Particle System¶
Overview¶
The Particle System is a set of operators implemented as OmniGraph nodes and other tools for simulating and rending of particle effects. This page contains documentation for the Particle System including a Getting Started, a User Interface and Tutorials.
Getting Started¶
Extensions¶
To start using the toolset, Particle System Bundle extension must be enabled in Window->Extensions.
If the images you’re using in your material have a range of transparency you’ll want to enable Fractional Cutout Opacity in Render Settings->Real-Time->Translucency
Particle Reset/Toggle Tool¶
There are a few ways to reset or toggle a particle system. You can either go to Edit->Particles->Particle Tools Window which creates a window with selection buttons that you can dock in kit, or select the options in that window.
Sources¶
Particle emitters, dynamic fields and particle colliders need source geometry objects to function.
Source Type in Kit/USD |
Shape |
|---|---|
UsdGeomCube, UsdGeomSphere |
Cube and Sphere prims
|
UsdGeomMesh |
Meshes prims
|
Templates¶
The Particle System Extension provides a number of sample templates that can be loaded quickly to see how some common and production effects are set up in Create.
The Particle Templates are in the data folder in the particle system extension source/extensions/omni.particle.system/data/.
The Templates folder has basic field and node setups.
The Production Samples folder have complex particle system setups.
Core Particle System Nodes¶
The following are the default nodes when you make a base particle system.
Particle System prim¶
This prim holds the collection of core nodes a particle system consists of. A complex effect may be assembled from multiple particle systems.
Emitter Node¶
The emitter injects new particles into the system. Its UI is divided into several sections: Emitter, Emission Cycle, Spawn, Display, Orientation, Collision and Source Primitive sections.
Emitter¶
This group of parameters control the Emitter basics.
Emitter |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Emitter Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Emit from Volume or Surface |
Toggle: When enabled, particles will be emitted throughout the volume of the Emitter Source Prim.
When disabled, particles will be emitted from the surface of the Emitter Source Prims
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Random Seed |
Changing this value changes the particles emitted randomly.
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Emitter Spawn Rate¶
This group controls how you want the particle to spawn. Burst, looping.
Spawn Rate |
Description |
|---|---|
Spawn Rate Per Second |
Emission rate number of particles per second.
|
Spawn Rate Per distance |
Emission rate, in particles per unit of distance.
Emission active when source moves.
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Emitter Emission Cycle¶
This group of parameters control the Emitter Node’s method of spawning. The particle system is looping or bursting.
Emission Cycle |
Description |
|---|---|
Activate Cycle Emission |
Toggle: When Enabled, emission will be made active and inactive in cycles with period specified by the Cycle Emission.
Enable this toggle to use Burst Spawn Count.
The active portion is specified by Cycle Emission Start and Cycle Emission End.
|
Loop Cycle |
Toggle: When Activate Burst Emission is on and this is enabled, the cycle runs repeatedly.
When Activate Burst Emission is on and this is disabled, the cycle only runs once.
|
Cycle Duration |
When Activate Cycle Emission is on, this is the cycle time period in seconds.
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Cycle Emission Start |
This is a value from 0 to 1 indicating where in the cycle emission starts.
This only applies when Activate Cycle Emission is on.
If this value is 0, the emission will start at the beginning of the cycle, regardless of cycle duration.
Example: If cycle duration is 7 seconds, and this value is 0.5, emission will start 3.5 seconds after the beginning of each cycle.
Example: If cycle duration is 4 seconds, and this value is 0.5, emission will start 2 seconds after the beginning of each cycle.
|
Cycle Emission End |
This is a value from 0 to 1 indicating where in the cycle emission ends.
This only applies when Activate Cycle Emission is on.
If this value is 1, the emission will stop at the end of the cycle, regardless of cycle duration.
Example: If cycle duration is 7 seconds, and this value is 0.5, emission will end 3.5 seconds after the beginning of each cycle.
Example: If cycle duration is 4 seconds, and this value is 0.5, emission will end 2 seconds after the beginning of each cycle.
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Burst Spawn Count |
Number of particles to emit at time zero or at the beginning of the Emission in each cycle.
Activate Cycle Emission must be enabled.
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Emitter Direction, Speed and Mass¶
This group of parameters control the particle’s behavior on spawn.
Direction, Speed and Mass |
Description |
|---|---|
Emit Along Axis |
Uses the Emitter Source toi push particles along the X axis.
Rotate the Emitter Source to change the push direction.
Emit Along Axis averages with Emit Away From Center
Speed influences the particle’s speed.
|
Emit Away From Center |
Pushed particles out from the Emitter Source Shape normals.
The shape of the Emitter Source influences the direction of the push.
Emit Away from Center averages with Emit Along Axis.
Speed influences the particle outward push.
|
Random Direction |
Push particles in a random X,Y,Z direction per spawn.
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Add Source Velocity |
When this is non-zero, this portion of the velocity of an emission source is added to the particles emitted from it.
The higher positive or negative value, the more velocity applied respectively.
If zero no velocity is applied.
