Thinking Particles Dust from Collision Map.

In this tutorial we want to use a collision map to create dust like particles on the impact with the floor. Why to use a collision map to create particles on intersection points? Because it’s only being calculated once, meaning that it doesn’t require processing power to calculate intersection on every frame. On the other hand if you change the animation and the collision happens in different places then you have to export again the collision map. What is the collision map? It’s a gray scale sequence of images. White where collision happens and black elsewhere. In this case we have an animation done with reactor, baked into the fragments, and it’s less likely to change it once we have it done. So this is the perfect case for a collision map. Click read more and go to the bottom of this page to download the package containing the video and the scene files.

Tutorial Length 18:33 min.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O) CollisionMap, (O) MatterWaves.

Thinking particles 12 - Dust From CollisonMap from Mihai Panait on Vimeo.

Thinking Particles Expression Helper.

In this tutorial we'll take a look at the Expression Helper. This is a highly customizable and very powerfull node. In this setup we'll use it to calculate the distance between two objects. This demonstrates how easy it is to use math formulas in your Thinking Particles systems. Click read more and go to the bottom of this page to download the package containing the video and the scene files. You need 3DSMax 2010 to open the scene files.

Tutorial Length 18:33 min.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O) Param Block, (H) Node, (H) Integer, (H) Point3, (H) Expression, (H) Add&Multiply, (C) Distance.

Thinking Particles 11 - Expression Helper from Mihai Panait on Vimeo.

Thinking Particles Ground Cracking TD Tool.

In this tutorial we’ll make a Ground Breaking TD Tool. We want to build a fully customizable Thinking Particles System that will use a prebroken object and a helper object. The helper object will be animated and will influence the cracking of the prebroken object. We expose to the animator only the parameters he needs to customize the animation of the particles. He doesn’t need to know the internal connections between nodes or thinking particles at all. Click read more and go to the bottom of this page to download the package containing the video and the scene files. You need 3DSMax 2010 to open the scene files.

Tutorial Length 46:01 min.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O)Object To Particle, (O) PPass, (O) Group, (O) Particle Data, (O) Alignment, (O) Friction, (H) Node, (H) Float, (H) Frame, (H) Timer, (H) Expression, (H) Add&Multiply, (H) Integer, (H) Value to Time, (H) Point3, (H) Invert, (C) Distance, (C) Particle Age .

Thinking Particles & MaxScript Part2.

In this tutorial I’ll try to make a peeling effect, to demonstrate the use of the Export Operator in Thinking Particles, and how we can access the exported particles in Max Script. The Particles System used in this scene is very simple. We only need two particles groups. We use the object to particle Operator to transform a sphere in particle. Then we fragment the sphere instance. In the end we export the fragments so we can access them in the MaxScript. We run the script, then the scene is ready to render.

Tutorial Length 17:22 min.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O)Object To Particle, (O)Shape Material, (O) PPass, (O) Fragment, (O)Export.

Thinking Particles & MaxScript 02 - Export Geometry from Mihai Panait on Vimeo.

TexMap Color Helper.

This is an ERRATA to the Thinking Particles & MaxScript Part 1 tutorial. In that tutorial seems that the material doesn't stick to the particles. It moves as the particles are changing position. So in this one I'll pass again through that part. TexMap Color Helper explained. How to add a texture to a group of particles. To download video tutorial and project files go to the bottom of this page.

Tutorial Length 8:46 min.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O)Position Born, (O)Position, (O)Standard Shape, (H)Node, (H)Surface Position, (H)Texmap Color.

Thinking Particles & MaxScript 01B - Texture Map Color from Mihai Panait on Vimeo.

Thinking Particles & MaxScript Part1.

Hello, in this tutorial I try to demonstrate how you can use MaxScript to access some of the Thinking Particles Properties. To download video tutorial and project files go to the bottom of this page.

Tutorial Length 17:09 min.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O)Position Born, (O)Position, (O)UDeflector, (O)Standard Shape, (O) PPass, (O) Bring To, (H)Node, (H)Surface Position, (H)Texmap Color.

Thinking Particles & MaxScript 01A - TP Properties from Mihai Panait on Vimeo.

Thinking Particles Metal Arc Welding.

In this tutorial I’ll try to simulate the metal arc welding process, to demonstrate the use of the MaxScript Operator in Thinking Particles.
We will use this operator to turn on and off a light that will simulate the welding flame. To download video tutorial click 'read more' and go to the bottom of this page.

