Vortex Affector
Updated: 4 Dec 2023
Applies a rotational velocity to a field.
Vortex Affector
Method #
This node modifies the movement vectors of a field to give a rotational velocity about an axis. Useful for creating tornado effects.
The outputs from this node are just its transforms, useful for having multiple nodes follow the same motions without controlling each of their transforms individually.
Parameters
These properties control the 3D transforms of the node. Transforms will generally be inherited by child nodes, although they can be ignored through the Inherit Transform Channels attributes.
Parameter Details Position X
The objects position along the local x-axis.
Position Y
The objects position along the local y-axis.
Position Z
The objects position along the local z-axis.
Rotation Heading
The objects rotation around the local y-axis.
Rotation Pitch
The objects rotation around the local x-axis.
Rotation Bank
The objects rotation around the local z-axis.
Scale X
The objects scale along the local x-axis.
Scale Y
The objects scale along the local y-axis.
Scale Z
The objects scale along the local z-axis.
Control the inheritance of the transforms from the parent.
Parameter Details Position
Toggle inheritance of the Position from the parent.
Rotation
Toggle inheritance of the Rotation from the parent.
Scale
Toggle inheritance of the Scale from the parent.
World Position Only
Inherit the world position from the parent only, rotation and scale will be ignored. Overrides above properties.
Inherit Time
Toggle inheritance of time from the parent.
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
Parameter Details Affector Mode
The method by which the affector is applied to the field.
- Force : The results of the affector are added to the simulation as forces.
- Velocity Modifier : The results of the affector are added each frame after the results of the simulation, and not injected into the simulation itself.
Velocity Amount
Scale the generated affector velocities.
Spread Angle
Controls how much the spread there is from the field velocities generated.
Vortex Angle
Change how quickly field moves around the vortex centre dependant on distance from it.
Outward Velocity
Control the speed at which the particles are pushed out from the vortex centre.
Randomness
The randomness of the new velocities added to the simulation.
Modulate By Velocity
The strength of the affector is modulated per cell by the magnitude of the velocity of the cell, so movement is stronger in faster-moving areas.
Modulate By Temperature
The strength of the affector is modulated per cell by the temperature of the cell, so movement is stronger in hotter areas.
These properties control the falloff of the node. Falloff controls how much influence the node has on anything it affects.
Parameter Details Falloff Mode
Which mode to use to calculate the falloff.
- Off : No falloff is used. Everything will be affected equally.
- Spherical : Falloff is drawn outward from a central point, forming a spherical falloff.
- Cylindrical : Falloff is drawn outward from a line, forming a cylindrical falloff.
- Planar : Falloff is drawn outwards in one or more directions from a plane, forming a planar falloff.
- Procedural : Uses a connected procedural system to describe the falloff area. A procedural node must be input for this property to function.
- Cubic : Falloff is calculated from within a cube.
Falloff Axis
Which axis the falloff should be oriented on.
Falloff Direction
When using “Planar” mode, which direction to use to calculate the falloff.
- Bidirectional : The node’s effect will be the most along the plane. It will then falloff in both directions.
- Negative : The node’s effect will be the most along the plane and in the positive direction. It will then falloff in the negative direction.
- Positive : The node’s effect will be the most along the plane and in the negative direction. It will then falloff in the positive direction.
Falloff Easing Mode
Interpolation method used to calculate the falloff within its range of influence.
- Linear : Falloff will be calculated linearly across the falloff range.
- Sine : Falloff will be calculated using a sine function across the falloff range.
- Quadratic : Falloff will be calculated using a quadratic function across the falloff range.
- Cubic : Falloff will be calculated using a cubic function across the falloff range.
- Circular : Falloff will be calculated using a circular function across the falloff range.
- Bounce Back : Falloff uses a function which as values reach the edge of the falloff range, they will overshoot and bounce back.
- Elastic : Falloff uses a function similar to bounce back, but the value will initially move in the opposite direction, creating a “pull and release” effect.
Falloff Size X
Size of the falloff range along the X axis.
Falloff Size Y
Size of the falloff range along the Y axis.