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Speed |
The outward movement of the particle per Spawn
See Emit Along Axis and Emit Away From Center.
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Speed Random |
Randomly change the Speed of the particle per spawn.
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Mass |
“Weight” of the particle.
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Emitter Lifespan¶
This group of the lifespan of the partile in seconds.
Lifespan |
Description |
|---|---|
Lifespan |
Lifetime of the particles in seconds
|
Lifespan Random |
Randomly change the lifetime to the particle per spawn.
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Emitter Display¶
This group of parameters control the particle’s visualization. This works with with the Translucent Material.
Display |
Description |
|---|---|
Particle Size |
Change the size of the particle or mesh in X,Y,Z.
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Random Particle Size |
Randomly change the size of the particle or mesh in X,Y,Z per spawn.
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Indexed Object |
Object index is valid if you have multiple sources to output.
The number corresponds with the order you imported your sources.
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Random Indexed Object |
Randomly pick an Object Index source in a range per spawn.
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Generate Color and Opacity |
Toggle: If enabled the particle will generate color and opacity.
This allows the particle to be colored with vertex colors and opacity to be influenced by a float.
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Color |
Sets a vertex color per particle spawn.
You must have Generate Color and Opacity enabled above and Enable Vertex Colors enabled in your Translucent Material
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Random Color |
Sets a random vertex color to the particle per spawn.
You must have Generate Color and Opacity enabled above and Enable Vertex Colors enabled in your Translucent Material.
|
Opacity |
Controls how transparent your particle renders.
You must have Generate Color and Opacity enabled above and Enable Opacity enabled in your Translucent Material
If your translucent Particle isn’t displaying correctly, toggle Enable Fractional Cutout Opacity in RTX Settings, Ray Tracing.
|
Random Opacity |
Randomly change the particle Opacity per particle spawn.
You must have Generate Color and Opacity enabled above and Enable Opacity enabled in your Translucent Material
If your translucent Particle isn’t displaying correctly, toggle Enable Fractional Cutout Opacity in RTX Settings, Ray Tracing.
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Emitter Orientation¶
This group of parameters control the particle’s orientation.
Controlling Orientation If you want a particle or shape to be in a specific orientation, disable Face Active Camera and Orient With Active Camera in the Geometry Replicator or Point Instancer. Aim Inherits Velocity in Solver also can influence Orientation.
Orientation |
Description |
|---|---|
Rotation |
Rotate the particle in X Y Z in degrees.
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Random Rotation |
Randomly rotate the particle in X, Y, Z along a degree range per spawn.
|
Aim |
Aim points the particle in a specific direction in x,y,z.
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Random Aim |
Aim the particle in a random direction per spawn.
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Up |
Change the ‘top’ value of the particle in x, Y, Z.
|
Random Up |
Randomly change the ‘top’ value of the particle on spawn.
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Emitter Collision¶
This group of parameters control the particle’s collision shape.
Collision |
Description |
|---|---|
Radius Influences Scale |
Toggle: If enabled the Radius of the collision multiplies the Size of the particle.
You must have Scale Inherit Collision Radius toggled in the Solver.
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Radius |
The radius of the particle collision.
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Random Radius |
Randomly set a collision radius in a range.
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Emitter Source Primitive¶
This group allows you to add source primitives to your emitter.
Source Primitive |
Description |
|---|---|
Primitive |
This field shows where your source geometry primitive is located in the stage/layer.
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Add Target(s) |
This button allows you to add source primitives to the emitter.
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Solver Node¶
The solver node implements numerical integration of the underlying particles data at each simulation step.
Solver¶
Solver Parameter |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Solver Status¶
Status Parameter |
Description |
|---|---|
Current Particle Count |
Displays the active count of particles in real time
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Solver Particle Spawn¶
Particle Spawn Parameter |
Description |
|---|---|
Aim Inherits Velocity |
Aim parameters inherit the velocity of the particle.
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Maximum Particle Count |
The Maximum amount of particles to spawn per cycle.
-1 is no maximum.
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State prim¶
The State prim is automatically created by the Solver. It has no user-facing functionality.
Sprite¶
The Sprite is automatically created as a default display method. It has no user-facing functionality.
Emission Types and Outputs¶
There are four different emitter types you can use inside of the particle system. Here is a handy guide of what they do.
Emission Type |
Description |
|---|---|
Geometry Replicator |
Copies geometry to points (defaults to a sprite).
All of the output geometry must use a single material per particle system.
|
Point Instancer |
Virtually copies geometry to points at render time (defaults to sprite).
This supports source objects with different materials.
This does not support ST Panner.
This does not support ramp modulated vertex colors.
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Point Cloud Flow Emitter |
Allows flow to be driven by particle system behavior.
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Particle Visualizer |
Draws lines representing aim of the particle.
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Geometry Replicator Node¶
Geometry Replicator generates mesh geometry you can touch and post modify.
Geometry Replicator Parameters¶
This group allows you to change the particle and display after it has been solved.
Geometry replicator |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Geometry Replicator Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Face Active Camera |
Toggle: If enabled, the y axis of the geometry will face the camera for each replica.
