Particles
Some basics
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Particles are large collections of points which can be controlled with dynamics
such as gravity, collision detection, and vector fields. A collection of particles
is called a particle system. Individual particles cannot be controlled, but the
behavior of a collection of particles can be. Particle systems can also be used
to model objects.
Any GIG model can be converted to particle systems. Each solid in the converted model will then be an independent particle system.
Particle systems can be transformed and animated like any other GIG model.
The behavior of a particle system can be changed by adjusting its parameters:
for example, the gravity, startspeed, radius, mass, etc.
The parameters can be interactively changed during simulation Also, the change
in parameters can be recorded in an animation of parameters. This will
generate timecurves for the recorded parameters. These timecurves can be edited in the particle interface.
For more special effects, fields can be assigned to further affect the
behavior of particles. For example, a vortex field can be assigned to create
a circular motion for the particles in a particle system.
Particle fields and their parameters can be edited, transformed, and animated as well.
Unique to GIG, particles can be rendered like any other GIG object, including
the calculation of shadow, reflection, and transparency.
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