Evenly distribute particles (animated instances)

[ChrisZ]

Hi there,

i'm really new to ice and i would need your instant help with a project i have to finish tomorrow.

I would need to spread animated instances on a "world map" shaped mesh using particles.

The problem is that the distribution of the particles is very uneven, especially in the beginning phase, and the instances intersect each other.
Is it possible to somehow adjust the spacing between the particles and make the distribution more even?

It would be great if somebody could show me a solution with the built in nodes.
I've not been able to use the "Dart Throw" node as it does not show up in my ICE editor after installing.
The ice node appears to be greyed out in the plugin manager.
I think this would've been very useful.

Here's a link to the scene file: https://www.wetransfer.com/downloads/ab ... 255/3a6831
As i've said, i'm very new to ice so the best way would be if somebody could edit the ice tree in the scene.
I normally don't cry for help fast but this is a special case.. and i'm really stuck at the moment.

Thanks a lot for your help,
cheers,
Chris

[caledonian_tartan]

hi
this should work

Simple Point Disperse.xsicompound

[NNois]

hi, you can use emtool "equal distribution on surface" http://www.mootzoid.com/plugin/emtools

But i think you get it wrong you do not want a simulated point cloud here...
You have to work on an unsimulated ice tree, if not your instance won't know haw to space each other, i'm clear ?

1.Emit all the instance on the modeling region

Then do your "control instance animation" also in the modeling region

I try to modify your scene

[ChrisZ]

Hi there,

thanks for your help!!

I tryed caledonian_tartan's compound and it kind of does what i need, but the problem now is that the particles need to spawn in place already and not get pushed away from each other.
The spawn points of the particles need to be pre defined, so that they appear in the right position from the start.

Because what the animation should look like is that the map gets populatet by more and more "blue pointer" objects.
These pointer elements grow in size and fade-in while they get born, but they must not move.

Is there a way to modify the point disperse compound?

@NNois, that would be great!
I think i know what you mean.
It looks like i need to generate that evenly spaced points for the particles to spawn from seperatly.
And then feed those positions to the emitter.
But a problem i see would be how to tell the emitter to only spawn 1 particle for each of those positions?

I hope you can understand what i need the particles to do.
Most important is that they spawn in the right and evenly distributed place at birth and not move around.


Thanks a lot!!
cheers,
Chris

[NNois]

Hi,
Here is your modified scene based on an unsimulated point cloud (so, all the point are emited on the first frame, but parameters like instance time are modulated time based, more predictable)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/oy75sq84nl64 ... h5eINlS7da

[ChrisZ]

Hi NNois,

can't thank you enough for your help!!

I'll try the scene now and let you know if it works.

thanks,
cheers,
Chris

[NNois]

...But a problem i see would be how to tell the emitter to only spawn ... at birth and not move around.

I hope the scene uploaded is understandable, but, just forget all the birth/spawn/rate etc damn thing.

80% of time you don't need a simulation keep that in mind.
It's as simple as generating all your particles, then, using time modulate them, position/size/rotation/scale/instancetime etc

A++

[ChrisZ]

I understand, that's exactly what i need to do.
But with my limited capabilities i cant recreate the scene.

Too bad i can't open the scene (pls read my pm), but i would need to install emtools to make it work, right?
Or is the node embedded in the scene (it says something like embedded)?

That's frustrating, seeing it work, but not beeing able to open and work with it.. damn..
Thanks though!

[NNois]

hup,
emtools exist for softimage 2013
There is noting special in my scene.

here is the steps:

1.Create empty point cloud
2.Create ice tree NOT the Simulated, look at my screenshot the ice tree is placed on the modeling section and i don't have a simulate section too
3.Emit from geometry "Total number of particles" has to be set
4.place your instances
5.emtools equal distrib on surface
6 recreate my tree and intick animated on the randomize node
that's all

[edited point 1.]

[ChrisZ]

Thanks a lot for your patience! ;)

I should be able to recreate the steps.
I'll try and let you know.

cheers,
Chris

[NNois]

here is the 2013 scene for you ;-)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/y1avlkl9c7tqs ... 3_nono.scn

[ChrisZ]

You sir, are my personal hero!

Thanks for the scene!

[ChrisZ]

Can you tell me how to adjust the time in which the particles are emitted?
Right now emission stops at about frame 50.
I could not find any animation curves.

Thanks!

[NNois]

this is the randomize node, it's in sec

[NNois]

plus, and if you need you can put a fcurve node right after the randomize node to grade the progression

[ChrisZ]

That sounds very good!

Thanks again!