Particle Systems

[keogan]

Hey there folks,
I am trying to animate a nightsky using the rhythm of a drumkit. At present,
my initial sketches feature four noctilucent sketches or four particle
systems. Will this seriously tax my CPU? Is there a working limit to particle
systems in play at any one time. The systems will have to move slowly and
change form slowly over time. Is there a maximum to the lifespan of a particle
system? Thanks folks, Ailbhe.
Also, if anyone has ever drawn a realistic cloud using particle systems in
director I would love to talk to them. Thank again.

[keogan]

Hi Folks,
I hope someone can help as I am a bit lost. I am currently working on my final
year project. I am using the input from an electric drumkit to manipulate
particle systems in lingo. Should I create these particle systems in Max or
Director? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance,
Ailbhe.

[ensamblador]

director, serach for particle system primitive.

[keogan]

Thanks Ensamblador,
I was hoping to create particle systems with spheres, preferably wireframe and
based on the layout of the drumkit. Thus in max I could place emitter objects
where each of the drums would be rather than trying to figure out vectopr
co-ordinates.
Do you think I could create these in max, export them with my w3d world,
import them into Director and use lingo 3d to manipulate them?

[openspark]

In Director, the particles emitted are not spheres but square planes which turn
automatically to face the camera. You could apply a texture to these planes to
simulate a wireframe sphere, but all particles will have the same texture.

Extrapolating on what you have written, I imagine that you want to create an
expanding set of spheres emanating from the point where the drum was struck, to
simulate sound waves. If this is the case, then you will create your own
custom system using 3D models. To make the models expand over time, you can
use the interpolate() command.

[keogan]

Thanks Open spark,
I did map a wireframe sphere texture onto a particle system I created in
director and it looks okay. When you said in your reply, that I could create my
own custom system using 3d models were you talking about director particle
systems?
I am new to lingo but I am going to look up that interpolate function now.
Also, do you know anything about collision spawning? Would it be possible to
create new particle from collision events in Lingo? Or am I hoping for too much?
Thanks,
Keep safe, Ailbhe

[openspark]

Could you explain in detail what you are trying to achieve? Perhaps you could
post a sketch or storyboard of what is to appear on the screen in response to
the drumkit input.

This would help us to point you in the right direction(s) to achieve your
goals.

[keogan]

Openspark.

This is what I am trying to do. First off, I have a modified electirc drumkit
that I have rigged up to send isgnals into pd. PD is going to make music with
them. Pd is also going to send the signals as numbers into director in order to
affect the particle systems. Each drum pad (6) will have a particle system
assigned to it and each particle system should be responsive to the velocity
with which the drumpad was hit and the actual tempo of the piece. In many
respects, the design is being informed by the area of AV instruments.
Below is a link to my initial idea but I am not sure if the clouds will allow
enough expressiveness. I think i will have to work more in abstract terms. Have
a look as it might give you some idea.
[url]http://193.1.99.6/%7Ekeogana/forum.htm[/url]

I am at the beginning of this project so I am open to any suggestions. I just
want to insure that whatever appears on screen has good expressive qualities.

The wireframe spheres look good at the minute. They look like streams of
bubbles coming out from the points of the screen which in turn corresponds with
the layout of the drumkit. I hope this helps some. Thanks you so much for
taking the time. If you are really interested I can write you up a proper
presentation of the project with screen grabs etc.
Yours,
Ailbhe