If disabled, the particle or shape to use its local orientations.
|
Orient With Active Camera |
Toggle: If enabled, the y axis of the geometry will face the camera for each replica, and the x axis of the geometry will be vertical relative to the camera. “,
if disabled, the particle or shape to use its local orientations.
Note: When this is on, Face Active Camera is ignored.
|
Inherit Color and Opacity |
Toggle: If enabled the particle will inherit color and opacity.
This allows the particle to be colored with vertex colors and opacity to be influenced by a float.
|
Rotation |
Rotate the particle or shape in X,Y,Z.
|
Aim |
Aim points the particle in a specific direction in X,Y,Z.
|
Up |
Change the ‘top’ value of the particle in X,Y,Z.
|
Scale Multiplier |
Multiply the Particle Size in X,Y,Z.
|
Filter Object index |
When this is non-negative, geometry will only be copied to particles with this object index.
|
Geometry Replicator Visualization¶
This group allows you to change the look of the particle display for production and a number of debug visual options.
Geometry Replicator Visualization |
Description |
|---|---|
Visualize Geometry |
Toggle: Enables mesh wireframe visualization.
|
Visualize geometry Normals |
Toggle: Enables mesh normals visualization.
|
Visualize Points |
Toggle: Enables particle point visualization.
|
Visualize Velocities |
Toggle: Enables particle velocity visualization.
|
Output to Mesh |
Toggle: When enabled, this node writes to the prim(s) specified by outputs:mesh.
If disabled, it doesn’t write to any prims.
|
Visualization Color |
This changes the display color of the visualization options.
|
Geometry Replicator Source Primitive¶
This group allows you to change the mesh/primitive.
Geometry Replicator Primitive |
Description |
|---|---|
Primitive |
This field shows where your source geometry (default Sprite) is located in the stage/layer.
|
Add Target(s) |
This button allows you to change the display of the geometry replicator to a different mesh.
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Geometry Replicator Material Connector¶
When A Geometry Replicator is created, the output node allows you to link the material to the Geometry
Point Instancer¶
This node outputs the simulated data to an USD Point Instancer prim for rendering.
Point Instancer Parameters¶
This group allows you to change the particle and display after it has been solved.
Point Instancer Parameter |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Point Instancer Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Face Active Camera |
Toggle: If enabled, the y axis of the geometry will face the camera for each replica.
If disabled, the particle or shape to use its local orientations.
|
Orient With Active Camera |
Toggle: If enabled, the y axis of the geometry will face the camera for each replica, and the x axis of the geometry will be vertical relative to the camera. “,
if disabled, the particle or shape to use its local orientations.
Note: When this is on, Face Active Camera is ignored.
|
Inherit Color and Opacity |
Toggle: If enabled the particle will inherit color and opacity.
This allows the particle to be colored with vertex colors and opacity to be influenced by a float.
|
Rotation |
Rotate the particle or shape in X,Y,Z.
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Aim |
Aim points the particle in a specific direction in X,Y,Z.
|
Up |
Change the ‘top’ value of the particle in X,Y,Z.
|
Scale Multiplier |
Multiply the Particle Size in X,Y,Z.
|
Filter Object index |
When this is non-negative, geometry will only be copied to particles with this object index.
|
Point Instancer Material Connector¶
The Material Connection for te Point Instancer is in the Sprite Node.
Particle Visualizer¶
the Particle Visualizer draws the aim of the particle and nothing else. This is a good method to use if you want to drive other Omniverse tools (like flow) but don’t have a need to display geometry/particles.
Particle Visualizer Output Node¶
The Particle Visualizer Output node has options to change the look of the particle display
Particle Visualizer Parameter¶
Particle Visualizer Parameter |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Geometry Replicator Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Color Particles By Aim |
Toggle: This changes the color of the particle based on its Aim.
|
Rotation |
Rotate the particle or shape in X,Y,Z.
|
Aim |
Aim points the particle in a specific direction in X,Y,Z.
|
Up |
Change the ‘top’ value of the particle in X,Y,Z.
|
Scale Multiplier |
Multiply the Particle Size in X,Y,Z.
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Point Cloud Flow Emitter¶
This node emits into Flow (our GPU based gas simulator). To create this node from the drop-down menu you must select a particle solver node and a FlowSimulate prim in the stage.
Flow Emitter Parameter¶
Flow Emitter Parameter |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Flow Emitter Relationship¶
Flow Emitter Relationships |
Description |
|---|---|
Particles |
Path to the Particle system sourced to drive the Flow behavior.
|
Add Target(s) |
Button allows to add new or multiple targets to drive Flow.
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Flow Emitter Point |
Link to the Flow Emitter point
|
Add Targets(s) |
Allows to link to new or multiple flow emitter point nodes.
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Flow Emitter Point¶
This node is a part of the flow. Link below for its documentation:
Flow Emitter Point DocumentationField Nodes¶
Fields allow you to change the particle over time using a source as volume of influence for the field.
Destroy Field¶
The Destroy field will kill particles when crossing the destroy field source shape. The result can also be inverted.
