 |
| Fly with a Speed of Light, Suzanne. |
Every Blender update always brings a lot of excitements, apart from optimization in performance, the new release always comes with a lot of interesting features.
Blender Realtime Rendering (BPR) for Blender Internal Renderer, just like Blender Cycles. No one can see this coming, well I don't, but this is nice. CTRL + B to render region.
You can see the details of the updates in here:
http://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-268/
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.68/Physics
Blender has major updates every few months. It also has quick updates built daily, for bug fixes, etc. I think the Blender development is really impressive, can't be thankful enough to Ton Roosendaal and Blender Development teams, you rocks.
THE TUBE PROJECT
When you run version 2.68, you will see the new Splash Screen from "The Tube", Blender Open Movie, which you can follow and support from their website:
http://urchn.org/post/category/blender
 |
| Splash Screen from "Tube" Open Movie Project |
In the meantime, there is one feature of Blender 2.68 that catches my eyes... "Use Modifier Stack" for Particle. In short: ability of Blender Particles to emit from Faces that are generated on-the-fly using Modifier Stack. Particles and VFX lovers, this feature will excite you.
PARTICLES: Use Modifier Stack
What is the news with the "Use Modifier Stack"? Well, you probably have done this in the past, where you use one of the "Generate" Modifiers on mesh object, then you add or stack Particle System at the end, and then you are getting a funny result.
For example, here I created an Edge mesh and then add Skin Modifier to it and then lastly stack Particle System at the end hoping for the Skin Modifier mesh to emit Particles.
However, when you see in 3D View, you are getting something like below.
 |
| Funny result. |
However, from 2.68, we have "Use Modifier Stack" added to the Particle System. The option is available under Particles Property tab. It is a toggle, you can either have it ON or OFF.
TIPS: In my opinion, this cool effect should be ON by default. Remember to always turn this on next time you create Particle effect.
If you enable "Use Modifier Stack", you will now get a more expected (I say: exciting and significant) result where Particles are born from Faces of the mesh. And this is actually a Procedural/Generative effects which means Particles can be generated LIVE from mesh that is changing.
 |
| Awesome result. |
This is actually really cool.
I have a feeling that Blender Particles system will start to get more development throughout until Blender version 3.0. Maybe we will even get Node Based Particles sooner? Let's keep hoping and supporting Blender Development.
BLENDER SMOKE AND FIRE SECRETLY HAS IT...
This "ability to generate X (emitting from face) with respect to Modifier Stack" feature has always been available for Blender Smoke and Fire and it is always ON by default and we all take it for granted.
Emitting Smoke and/or Fire from LIVE Skin Modifier mesh from edge, for example, has always been possible back in previous versions of Blender.
... FINALLY IN BLENDER PARTICLE.
And now, Blender Particles finally has IT too.Having the ability to emit Particles that respect the Modifier Stacks really allow us to do some advance Particles setup, with ease. This adds additional level of flexibility of being able to tweak and modify the mesh to update to Particles.
No longer one needs to "Apply Modifier" to the mesh object, to have it to work with Particles, we simply keep stacking the effects for Particles setup.
No longer one needs to "Apply Modifier" to the mesh object, to have it to work with Particles, we simply keep stacking the effects for Particles setup.
I guess this is a very good time to revisit some Blender Generate Modifiers and see what effects we can do with Blender Particles.
BUILD MODIFIER > PARTICLES
The Build modifier slowly (re)builds your mesh based on Face index number (which can be Sorted beforehand). It comes with option to randomly re-generate faces from whatever mesh you feed into it.
Grease Pencil > Bake to Curve
Curve > Simplify Curve > Bake to Mesh
Mesh Edge > Skin Modifier > Build Modifier > Particles
I believe at some point, when we have less baking, everything is more procedural. I like to see one day between Curve to Mesh is no longer separate. We cannot emit Particles from Curve yet, but Curve object in Blender actually has some interesting live Remeshing-ability too, which I think potentially needs to be hooked up with Particle Emission.
Next, "Mask Modifier" below is even nicer.
DYNAMIC PAINT > MASK MODIFIER > PARTICLES
Mask Modifier is one of those Generate Modifier that one can easily overlooked. I only paid attention to it when Dynamic Paint actually works together with it. Dynamic Paint generates Vertex Grouping on the fly, which is transfered into Mask Modifier that will actually Delete the Face on the fly.
Particles does not respect the Modifier back then... so this masking thing may not be too significant, however, it is super significant now.
So, Mask Modifier, can "mask" out or delete Faces on the fly. You can also inverse the effect where it will delete non selected. Very Houdini like (Group and Delete)!
Who will be the first to update and create realistic updated Burning Paper effect? :]
VFX POTENTIAL: Advance Dispersion or Dissolve effect, emit blood or dust from collision.
ARRAY MODIFIER > PARTICLES
The infamous Array Modifier needs no introduction, now this works with Particles so you could build Particles Arrays source.
PARTICLE INSTANCE MODIFIER > PARTICLES
With this stacking thing, we can now pretty much emit Particles from emitted Particles, if you know how to set it up. Not very obvious, but basically you Instance some meshes (using Instance Modifier) and then add Particle System to the object with Instance Modifier.
Make sure you have "Use Modifier Stack" turned on.
VFX POTENTIAL: Fireworks, explosions with debris, comet, meteor, arrow with fire, blood splatters, rolling puffs effect.
CONCLUSIONS
I guess that is all for this quick write up of "Use Modifier Stack". There are many other Modifiers that will work in interesting way with Particles.
Again, I have only highlighted small bits of this additional particle update called "Use Modifier Stack". However, this certainly something not to be missed. Seems small but very significant.
High in wish list is the ability for Particles to carry Color and all kind of per point attributes from Mesh Point. It is kind of there, but not really, but can be rendered somewhat.
Now it is a great time to create practical and more polished effects.
Time to think for a more interesting complex effects with Particles. With power comes responsibility, right? Layering effects, Lighting and Rendering, and Compositing. Those are next areas I certainly have to cover. Must take the VFX to polished level Andrew Price aka Blender Guru quality.
However, with Blender Sushi philosophy, it is always a good idea to experiment and to explore time to time, especially whenever there is a new Blender updates.
Be curious, do research, study reference, write notes, and make your own original works. That is the principle you could apply in everything.
So, one more thing...
Dynamic Paint > Boids Particles
This is Blender Particles live boids that generates/eats mesh of faces on the fly.
Post a Comment