help with particles

[AlanPS]

I'm trying to do two particle effects to export to a Flash file. I know Moho won't export certain fx, so I might have to export one file as PNG or something.

I'm trying to do a blowing sand effect, and the other is a spark effect coming from a medieval sharpening wheel.

(I'm very new to Moho BTW)

For the spark effect I have three layers each with a tiny crescent-moon type shape. They seem to be flying in the right direction and falling at the right time, but I want them to rotate in the direct they are falling. How do I do that? Or do I use small ovals or squares and apply a motion blur instead of using the elongated moon shape?

The sand effect I did not have much success with. I want maybe three different colors of sand (ranging from light to dark tan) blowing upwards towards the right at different speeds. I put an oval on three different layers and tried to make it happen but it looked really bad. What am I doing wrong? Do I need to put a bunch of ovals on each layer and then put it on the particle layer?

My last question is looping. Do the particle animations loop if you don't click randomize playback? The reason for this is that when I export it to Flash whether as a SWF or a PNG alphaed movie, I don't want a million frames, just the bare minimum to produce the effect and have it repeat as long as the person remains on one page.

Thanks

[jorgy]

For the spark effect I have three layers each with a tiny crescent-moon type shape. They seem to be flying in the right direction and falling at the right time, but I want them to rotate in the direct they are falling. How do I do that? Or do I use small ovals or squares and apply a motion blur instead of using the elongated moon shape?

Lost Marble did an example where some particle frogs are rotating as they jump and fall:

http://www.lostmarble.com/forum/viewtop ... light=frog

Scroll down about halfway to see the link to the file. This should help at least with one of your questions.

jorgy

[Lost Marble]

I want them to rotate in the direct they are falling. How do I do that?

You want the "Orient particles" option turned on for that particle layer. It makes the "up" direction of the particle point in the direction of its movement.

My last question is looping. Do the particle animations loop if you don't click randomize playback?

The particle animations always loop. (By particle animations, I mean the animation of an individual particle, not the overall particle "spray". Is this what you mean?) If "Randomize playback" is off, then a particle's animation starts at frame 1 when it is emitted. If the option is on, a particle's animation starts at a random frame when it is emitted.

I'm not sure that description applies to your actual question, but it describes what the "Randomize playback" option does.