Destroy Field Parameter¶
Destroy Field Parameters |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Destroy Field Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Inverse Field |
Toggle: if Enabled, the destroy field will use the inverse of the source geometry.
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Destroy Field Source Primitive¶
Source Primitive |
Description |
|---|---|
Primitive |
This field shows the path where your destroy field source is located in the stage/layer.
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Add Target(s) |
This button allows you to change to a different source.
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Direction Field¶
The Direction field will move particles in a direction based on the direction field shape position, rotation and scale. Particles outside of the field will not be affected
Direction Field¶
Direction Field Parameters |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Direction Field Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Direction Field Settings¶
Direction Field Settings |
Description |
|---|---|
Attenuation |
Attenuation will reduce the amount of energy of the direction.
Attenuation is how much the effect of the field decays from the ‘center’ to the ‘boundary’ of the Direction Field Source.
If set to zero the Magnitude is applied to the entire field.
|
Magnitude |
The amount of force to apply to the direction.
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Direction Field Source Primitive¶
Source Primitive |
Description |
|---|---|
Primitive |
This field shows the path where your direction field source is located in the stage/layer.
|
Add Target(s) |
This button allows you to change to a different source
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Drag Field¶
This field will apply drag, a reduction in linear velocity over time, inside of the drag field shape.
Drag Field¶
Drag Field Parameters |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Drag Field Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Drag Field Settings¶
Drag Field Settings |
Description |
|---|---|
Attenuation |
Attenuation will reduce the amount of drag Magnitude.
Attenuation is how much the effect of the field decays from the ‘center’ to the ‘boundary’ of the Drag Field Source.
If set to zero the Magnitude is applied to the entire field.
|
Magnitude |
The amount of force to apply to the drag.
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Drag Field Source Primitive¶
Source Primitive |
Description |
|---|---|
Primitive |
This field shows the path where your drag field source is located in the stage/layer.
|
Add Target(s) |
This button allows you to change to a different source.
|
Noise Field¶
The noise field generates a noise to influence particles inside the Noise Field Source.
Noise Field¶
Noise Field Parameters |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Noise Field Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Noise Field Settings¶
Noise Field Settings |
Description |
|---|---|
Use Velocity |
Consider velocity of the particle when calculating noise.
|
Attenuation |
Attenuation will reduce the amount of noise Magnitude.
Attenuation is how much the effect of the field decays from the ‘center’ to the ‘boundary’ of the Noise Field Source
If set to zero the Magnitude is applied to the entire field.
|
Frequency |
Value changes position to increase or decrease the noise sample.
|
Magnitude |
The amount of force to apply to the drag.
|
Octaves |
The amount of times the noise is sampled.
|
Noise Field Source Primitive¶
Source Primitive |
Description |
|---|---|
Primitive |
This field shows the path where your noise field source is located in the stage/layer.
|
Add Target(s) |
This button allows you to change to a different source.
|
Radial Field¶
The radial field creates an zone of attraction or repulsion based on the field shape.
Radial Field¶
Radial Field Parameters |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Radial Field Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Radial Field Settings¶
Radial Field Settings |
Description |
|---|---|
Attenuation |
Attenuation will reduce the amount of radial Magnitude.
The Attenuation uses a linear falloff with the center of the source being zero Attenuation and the edge being full Attenuation.
If set to zero the Magnitude is applied to the entire field.
|
Magnitude |
The amount of force to apply to the field.
A positive value will cause the particles to be pushed away from the source shape.
A negative value will cause the particles to be pulled toward or attracted to the center of the source shape
|
Radial Field Source Primitive¶
Source Primitive |
Description |
|---|---|
Primitive |
This field shows the path where your radial field source is located in the stage/layer.
|
Add Target(s) |
This button allows you to change to a different source.
|
Vortex Field¶
This field will move the particles in a vortex (swirl), based on the field shape position, rotation and scale. Particles outside of the field will not be affected.
Vortex Field¶
Noise Field Parameters |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Vortex Field Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Vortex Field Settings¶
Vortex Field Settings |
Description |
|---|---|
container |
This will affect the overall look of the vortex.
Higher values will tighten the vortex in the field.
|
Attenuation |
Attenuation will reduce the amount of vortex Magnitude.
Attenuation is how much the effect of the field decays from the ‘center’ to the ‘boundary’ of the Vortex Field Source
If set to zero the Magnitude is applied to the entire field.
|
Magnitude |
The amount of force to apply to the drag.
|
Random Magnitude |
Randomize the amount of force through the vortex field.
|
Random Seed |
Changing this value changes the particles emitted randomly.
|
Vortex Field Source Primitive¶
Source Primitive |
Description |
|---|---|
Primitive |
This field shows the path where your vortex field source is located in the stage/layer.
|
Add Target(s) |
This button allows you to change to a different source.
|
Collider Node¶
This resolves collisions of particles with collision geometry or other particles.
