Trail Renderer
Updated: 4 Dec 2023
Renders trails which follow the path of particles.
Trail Renderer
Method #
This node generates trails of lines or points along the path of individual particles to create trail-like effects. This is done by sampling the particle position at regular time intervals and storing the samples as control points in a path buffer. The size of the path buffer is finite so only a limited number of control points per particle may be stored, which in turn limits the visual length of the generated trail.
You can deform the generated geometry trails with Deformer Nodes.
Parameters
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
Parameter Details Particle Alpha
Change the alpha value for the particles.
Blend Mode
Edit the blend mode used for the particles. See Blend Modes for details.
Primitive Types
Change the shape that trails behind the particle.
- Lines : Single pixel lines trail the particles.
- Thick Lines : Particles with variable thickness follow the particles.
- Thick Lines (Simplified) : Uses simplified thick lines to generate to particle lines.
- Extruded Geometry : Extrudes a geometric shape along the particle lines.
Line Thickness
Edit the thickness of the line rendered. Only functions if Use Thick Lines is turned on.
Line Softness
Change the thickness of the gradient along the edge of the line.
Luminance
How bright the drawn trail is.
Luminance Randomness
How much rnadomness there is in the brightness of the drawn trail.
Sort Key Value
Biases the depth-based render order, to force the particle system to be drawn before or after other objects in the scene.
Depth Bias
Offsets particles in depth so they are closer or further away from the camera, changing the point at which they intersect with the rest of the scene.
Cast Shadows
Control whether shadows are cast.
Sort Particles
Toggle whether the particles are sorted by depth from camera from back to front before rendering, enabling transparent particles to be rendered correctly.
These properties control how the particle trails are generated.
Parameter Details Control Point Time Spacing
The minimum distance allowed between control point samples.
Trail Fade Mode
Select how the trail fading is calculated.
- Time : Trail fades based on the timeline.
- Length : Trail fades on the length of the trail.
- Age : Trail fades based on the age of each particle.
Trail Decay
The rate of decay for control point samples. Only functions with Time set in Trail Fade Mode.
Trail Fade Length
Set the length at which the particles fade off at. Only functions with Length set in Trail Fade Mode.
Trail Fade Age
Set the age at which the particles fade at. Only functions with Age set in Trail Fade Mode.
Trail Fade Range
How aggressively the particles fade away.
Num Trail Vertices
Change the number of vertices generated to form the trail.
Particle Use Amount
Percentage of particles that can be used by the node.
Num Radial Segments
Change the number of sides to the extruded geometry. Extruded Geometry must be selected in the Primitive Types attribute.
Inputs
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Particle Alpha | Change the alpha value for the particles. |
| Blend Mode | Edit the blend mode used for the particles. See Blend Modes for details. |
| Primitive Types |
Change the shape that trails behind the particle.
|
| Line Thickness | Edit the thickness of the line rendered. Only functions if Use Thick Lines is turned on. |
| Line Softness | Change the thickness of the gradient along the edge of the line. |
| Luminance | How bright the drawn trail is. |
| Luminance Randomness | How much rnadomness there is in the brightness of the drawn trail. |
| Sort Key Value | Biases the depth-based render order, to force the particle system to be drawn before or after other objects in the scene. |
| Depth Bias | Offsets particles in depth so they are closer or further away from the camera, changing the point at which they intersect with the rest of the scene. |
| Cast Shadows | Control whether shadows are cast. |
| Sort Particles | Toggle whether the particles are sorted by depth from camera from back to front before rendering, enabling transparent particles to be rendered correctly. |
These properties control how the particle trails are generated.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Control Point Time Spacing | The minimum distance allowed between control point samples. |
| Trail Fade Mode |
Select how the trail fading is calculated.
|
| Trail Decay | The rate of decay for control point samples. Only functions with Time set in Trail Fade Mode. |
| Trail Fade Length | Set the length at which the particles fade off at. Only functions with Length set in Trail Fade Mode. |
| Trail Fade Age | Set the age at which the particles fade at. Only functions with Age set in Trail Fade Mode. |
| Trail Fade Range | How aggressively the particles fade away. |
| Num Trail Vertices | Change the number of vertices generated to form the trail. |
| Particle Use Amount | Percentage of particles that can be used by the node. |
| Num Radial Segments | Change the number of sides to the extruded geometry. Extruded Geometry must be selected in the Primitive Types attribute. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Input a material to be used by the trail when in Extruded Geometry mode. | Materials |
| Rendered Emitters | Specify which emitters are rendered using this renderer. By default, all emitters connected to the same particle root as the renderer are rendered. | Primitive Emitter |
| 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 |
