Page 1060 - Kitab3DsMax

Part X: Dynamic Animation
Two map types are specifically designed to work with particle systems: Particle Age and Particle MBlur.
You can find these maps in the Material/Map Browser. You can access the Material/Map Browser using the
Rendering ➪ Material Map Browser menu command or from the Material Editor by clicking the Get Material
button.
Using the Particle Age map
The Particle Age map parameters include three different colors that can be applied at different times,
depending on the Life value of the particles. Each color includes a color swatch, a map button, an Enable
check box, and an Age value for when this color should appear.
This map typically is applied as a Diffuse map because it affects the color.
Using the Particle MBlur map
The Particle MBlur map changes the opacity of the front and back of a particle, depending on the color val-
ues and sharpness specified in its parameters rollout. This results in an effect of blurred motion if applied as
an Opacity map.
Note
MBlur does not work with the Constant, Facing, MetaParticles, or PArray object fragments. n
Tutorial: Creating jet engine flames
The Particle Age and MBlur maps work well for adding opacity and colors that change over time, such as
hot jets of flames, to a particle system.
To create jet engine flames, follow these steps:
1. Open the Jet airplane flames.max file from the Chap 41 directory on the DVD.
This file includes an A-10 airplane model created by Viewpoint Datalabs.
2. Select the Create ➪ Particles ➪ Super Spray menu command, and drag the icon in the viewport.
Rotate and position the emitter icon so that its origin is right in the jet’s exhaust port and the
directional vector is pointing outward, away from the jet.
3. Open the Modify panel, and in the Basic Parameters rollout, set the Off Axis Spread value to 20
and the Off Plane Spread value to 90.
These settings focus the flames shooting from the jet’s exhaust.
4. In the Particle Generation rollout, set the Emit Stop to 100, the Life value to 30, and the Particle
Size to 5.0.
5. In the Particle Type rollout, select the Standard Particles option and select the Sphere type.
6. Open the Material Editor by pressing the M key, and select the first sample slot. Name this mate-
rial Jet’s Exhaust, and click the map button to the right of the Diffuse color.
7. From the Material/Map Browser that opens, select the Particle Age map. In the Particle Age
Parameters rollout, select dark red, dark yellow, and black as colors for the ages 0, 50, and 100.
You should use darker colors because the scene is lighted.
8. Click the Go to Parent button to access the Jet’s Exhaust material again, and then click the map
button to the right of the Opacity setting. Select the Particle MBlur map.

1012