Collider¶
Collider |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Collider Node is Active or Inactive.
|
Collider Collision Settings¶
Collision Settings |
Description |
|---|---|
Enable Collision |
Toggle: If this is true, particles will collide against any collision geometry, else collision geometry will be ignored.
|
Enable Self Collision |
Toggle: If this is true, particles will collide against each other, else particles will pass through each other.
|
Die On Collision |
Toggle: If this is true, particles will die upon colliding with collision geometry.
|
Die On Self Collision |
Toggle: If this is true, particles will die upon colliding with other particles.
|
Bounce |
The portion of particle velocity normal to the surface preserved on bounces.
|
Friction |
The portion of particle velocity tangent to the surface preserved on bounces.
|
Collider Source Primitive¶
Source Primitive |
Description |
|---|---|
Primitive |
This field shows the path where your collision primitive(s) source is located in the stage/layer.
|
Add Target(s) |
This button allows you to change to a different source.
|
ST Panner Node¶
This node animates the texture coordinates of particle sprites for looping over tiled textures creating a flipbook effect. The animation speed is controllable.
St Panner Parameters¶
St Panner Image Tiles¶
This group controls the division of your texture’s coordinate space.
Image Tiles |
Description |
|---|---|
Image Tile Columns |
Set the amount of frames in S coordinate space.
|
Image Tile Rows |
Set the amount of frames in T coordinate space.
|
Flip Columns |
Toggle: Flip the UV space in S coordinate space.
|
Flip Rows |
Toggle: Flip the UV space in T coordinate space.
|
St Panner Tile Range¶
This group controls the range that your divided texture (Tiles).
Tile Range |
Description |
|---|---|
Start Tile Column |
The start frame in the S coordinate space (columns). -1 uses default frames set.
|
Start Tile Rows |
The start frame in the T coordinate space (rows). -1 uses default frames set.
|
End Tile Column |
The end frame in S coordinate space (columns). -1 uses default frames set.
|
End Tile Rows |
The end frame in T coordinate space (rows). -1 uses default frames set.
|
St Panner Tile Playback Options¶
This group controls different methods to playback your tiles. Useful when you are using a tiling textures.
Tile Playback Options |
Description |
|---|---|
Randomize Start Tile |
Toggle: Starts each particle at a random tile in the range, based on the particle ID, instead of the first tile in the range.
|
Use Time for Tile Speed |
Toggle: When enabled, the simulation cycles through all of the tiles every Tile Range Time In Seconds.
When disabled, the simulation cycles through all of the tiles exactly once over each particle’s lifetime.
|
Tile Range Time In Seconds |
When Use Time for Tile Speed is enabled, this is the time period over which a full cycle of the tile range occurs.
If this is set to 0, each particle permanently stays on whichever tile it started with.
|
Ramp Modulator Node¶
Ramp modulators allow you to change particle behavior over the lifetime on the particle on a curve or ramp. You can put any vector or float from the emitter in the attribute to remap field.
Ramp Modulator UI¶
Using Ramp Modulators |
Description |
|---|---|
Ramp Time |
Ramp normalizes the lifetime of the particle from 0 to 1.
|
Float parameters |
Use Scalar Ramp attribute to remap emitter float parameters to ramp.
|
Vector parameters |
Use Color Ramp attribute to remap emitter vector parameters or colors to ramp.
|
Adding A key or point |
Left Click the ramp or color ramp.
|
Removing a key or point |
Double left click the ramp point or color key.
|
Moving a key or point |
Left click select and type in the scalar position and value field.
Left click select and drag a point.
|
Changing interpolation |
Left click select the key and change the interpolation in the dropdown field.
Interpolation works from the point selected.
|
Color Picker |
Clicking on the color value field causes a color picker to appear. Use this to select colors or change vectors.
|
Enter |
Values and colors do not apply until the values are entered.
|
Ramp Modulator Node Parameters¶
Ramp Modulator¶
This group controls if the ramp modulator is on and its mode
Ramp Modulator |
Description |
|---|---|
Active |
Toggle: Controls whether the Ramp Modulator active or inactive.
|
Mode |
This controls how the ramp modulator changes the particle.
Enter 0: Override Settings.
Enter 1: Additive settings. Ramp adds to values
Enter 2: Multiply settings. Ramp multiplies to values.
|
Ramp Modulator Scalar Ramp¶
Use parameters in this group when you want to change float parameters with a ramp over the normalized lifetime of the particle.
Scalar Ramp |
Description |
|---|---|
attribute to remap |
Name of scalar attribute to remap. (float)
|
scalar ramp |
Use this to create points for a curve/ramp.
This curve represents the normalized lifetime of the particle.
|
position |
This field shows the point’s time/location on the curve.
|
value |
This field shows the point’s value on the curve.
|
interpolation |
Linear: A direct line from point to point.
Smooth: An eased line from point to point.
|
Ramp Modulator Color Ramp¶
Use parameters in this group when you want to change vector parameters with a ramp over the normalized lifetime of the particle.
Color Ramp |
Description |
|---|---|
attribute to remap |
Name of color attribute to remap. (float)
|
scalar ramp |
Use this to create keys for a curve/ramp.
This color range represents the normalized lifetime of the particle.
|
position |
This field shows the key’s time/location on the range.
|
value |
This field shows the key’s value on the range.
