TP Deform Modifier 

thinkingParticles offers many tools inside and outside of the main application; it ships with a rich set of materials, modifiers and tools, all of which can be perfectly used in concert with thinkingParticles.

The TP Deform Modifier is such an advanced tool that it can be easily used along with thinkingParticles to create impressive special effects. The idea behind the TP_Deform_Modifer is to offer a procedural way to deform any surface along a drawn or animated path.

One or many paths can be fed into this modifier; it can be either multiple animated objects, or multiple splines drawn on top of an object's surface, or both. Paths from animated objects will be automatically extracted and used as a deformation path with full control of speed and position along the extracted path.

Object List 

The object list holds all the objects, that will be used as a deformation path along the objects surface.

Pick Object - lets you pick any object in the scene to be used as a deformation path.

REM. - when clicked, the selected object will be removed from the list of objects.

Parameters

Everything this Modifier does is based on "paths," either extracted from an animation, or drawn with the help of a spline. When using an animated object - imagine drawing an invisible line along which the deformation will take place.

Path Samples - sets the resolution (steps) at which the paths are sampled (scanned).

Smoothing Group -lets you restrict the deformation effect to a certain smoothing group, only.

Path Spreading - you would usually animate this value over time to achieve a "growing" effect along the path. This value specifies an actual length along the path, where the effect should take place; this value is measured in real world scale units.

Shape - defines the shape of the deformation. The gradient controls the slope of the deformation along the path(s) - a symmetrical effect is applied to the final deformation. A black color in the gradient will create a full deformation (as set in the depth control of this modifier).

Width - controls the width of the deformation, this value is set in world scale units.

Width Spreading - defines a length along the path after the width should be applied to the deformation

Width Gradient - lets you choose a "shape" for the width similar to the "Shape" parameter, except the width is controlled by this gradient.

Width Map - when a texture map is applied to this slot the width is controlled by this map, (even animated).

Depth - defines the depth of the deformation (indentation). This value is set in world scale units.

Depth Spreading - sets a distance along the path after which the depth value should be applied to the deformation.

Depth Gradient - lets you choose a "shape" for the depth similar to the "Shape" parameter except the depth is controlled by this gradient.

Depth Map - when a texture map is applied to this slot the depth is controlled by this map, (even animated).