Falloff Size Z
Size of the falloff range along the Z axis.
Outer Range
Outer range of the falloff.
Inner Range
Inner range of the falloff.
Curve Power
Controls the rate of change of the falloff between the inner and outer range.
Invert
Inverts the effect of the falloff.
The properties control the time at which the node is active. See Timeline for editing time segments.
Parameter Details Duration
Control the duration of the node’s time segment.
- Composition Duration : Use the length of the composition for the node’s time segment duration.
- Custom : Set a custom duration for the node’s time segment.
Node Time
The custom start and end time for the node.
Duration (Timecode)
The length of the node’s time segment (in time).
Duration (Frames)
The length of the node’s time segment (in frames).
Time Segment Enabled
Set whether the node’s time segment is enabled or not in the Timeline.
Inputs
These properties control the 3D transforms of the node. Transforms will generally be inherited by child nodes, although they can be ignored through the Inherit Transform Channels attributes.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Position X | The objects position along the local x-axis. |
| Position Y | The objects position along the local y-axis. |
| Position Z | The objects position along the local z-axis. |
| Rotation Heading | The objects rotation around the local y-axis. |
| Rotation Pitch | The objects rotation around the local x-axis. |
| Rotation Bank | The objects rotation around the local z-axis. |
| Scale X | The objects scale along the local x-axis. |
| Scale Y | The objects scale along the local y-axis. |
| Scale Z | The objects scale along the local z-axis. |
Control the inheritance of the transforms from the parent.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Position | Toggle inheritance of the Position from the parent. |
| Rotation | Toggle inheritance of the Rotation from the parent. |
| Scale | Toggle inheritance of the Scale from the parent. |
| World Position Only | Inherit the world position from the parent only, rotation and scale will be ignored. Overrides above properties. |
| Inherit Time | Toggle inheritance of time from the parent. |
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Affector Mode |
The method by which the affector is applied to the field.
|
| Velocity Amount | Scale the generated affector velocities. |
| Spread Angle | Controls how much the spread there is from the field velocities generated. |
| Vortex Angle | Change how quickly field moves around the vortex centre dependant on distance from it. |
| Outward Velocity | Control the speed at which the particles are pushed out from the vortex centre. |
| Randomness | The randomness of the new velocities added to the simulation. |
| Modulate By Velocity | The strength of the affector is modulated per cell by the magnitude of the velocity of the cell, so movement is stronger in faster-moving areas. |
| Modulate By Temperature | The strength of the affector is modulated per cell by the temperature of the cell, so movement is stronger in hotter areas. |
These properties control the falloff of the node. Falloff controls how much influence the node has on anything it affects.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Falloff Mode |
Which mode to use to calculate the falloff.
|
| Falloff Axis | Which axis the falloff should be oriented on. |
| Falloff Direction |
When using “Planar” mode, which direction to use to calculate the falloff.
|
| Falloff Easing Mode |
Interpolation method used to calculate the falloff within its range of influence.
|
| Falloff Size X | Size of the falloff range along the X axis. |
| Falloff Size Y | Size of the falloff range along the Y axis. |
| Falloff Size Z | Size of the falloff range along the Z axis. |
| Outer Range | Outer range of the falloff. |
| Inner Range | Inner range of the falloff. |
| Curve Power | Controls the rate of change of the falloff between the inner and outer range. |
| Invert | Inverts the effect of the falloff. |
The properties control the time at which the node is active. See Timeline for editing time segments.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Duration |
Control the duration of the node’s time segment.
|
| Node Time | The custom start and end time for the node. |
| Duration (Timecode) | The length of the node’s time segment (in time). |
| Duration (Frames) | The length of the node’s time segment (in frames). |
| Time Segment Enabled | Set whether the node’s time segment is enabled or not in the Timeline. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| Vortex Position Node | Change the position of the point the field orbits around. | Null |
| Transform Modifiers | Apply the transforms of another node to this node. | Null |
| Target Node | Modifiy the rotations of the node to always direct the z axis towards the input. | Null |
| Local Transform Override | Apply the transforms of another node to this node, relative to its parent. | Null |