Trail Emitter
Updated: 4 Dec 2023
Emits particles from other particles.
Trail Emitter
Method #
This node emits particles from the positions of other currently active particles from other emitters. This is used to create trails of particles.
This node is typically connected as a child of another emitter node. When connected in this way it emits particles at the locations of those emitted from the parent emitter. Alternatively this node can be connected to a Particle Root node and emitters can be connected to the Source Particle Nodes input.
If no emitters are connected this node is ineffective.
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 how the particles are emit from the node, and their 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.
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
Parameter Details Max Particles Per Source Particle
The maximum number of new particles emit per source particle every update.
Use Parent Particle Count
Use the particle count of the source emitter to scale the number of particles emitted by this trail emitter.
Use Source Particle Fade
Emitted particles inherit the fade values of the source particle.
Initial Velocity Amount
Control the velocity particles spawn with in the direction of the source particle.
Initial Velocity Tangent Amount
Control the velocity particles spawn with in the direction tangential to the source particle.
Parent Transform Weight
How much the transform of the parent affects the transform of the particles.
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
Parent Transform Randomness
How much randomness to apply to the parents transform values.
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.
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 how the particles are emit from the node, and their 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. |
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Max Particles Per Source Particle | The maximum number of new particles emit per source particle every update. |
| Use Parent Particle Count | Use the particle count of the source emitter to scale the number of particles emitted by this trail emitter. |
| Use Source Particle Fade | Emitted particles inherit the fade values of the source particle. |
| Initial Velocity Amount | Control the velocity particles spawn with in the direction of the source particle. |
| Initial Velocity Tangent Amount | Control the velocity particles spawn with in the direction tangential to the source particle. |
| Parent Transform Weight | How much the transform of the parent affects the transform of the particles. |
| 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 |
| Parent Transform Randomness | How much randomness to apply to the parents transform values. |
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. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| Source Particle Nodes | The emitter(s) from which particles are used as sources for the trail emitter. | Particle Emitters |
| Mask Node | Mask out areas that particles cannot spawn. | Image Plane |
| 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 |
