This page provides information on the Particle Tuner component.
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The Edit Condition window is at the core of the Phoenix Particle Tuner. It consists of a Conditions Tree on the left and a Parameters panel for the individual elements in the tree on the right. The Delete Particle, Change Particle Channel or Affect By Forces actions will only be executed for the particles of the Simulator which satisfy the conditions tree. The Conditions Tree is made up of the following expression types: Logic, Compare, Math, Value. Folding (collapsing) of a tree item in the view to the left will show you a simplified view of the expression. For example, collapsing the tree in the image below will change its text to "Age > 1.000", meaning the Particle Tuner will affect only particles whose Age channel is higher than 1 second. You can also read a simplified view of the entire condition expression in the text box below the Edit Condition... button. |
Value Expression Item
Number | val_type, val_number – returns the specified value. Random Between | val_type, val_rand_min, val_rand_max – returns a random number in the selected range. Note: a different value is generated for each particle of the Simulator. The value also changes for every frame. Channel | val_type, val_chan_part – returns the value of the specified Simulator Particle Channel for the current particle. You must have this particle channel enabled in the Output rollout of your Simulator. The Channel can be one of: [ Size ], [ Age ], [ Viscosity ], [ RGB Red ], [ RGB Green ], [ RGB Blue ], [ Velocity X ], [ Velocity Y ], [ Velocity Z ], [ Speed ]. You can find out more about the usual grid channel ranges in Phoenix here. Distance To Mesh | val_type, val_dist_node – returns the distance from the current particle to the surface of the specified object. Will be positive if the particle is outside the object volume, and will be negative if the particle is inside the object volume. The distance is in simulation grid voxels. Distance To Particle | val_type, val_dist_to_part_list – returns the distance from the current particle to the nearest particle from the particle systems specified in the From field. The distance is in simulation grid voxels. You can specify multiple particle systems in the From field by using commas between each one e.g. Drag,Foam,Splashes. Particles in Radius | val_num_part_in_dist_rad, val_num_part_in_dist_list – returns the particle count of the particle systems specified in the From field in a radius from the current particle. The radius is in simulation grid voxels. You can specify multiple particle systems in the From field by using commas between each one e.g. Drag,Foam,Splashes. Intensity Of | val_type, val_tex – returns the specified texture's color intensity in the position of the current particle. The Phoenix Simulator has no Explicit UV coordinates therefore you should add the texture as a projection (right click on a texture in the "Create Render Node" window → Create as Projection) for this to work. For more information on texture mapping in Phoenix, please check the Texture mapping, moving textures with fire/smoke/liquid, and TexUVW page. |
Compare Expression Item
Compare Type | comp_type – Sets the comparison type to perform: When set to "Is Greater Than", the Compare expression for a given particle will be true when the first Math/Value expression item should return a value larger than the second. When set to "Is Less Than", the Compare expression for a given particle will be true when the first Math/Value expression item should return a value smaller than the second. When set to "Is Equal To", the Compare expression for a given particle will be true when both Math/Value expression items evaluate to the same number. |
Math Expression Item
Math Type | math_type – Sets the mathematical operation type to perform: When set to "Plus", the Math expression returns the sum of the two Math/Value expressions below it. When set to "Minus", the Math expression returns the difference of the two Math/Value expressions below it. When set to "Multiplied by", the Math expression returns the product of the two Math/Value expressions below it. When set to "Divided by", the Math expression returns the quotient of the two Math/Value expressions below it. |
Logic Expression Item
Logic Type | logic_type – Sets the type of logic to use: When set to "And", both Compare expressions below should evaluate to true for a given particle for the Logic Expression to be true. When set to "Or", at least one of the two Compare expressions below should evaluate to true for a given particle for the Logic Expression to be true. |