Tutorial Length 14:36 min.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O)Position Born, (O)MaxScript, (O)Standard Shape, (O)Standard Force, (O)Alignment, (O)Scale, (O)UDeflector, (O)PPass, (C)Distance, (H)Float, (H)Node.

Thinking Particles 09 - Welding from Mihai Panait on Vimeo.

Thinking Particles Surface Follow

This tutorial is about the Surface Follow Operator - how to make particles follow the surface of an object.

To download this video tutorial go to the bottom of this page.

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Thinking Particles Operators used in this scene: (O) Matter Waves, (O) Meta Shape, (O) P Pass, (O) Group, (O) Friction, (O) Surface Follow, (O) Standard Force, (O) Velocity, (C) Distance, (C) Threshold, (H) Node, (H) Integer.

 Tutorial Length 12:38 min.

Thinking Particles - Meta Shape

In this tutorial i try to simulate water in order to present the Meta Shape operator and the Volume Position helper. This is not intended to be a solution if you want to render realistic fluids. You should use instead Real Flow. Go to the bottom of this page to download the video tutorial.

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Thinking Particles Operators used in this tutorial: (O) Matter Waves, (O) Meta Shape, (O) Size, (O) UDeflector, (O) Standard Force, (O) Group, (O) Position, (O) PPass, (C) Always True, (H) Timer, (H) Node, (H) Volume Position.

Tutorial Length: 15:35 min.

Thinking Particles Soft Body.

Hello, in this tutorial we try to imitate a jelly like material with the help of Thinking Particles Vertex to Particle Operator. For the materials and caustics we use Final Render. To download video tutorial and project files go to the bottom of this page.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O) VertToParticle, (O) PPass, (O) UDeflector, (O) Force, (O) Friction, (H) Node, (H) Point3.

Tutorial Length:  11:32 min.

Thinking Particles - Radial Force.

Hello!

In this tutorial we will use thinking particles, fume fx, and final render to achieve this effect. It is a very simple thinking particles system witch is later used as a particle source by a fume fx object. In the end we use final render GI multiplier to light up the scene. I hope it will be useful at least for some of you. Download video tutorial and project files at the bottom of this page.

 Tutorial Length: 12:25 min.

Basic Fragmentation.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O) Object to Particle, (O) PPass, (O) Shape Collision, (O) Standard Force, (O) Motion Inheritance, (O) Standard Collision, (O) Fragment, (O) Freeze, (C) Always True, (C) Threshold, (H) Node, (H) Integer, (H) Point 3, (H) Add&Multiply.

Go to the end of this article to download Video Tutorial and Project Files.

 Tutorial Length: 17:29 min

Thinking Particles Fireworks.

In this tutorial i try to simulate a fireworks show in Thinking Particles. Very simple tutorial but it might be useful for some of you. To download video tutorial click 'read more' and go to the bottom of this page.

Tutorial Length 20:46 min.

Thinking Particles Operators Used in this tutorial: (O)Position Born, (O)Geometry Instance, (O)Standard Shape, (O)Standard Force, (O)Alignment, (O)PPass, (C)Particle Age, (C)Threshold, (H)Integer, (H)Random.

Thinking Particles 03 - Fireworks from Mihai Panait on Vimeo.

Two groups of particles collide and get different colors.

Thinking Particles Operators used in this tutorial: (O) Particle Draw, (O) Geometry Instance, (O) Size, (O) Velocity, (O) Shape Material, (O) PPass, (O) PPass AB, (O) Standard Collision,(O) Repulsion Bounce, (C) Particle Age, (C) Standard Collision, (C) In Group, (C) Distance, (H) And.

(O) - Operator, (C) - Condition, (H) - Helper.

Download Video Tutorial and Project Files from the bottom of this page. Tutorial length: 26:00 min.

Thinking Particles 02 - Repulsion Bounce from Mihai Panait on Vimeo.

TP Operators used in this tutorial: (O) Object to Particle, (O) PPass, (O) Force, (H) Point 3, (O) Shape Collision, (H) Node.

To DOWNLOAD the video tutorial and the project files go to the bottom of this page.

Tutorial Length 10:00 min.

To create this thinking particle system we need one particle group witch will contain all the falling geometry. In this group we will define the Shape Collision Dynamics for these particles - deformation and other parameters.
We also need three Master Dynamic Groups.
The first one will be named "create", and will contain the "Object To Particle" Operator. This will add the objects created in the scene to the objects particle group.
The second will be named "forces" and will add a force to the object particles group to make them fall.
The third will be named "dynamics" and will contain the Shape Collision Operator and a node for the floor plane. This will handle the collision between the objects and the floor.