's initial direction point in the same (or opposite) directions, the particle will just slow down or speed up. If they point in different directions, the acceleration will cause the particle to move in an arc.
http://www.lostmarble.com/moho/extras/scripts.shtml
This is a replacement for the Particle Layer tool included with Moho. Once installed, make a particle layer active and select the Particle Layer tool. (This is the last tool in the Layer tool group.) In the tool options area at the top of the main Moho window, you'll see a "Particle Options" popup window. Click that and you'll get the same set of options you see in the Layer Settings window.
The difference is, as you change the values, you will see the result instantly in the editing view. (The window may cover up part of the editing view - just pan the workspace to the side of the window.) Even better, if you start playing back your animation and then adjust these settings, you'll see the changes as the particles play back.
Now, some more info about some of these parameters:
To get an idea about units in Moho, 1 unit is from the center of the Moho workspace to the top of the blue visible rectangle. This means the entire blue rectangle is 2 units high.
So, a velocity of 1 would mean that a particle would move 1 unit per second. Velocity spread is a +/- value applied to the velocity: to include some randomness, you don't want all particles moving at exactly the same speed. Each particle takes a random number less than or equal to the velocity spread value and adds or subtracts it to the standard velocity.
So, velocity is actually the average velocity. The slowest possible particle will move at velocity - velocitySpread and the fastest possible particle will move at velocity + velocitySpread. To get all particles moving at the same speed, set velocity spread to 0.
The acceleration rate is a value that will be added to a particle's velocity every second. If you have an upward velocity of 2, and a downward acceleration rate of 1, then at 0 seconds velocity=2 (upwards), at 1 second velocity=1 (upwards), at 2 seconds velocity=0, at 3 seconds velocity=-1 (downwards), at 4 seconds velocity=-2 (downwards).
In other words, the acceleration rate is the rate of change of the velocity. If the acceleration and the particle's initial direction point in the same (or opposite) directions, the particle will just slow down or speed up. If they point in different directions, the acceleration will cause the particle to move in an arc.
Problems....
Okay, I must be a total idiot, because I loaded the lm_particle_layer.lua file into Moho and nothing was different - same as before.
To review my actions:
Put new lm_particle_layer.lua script In the Moho\scripts\tool folder .
I restarted Moho.
Made a an object in a vector layer. Placed this in a Particle layer - just like I have done before.
Double-clicked on the Particle layer, the Layer Settings window opened.
I clicked on the "Particles" tab, the Particles window opens. So far this is the same procedure that I have taken before to make changes in the particles.
You wrote:
" In the tool options area at the top of the main Moho window, you'll see a "Particle Options" popup window. Click that and you'll get the same set of options you see in the Layer Settings window. "
This is where my problem apparently starts. I do not find anything different in tool options area at the top of the main Moho window - everything is just as it always was. I find no "Particle Options" popup window anywhere, under anything. Everything is the same as when the old lm_particle_layer.lua was installed.
Any tips in showing me my error?
To review my actions:
Put new lm_particle_layer.lua script In the Moho\scripts\tool folder .
I restarted Moho.
Made a an object in a vector layer. Placed this in a Particle layer - just like I have done before.
Double-clicked on the Particle layer, the Layer Settings window opened.
I clicked on the "Particles" tab, the Particles window opens. So far this is the same procedure that I have taken before to make changes in the particles.
You wrote:
" In the tool options area at the top of the main Moho window, you'll see a "Particle Options" popup window. Click that and you'll get the same set of options you see in the Layer Settings window. "
This is where my problem apparently starts. I do not find anything different in tool options area at the top of the main Moho window - everything is just as it always was. I find no "Particle Options" popup window anywhere, under anything. Everything is the same as when the old lm_particle_layer.lua was installed.
Any tips in showing me my error?
The new script dosn't change the properties-window. If you check the tool-window, in the layer-section (the one with "translate layer", "scale layer" and some more). You'll find a new tool called "Particle Layer". Click on this tool, when having a particle-layer selected, and check the main-window. On the top of the main-window click "particle options" to change the options of the particle-layer.
-
Lost Marble
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2356
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:02 pm
- Location: Scotts Valley, California, USA
- Contact:
Ah-Ha! Eureka - I have found it!!! (I knew I had to be either blind, an idiot or both...)
This particle prieview works great. This is a very big help.
It will save a lot of time and also the wear and tear on my forehead from pounding it on the table trying to figure out particles...
Thank you for the very prompt service!
Thanks for the explanation of the parameters. This now all makes sense to me and I can use it to better adjust the particles. Before I was just guessing.
Let me suggest that you put that information in the next update of your manual or in the FAQ section of the forums. I am sure others would be interested in this particles dynamics explanation.
Let me suggest that you put that information in the next update of your manual or in the FAQ section of the forums. I am sure others would be interested in this particles dynamics explanation.