Selecting this field will pop up a color picker.
|
interpolation |
Linear: A direct line from point to point.
Smooth: An eased line from point to point.
|
Ramp Modulator Color Picker¶
Use the color picker to select colors and set vector ranges. This will not update until you select enter.
Color Picker |
Description |
|---|---|
Color UI |
Click on color to select color.
Values do not apply until entered.
|
R, G, B |
Use this to key in Red, Green and Blue values
Use fields to set Vector parameters. (X, Y, Z)
|
H, S, V |
Use fields to set Hue, Saturation and Value values.
|
Hex field |
Enter Hexadecimal code values here.
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Translucent Material¶
Translucent Material Parameters¶
The particle tool comes with a default translucent material that you can use with your particles.
Translucent Material Texture¶
This group carries your texture information. You can load textures and change texture and brightness here.
Texture |
Description |
|---|---|
Texture |
Select your texture in this field using the file browse button.
You can also locate files if you have a path in the field.
|
Texture Color Space |
auto
raw
sRGB
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Color texture brightness |
Change color brightness. This is an additive function.
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Color texture contrast |
Change color contrast. This is a power function.
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Translucent Material Flipbook¶
This group allows you to subdivide a texture and animate it. This only works if you hit play in Omniverse.
Flipbook |
Description |
|---|---|
Enable flipbooks |
Toggle: Controls whether the flipbook is enabled or disabled.
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Number of columns |
Set the number of columns here.
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Number of rows |
Set the number of rows here.
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Playback speed |
Set the speed of the playback in seconds.
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Albedo¶
This group sets an vector diffuse color.
Albedo |
Description |
|---|---|
Diffuse color |
Set the diffuse color R, G, B.
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Translucent Material Emissive¶
This group sets an emissive color and Intensity
Emissive |
Description |
|---|---|
Enable Emissive |
Toggle: Controls whether to enable or disable an emissive to the material.
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Emissive color |
Set the emissive color R, G, B.
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Emissive Intensity |
Sets an emissive intensity.
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Translucent Material Emission¶
Emission |
Description |
|---|---|
Emission from texture |
Toggle: Controls whether to enable or disable an emission from the loaded texture.
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Translucent Material Inputs Opacity¶
This group controls opacity from the loaded texture for the material.
Inputs |
Description |
|---|---|
Opacity |
Controls the overall fractional opacity of the texture.
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Opacity |
Description |
|---|---|
Opacity from texture |
Toggle: Use opacity from the textures alpha channel.
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Opacity texture min |
Opacity texture minimum value.
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Opacity texture maximum |
Opacity texture maximum value.
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Opacity texture brightness |
Change opacity brightness. This is an additive function.
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Opacity texture contrast |
Change opacity contrast. This is a power function.
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Draw a round particle |
Toggle: Creates a round particle from the particle mesh.
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Translucent Material Vertex Color¶
This group holds the toggles to enable disable vertex colors as well as texcoord index controls.
Vertex Color |
Description |
|---|---|
Enable Vertex Color |
Toggle: Controls whether vertex color is enabled or disabled.
Enable this if you want to change colors or over time in the particle system.
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Enable vertex color alpha channel |
Toggle: Controls whether vertex color alpha channel is enabled or disabled.
Enable this if you want to change opacity or over time in the particle system.
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texcoord channel index |
Vertex color UV index.
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Translucent Material Geometry¶
Geometry |
Description |
|---|---|
Double sided |
Toggle: Controls whether the geometry is single sided or double sided.
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Translucent Material Flags¶
Material Flag |
Description |
|---|---|
Exclude from White Mode |
Toggle: Controls whether the geometry is included or excluded from white mode.
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Tutorial 1 Creating a basic particle system¶
This section has you creating a simple smoke column using sprites. We’ll be taking a look at all of the core nodes as well as looking at the material, st panner, fields, ramp modulators and colliders.
1a) Create a basic particle system¶
In this section we’ll be creating a basic particle system using a geometry replicator.
Create a Source and choose an emission type¶
First, create a source for the particle system emitter.
1. Go to Create->Shapes-> and select Sphere
Next we need to select an emission type. For this example, we’ll be using a geometry replicator emission type. This type allows us to use the ST panner node in a later step.
2. With the sphere selected, go to Create->Particle-> and select with Geometry Replicator.
Now you have a particle visualizer using the sphere as a source. We don’t need to see the source for this tutorial, so we’ll be turning off its visibility.
3. Turn off visualization of the sphere by clicking on the eye in Stage-> World -> Sphere.
Your source is invisible and you’ll only see particles emitted in space. Your particle should look something like this:
Select a texture for your Material¶
Next we need to select a texture for the material we’ll be using with the st panner node in the next step. We’ll also be changing a setting in kit and the emitter to see the particle better.
1. Go to Stage -> World -> Looks and select the translucent_particle material that was created when you made the particle system.
