Primitive Emitter
Updated: 26 Jul 2024
Emit particles from a primitive shape.
Primitive Emitter
Method #
This node emits particles in the form of a 3D primitive shape. The Emitter Type parameter defines which shape is used. Particles can be emitted on the surface of the shape or inside the volume of the shape, depending on the Emit On Surface parameter.
If the emitter has an animated transform, emitted particles may track the motion of the primitive so they appear to stick to or follow the moving primitive. The Parent Transform Weight parameter scales this effect.
The transformation values of this node will be inherited by its children. Furthermore, Affectors, Shading, and Rendering nodes will only be effective to the particles emit by this emitter.
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 Emitter Type The shape in which the particles are emitted.
- Sphere : Particles spawn within a 3D sphere.
- Box : Particles spawn within a 3D Cube.
- Cylinder : Particles spawn within a Cylinder.
- Plane : Particles spawn on a flat, 2D Plane.
- 2D Grid : Particles spawn along the edges of a 2D grid.
- 3D Grid : Particles spawn along the edges of a 3D grid.
- Point : all particles spawn at the same point in 3D space.
Repeating Random Toggle whether the random number generation repeats, and particles are emitted with repeated transform properties.
Seed Choose a seed for the random number generation.
Uniform Distribution Make sure the particle generation is evenly distributed throughout the object.
Emit On Surface Toggle whether particles emit on the surface of the emitter object.
Normal Direction Controls the way particle normals are generated.
- Emitter Shape : use the underlying primitive shape.
- Emitter Motion : normals point in the direction of motion of the emitter.
- Emitter Facing : normals point in the facing direction of the emitter.
Emission Velocity How much of the motion from the emitter is transferred to the generated particles. Because this is an initial velocity, further transforms by the emitter will not be inherited.
Parent Transform Weight How much the transform of the parent affects the transform of the particles.
Parent Transform Weight Randomness Adds some randomness to the transform weight per particle, meaning some particles will follow the parent transforms less.
Parent Transform Weight Life Coeffs How much the particles are affected by the parent nodes transforms at different stages of the particles life cycle. Values 2 and 3 are control points, and are used to control the curve between values
These properties control how the particles are emit from the node, and thier core life properties.
Parameter Details Emitter Active Change whether the emitter is on or off.
Life Control how low long each particle exists for.
Randomness How much randomness is added in the particles movement.
Max Particle Count Set a maximum particle count for the emitter.
Respawn Enabled Toggle whether a particle can respawn.
Life Randomness Control the randomness for the life of each particle.
Emission Rate What percentage of the particles are emitted from the emitter per second.
Tints the particles colours from the emitter. To enable, add an colour ramp input to this node.
Parameter Details Colour Selection Mode Choose how the input colour affects the particles.
- Input Colour : the first colour input is the only colour output.
- Selected Single Colour : Uses the Colour selection parameter to decide which colour to use from the input ramp.
- Emission Time : colour is selected based on time at which the particle is emitted.
- Random Colour : the colour is selected randomly at the particles creation.
Colour Selection Parameters A number used to select the colour output.
These properties control the material the particles use for emission.
Parameter Details Colour RGB colour of particles.
Diffuse Control how much the light is scattered from the surface of the object.
Emissiveness Control how much light is emitted by the particle.
Life Colour Affecter Weight Controls how much the result of any Life Colour Shading nodes are blended with the particle’s colour.
Particle Scale Scale the size of the particle.
Dof Amount How much depth of field effects the particles material.
Density The density, for use in some simulations.
Temperature The density, for use in some simulations.
Cooling Rate The cooling rate, for thermal dynamics simulations.
Density Decay Control the rate of decay in the density.
Fade In Time What percentage through the particles life span the particle fades in.
Fade Out Time What percentage through the particles life span the particle fades out.
Fade Falloff Coefficient Change the weighting of the fade falloff to either speed up or slow down over time.
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 |
|---|---|
| Emitter Type | The shape in which the particles are emitted.
|
| Repeating Random | Toggle whether the random number generation repeats, and particles are emitted with repeated transform properties. |
| Seed | Choose a seed for the random number generation. |
| Uniform Distribution | Make sure the particle generation is evenly distributed throughout the object. |
| Emit On Surface | Toggle whether particles emit on the surface of the emitter object. |
| Normal Direction | Controls the way particle normals are generated.
|
| Emission Velocity | How much of the motion from the emitter is transferred to the generated particles. Because this is an initial velocity, further transforms by the emitter will not be inherited. |
| Parent Transform Weight | How much the transform of the parent affects the transform of the particles. |
| Parent Transform Weight Randomness | Adds some randomness to the transform weight per particle, meaning some particles will follow the parent transforms less. |
| Parent Transform Weight Life Coeffs | How much the particles are affected by the parent nodes transforms at different stages of the particles life cycle. Values 2 and 3 are control points, and are used to control the curve between values |
These properties control how the particles are emit from the node, and thier core life properties.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Emitter Active | Change whether the emitter is on or off. |
| Life | Control how low long each particle exists for. |
| Randomness | How much randomness is added in the particles movement. |
| Max Particle Count | Set a maximum particle count for the emitter. |
| Respawn Enabled | Toggle whether a particle can respawn. |
| Life Randomness | Control the randomness for the life of each particle. |
| Emission Rate | What percentage of the particles are emitted from the emitter per second. |
Tints the particles colours from the emitter. To enable, add an colour ramp input to this node.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Colour Selection Mode | Choose how the input colour affects the particles.
|
| Colour Selection Parameters | A number used to select the colour output. |
These properties control the material the particles use for emission.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Colour | RGB colour of particles. |
| Diffuse | Control how much the light is scattered from the surface of the object. |
| Emissiveness | Control how much light is emitted by the particle. |
| Life Colour Affecter Weight | Controls how much the result of any Life Colour Shading nodes are blended with the particle’s colour. |
| Particle Scale | Scale the size of the particle. |
| Dof Amount | How much depth of field effects the particles material. |
| Density | The density, for use in some simulations. |
| Temperature | The density, for use in some simulations. |
| Cooling Rate | The cooling rate, for thermal dynamics simulations. |
| Density Decay | Control the rate of decay in the density. |
| Fade In Time | What percentage through the particles life span the particle fades in. |
| Fade Out Time | What percentage through the particles life span the particle fades out. |
| Fade Falloff Coefficient | Change the weighting of the fade falloff to either speed up or slow down over time. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| Colour Control Nodes | Control the colours of the particles on emission. | Colour Ramp |
| 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 |
