This little operator allows you to create very simply and fast to process
soft body effects based on particle collisions. Any 3ds Max mesh can be
converted into particles by using its vertices as particles. With the
Track option turned on, the movement of the particles will also affect
the vertex positions of the original object.
ON - (Bool) This input data
stream determines whether the operator is considered 'on' or 'off'. You
can connect other operators to this input channel such as a Bool Helper
to activate/deactivate the whole operator.
Time - (Time) This input data stream is used to define the local
time for the operator when the user wants to override the default system
time.
No output ports available
REM. - when pressed, the selected object will be removed
UP - click this button to move the selected object one position
upwards in the list.
DOWN - when clicked, the selected object will be moved down by
one position
Pick Object - press this button to active the Object pick mode
to pick any legal 3ds Max mesh in the modeling view port.
Group - is used to select the particle group the newly created
particles should be put into.
Track Particle To Vertex - check this option, to enable the object
vertices to follow the particles.
Type-
Type - there are 2 possible
options available:
None - when selected, the particles created form the object's
vertices will behave like loose unconnected particles without the tendency
to keep the shape.
Spring - select this option to get a springy soft-body type of
object.
Spring Constant - defines the strength of the Springs - the harder
the springs the more they will retract to their position
Spring Damping - sets the dampening between the springs, the higher
the dampening is the less the springs will wobble.
Volume Samples - sets the amount of internal spring sampling to
keep the shape of the object (volume). The more samples the more accurate
the result will be however, the longer it will also take to render.
The Dynamic-Solver used by Vertex to Particle is somehow completely
different from the other solvers implemented right now. It is important
to understand that this is a pure particle based effect. This Node creates
particles- nothing more. Collisions must occur between particles and the
Sub-Frame Sampling plays the most important role for this spring based
solver!
We do suggest a minimum of 90 samples per frame to get an accurate and
predictable results with this kind of dynamics effect. Lower Sub-Frame
samples will not create an accurate result. In addition to the Sub-Frame
samples, the spring forces should not be in too extreme ranges, keep them
in the 0-3 range.
Interaction with surface based effects like shape collisions or fragmentation
is not intended or really easily possible with this solver.