2. Go to Property -> Texture and select the File button
3. Go to where you installed your version of kit is and browse to to source/extensions/omni.particle.system/data/textures and select the smoke_wisp.png
Kit Settings¶
Now that the texture is loaded you’ll notice its hard to see. We need to change a couple settings in Kit and the Emitter to bette view it.
1. Go to the Render settings tab and select Real Time in the renderer dropdown.
Open the Translucency dropdown and enable the Enable Fractional Cutout Opacity toggle.
The particle is visible but still very hard to see so next we’ll change the size of the particle
Emitter Tweaks¶
1. Go to Stage -> World -> particle system and select Emitter
2. In properties, go to Display and change the Particle size to 10 in X, Y, and Z.
Now the particle is large enough to see. We’ll be making tweaks as we go through the tutorial. Next ST Panners.
1b) Adding St Panners¶
In this section we’re going to use an st panner to create a flipbook. We’ll need to add the St Panner in Omnigraph. This is a tutorial is a continuation of the previous tutorial section. This is part b of the series.
Create the St Panner node in Omnigraph¶
Go to OmniGraph and click Editor.
The setup for the particle system is streamlined in Omnigraph for ease of use. Here you’ll see all of the essential nodes for creating particle systems are displayed.
1. Inside the World/particle_system box hit the TAB key.
2. Inside the search window do a search for St Panner.
3. Click on the particle system: st panner entry and an st panner node will appear.
Connect the St Panner node¶
1. Position the ST Panner node between the Solver and geometry replicator node.
2. Left click drag from point to point to connect. Right click on a point to disconnect if needed.
3. Connect the st panner as shown below. ST Panners must be connected after the solver.
Close the Omnigraph editor.
St Panner settings¶
Now that the node is created we’ll divide up the texture to animate.
1. Go to Stage -> World -> particle system and select particle_system_st_panner
2. Go to Properties -> Image Tiles and change the Image Tile Columns and Image Tile Rows to 8
Now the texture is animating like a flipbook.
St Panner Emitter and Source Tweaks¶
Source Changes
Go to the sphere and rotate its axis 1. Go to Stage-> World and select the sphere
2. In Property Change the following parameters.
Go to Rotate and rotate the z axis to 90.
Go to Scale and change the x, y, and z axis to .1.
This rotates the source up for the next step.
Emitter Changes
1. Go to Stage -> World -> particle system and select emitter
2. In Properties change the following parameters:
Direction, Speed and Mass ->Emit along axis 1
Direction, Speed and Mass -> Emit away from center 0
Direction, speed and Mass -> Speed 75
Lifespan -> Lifespan 3
Display -> Generate Color and Opacity Toggle on
Display -> Opacity .5
Display -> Random Rotation Y axis 360.
Now your particles should be moving up. Next we’ll add in a field. to change the movement.
1c) Adding Fields¶
In this section we’re going to use a field to move the particle column to simulate a wind. This is part c of the series.
Create a source for your Direction field¶
To use a field you need to give it its own source to act as a volume of influence. Using sources as a volume for fields is a constant no matter what field you use.
1. Go to Create->Shapes-> and select Sphere
This will create Sphere_01.
2. Select the sphere and make the following changes in Properties:
Geometry -> Radius 500
then turn visibility off by toggling the Eye icon in Stage -> World -> Sphere_01
1. Go to Create->Shapes-> and select Sphere
Omnigraph Setup¶
Go to OmniGraph and click Editor.
The setup for the particle system is streamlined in Omnigraph for ease of use. Here you’ll see all of the essential nodes for creating particle systems are displayed.
1. Inside the World/particle_system box hit the TAB key.
2. Inside the search window do a search for direction.
3. Click on the particle system: direction force field entry and an direction force field will appear.
4. Connect particle system: direction force field to the graph as shown below. Fields must be connected before the solver.
Now you need to connect the source to the field.
1. Go to Stage -> World and Select hold Sphere_01
2. Drag and drop Sphere_01 into the Omnigraph Editor inside the world/particle system box as shown below.
Now connect Sphere_01 to the particle_system_direction_field as to the inputs:prim as shown below.
Now the particles should be moving in a direction.
Close the Omnigraph Editor.
Direction Field Tweaks¶
Now we have the direction field hooked up to the particle system. The particles are moving too fast. Let’s change some parameters in the Direction force node.
1. Select Stage -> World -> particle system -> particle system direction force field.
2. In the direction force node change the following parameters in Property:
Direction Field Settings -> Attenuation .5 Direction Field Settings -> Magnitude .08
Now the particles are moving in a more natural way.
Next we’ll be changing the opacity and scale of the particles over time with ramp modulators.
1d) Using Ramp Modulators¶
In this section we’re going to add a Ramp Modulator to change the scale and opacity of the particle over time. Ramp modulatiors can take floats and vector parameters anc change them over the lifetime of the particle. This is part d of and final section of the series.
Omnigraph Setup¶
Go to OmniGraph and click Editor.
The setup for the particle system is streamlined in Omnigraph for ease of use. Here you’ll see all of the essential nodes for creating particle systems are displayed.
