How to make a flower, erm shower (PFX and nulls problem)

[j_a_r_m_u_s_c_h]

Hi folks

here's one of those things that seems so simple in theory, but in practice...

I'm trying to make a flower that, when blown by a breeze gradually loses its petals.

I have a stalk with a head, then each petal is an instanced particle using FX_linker (aligned HP).

I want the stalk to sway in the breeze (with the particle petals still attached) for a while before some, then gradually all of the petals are blown off.

I have used a varied wind and particle resistance/viscosity settings etc. to try and keep the petals still at first, then have them blown off in all directions. All the particles do this at once which isnt great (though I could get round this by having particle groups) but it also looks very strange and unnatural.

another of the problems I have is that the particles, once created (and these need to be created at frame 0 so they are always there) cannot be position-fixed to a null. So they end up staying in one place while the stalk moves, despite the emmitter being parented to the swaying stalk. (The particles will obey their parents Rotation coordinates, but not positional ones after creation).

having reread that dreadful explanation i will not be surprised if no-one has a clue what i'm talking about, but if anyone does, I'd be grateful for any pointers!

Thanks

Jim

 

[Murphy]

I dont know how useful this is to you, but...

You could try using a colision event to make the particles work. There is a nice example of this in the LW contence directory under features. I think it is called HVfire.lws but don't quote me on that.
It show a colision object moving up a plane and as it moves up fire sprouts from where the colision object touches the emiter. You could do this to manualy make the petels fly away.

Sorry if this wasn't much help but i did my best. ^_^

Murphy.

 

[HowardM]

hmmm...look into SG_Explosion....I think you could use it to make the petals fly away and still move with the stalk...
you can tell SG_E when to blow the petals at a certain time...and since SG_E doesnt uses particles, you can have them sway with the stalk before...just have the petals on a different layer...
wonder if morphing the stalk/petal bends would be better?


yep...this works! depending on how realistic you need it to be...

Im sure you could make the petals SudDs and either morph or displace them for more fluid movement,...maybe even use Motion Designer with this method to make them bend and look more real...

I used the Bend Deformer to bend the petals and stalk...

 

[j_a_r_m_u_s_c_h]

Thanks Guys - I think I may have found a way around this problem with your help....

give me some time to test, and i'll post a full exp if i manage it

cheers

Jim

p.s. nice anim Howard! - I'll post mine when its done!

 

[HowardM]

so whats your solution? still using PFX?
I wanna know!