1. Inside the World/particle_system box hit the TAB key.
2. Inside the search window do a search for ramp.
3. Click on the particle system: ramp modulator entry and an ramp modulator node will appear.
4. Connect particle system: ramp modulator to the graph as shown below. The ramp modulator must be connected after the solver.
Note: you can chain nodes together as seen below.
Close the Omnigraph Editor.
Ramp Modulator Parameters¶
With the Ramp Modulator node connected we can now make modifications.
Note: The mode of the Ramp Modulator allows you to change the way the ramp modulator changes your particle over time. The mode defaults to 2 (multiply).
1. Go to Stage -> World -> particle system and select particle_system_ramp_modulator .
2. Go to property and make the following changes:
Scalar Ramp (float) changes
In Scalar ramp -> attribute to remap type opacity
Left click on the ramp to add 2 points to the line. Double click to remove points.
1. Left click the first point and change Interpolation to smooth
2. Left click select the second point either move the point by dragging or enter: position .25 and value .5
3. Left click on the third point and either move the point by dragging or enter:** position** .75 value .5. Interpolation smooth
The particles will be fading in and out of opacity over the lifetime of the particle.
Color Ramp changes
In Color ramp -> attribute to remap type scale
1. Click on the red (first) key then click on the value bar and a color picker will appear. Type in R: 1, G: 1, B: 1. click outside of the color picker to enter your values.
2. Double click on the green (center) key to remove it.
3. Click on the blue (third) key and click on the value bar and a color picker will appear. Type R: 5, G: 5, B: 5. click outside of the color picker to enter your values.
The particles will be scaling from 1 to 5 times its size over time.
Tutorial 2: Creating a Particle System with Flow¶
Flow emitters and particle systems¶
With a particle system you can spawn particles that emit flow. This tutorial goes over the steps you need to take to set up a particle system that runs flow.
Create a basic particle system¶
First, create a source for the particle system emitter.
1. Go to Create->Shapes-> and select Sphere
For this example, we don’t want to have a particle visual so we’ll select the particle visualizer. We’ll go over how to hide the particles in a later step.
Note: If you want the particle to have a display (example: a particle spark) select the geometry replicator.
2. With the sphere selected, go to Create->Particle-> and select with Particle Visualizer.
Now you have a particle visualizer using the sphere as a source.
3. Turn off visualization of the sphere by clicking on the eye in Stage-> World -> Sphere.
Your source is invisible and you’ll only see particles emitted in space. Your particle should look something like this:
Create a Flow preset¶
Next we need to create a flow simulation that the particles can drive.
1. With World selected go to Create-> Flow -> Preset and select Add Fire Effect
2. This will create a flow simulation with a flowEmitterSphere. You will not be able to see the flow simulation unless you click play. To enable the flow emitter to play at all times go to Stage -> World -> flowSimulate and go to Property and select forceSimulate.
Now you have the flow simulate and the particle system set up. Next we need to link the two simulations together and create a Flow emitter.
Create a flow Cloud point emitter¶
Now we’re going to create a flow cloud point emitter and a flow emitter.
1. First go to the Stage and select World -> Particle System -> Solver 2. Then control click World -> Particle System -> flow Simulate
3. With both of selected go to Create -> Particles and select point cloud flow emitter.
A flow_emitter will be created in the particle system and a flow emitter point will be created in World.
The flow emitter serves as a bridge between the particle and the flow emitter point. The flow emitter point carries some of the parameters that are normally in the flow emitter sphere.
If flow emissions are not following the particles check the layers in flow emitter point. All layers must be the same to work.
Delete the flow emitter sphere in Stage-> World -> flowEmitterSphere, unless you’d like to keep it.
Before we start tweaking the particle and flow emitter. Lets take a look at the setup in Omnigraph.
Omnigraph Setup¶
Go to OmniGraph and click Editor.
The setup for the particle system is streamlined in Omnigraph for ease of use.
From here it’s up to you to tweak as you want. We’ll go through a couple tweaks in the next step.
Emitter Tweaks¶
First we’ll turn off the visualization for the particle.
1. To turn off the particle visualizer output display go to Stage -> World -> particle system and select Output.
2. In Property -> parameters click on the Active Toggle to disable the visualization.
Next we’ll change the behavior of the particles and source.
Source Changes
Go to the sphere and rotate its axis 1. Go to Stage-> World and select the sphere
2. In Property go to Rotate and rotate the z axis to 90.
This rotates the source up for the next step.
Emitter Changes: We’ll be changing the way the particles are emitted from the source.
1. Go to Stage-> world -> Particle system and select the emitter. In the emitter change the following parameters:
Direction, Speed and Mass ->Emit along axis 1
Direction, Speed and Mass -> Emit away from center .25
Direction, speed and Mass -> Speed 200
Lifespan -> Lifespan .25
Flow Emission Changes: Next we’ll add more fuel to the emission:
1. Go to Stage -> World -> and select flowEmitterPoint 2. Go to Property and change the following parameters:
Flow ->Fuel: 50
Flow ->coupleRateDivergence: 2
Flow -> Divergence: 5000
This concludes this tutorial. Thanks for completing it.
