Daemon : Spline

This daemon creates a force field along a customizable path.



The parameter set has additional information:

Link Spline

Select the spline you want to convert into a daemon or remove it.

Affect

There are two options:

  • "Force" accelerates the particles and they become faster and faster as long as the force is acting on them. 
  • “Velocity” only works with particles and adds the daemon's "Strength" value to a particle's speed. The resulting peak velocity remains constant during the simulation.
    An example: Let's assume the daemon's "Strength" is 9.8 and the emitter's "Speed" value is 2.0. Here, a particle's velocity will be roughly 11.8 m/s.
Vortex Strength

Here you can enter a global multiplier for the individual control points' “Vortex” values. Positive values create a clockwise rotation, negative settings create a counter-clockwise rotation around the spline's path.

Axial Strength

Here you can enter a global multiplier for the individual control points' “Axial” values. Positive values create an attraction effect towards the spline, negative settings create a repulsion.

Radial Strength

Here you can enter a global multiplier for the individual control points' “Radial” values. Positive values create an attraction to the spline's control points, negative settings create a repulsion effect.

 

Control 

Here it is possible to browse through the individual control points and edit them separately. All values will be multiplied with the associated "Strength" settings from above, for example.:

Total axial force = Axial Strength * Axial

+ Add

This button inserts an additional control point in the spline emitter after the currently selected point. Please, keep in mind that the original spline remains intact.

- Delete

This button removes the currently selected control point.

<= Previous

Navigates to the previous control point in the Spline emitter. The previous control point is the one with a lower offset value.

Next =>

Navigates to the previous control point in the Spline emitter. The previous control point is the one with a bigger offset value.

Offset

You can change the selected a control point's position on the spline with this value, e.g.

  • 0.0. The control point is moved to the spline's start.
  • 0.5. The control point is moved to the spline's midpoint.
  • 1.0. The control point is moved to the spline's end.
Vortex

Set the control point's individual vortex strength. Positive values create a clockwise rotation, negative settings create a counter-clockwise rotation around the spline's path.

Axial

Set the control point's individual axial strength. Positive values create an attraction effect towards the spline, negative settings create a repulsion.

Radial

Set the control point's individual axial strength. Positive values create an attraction to the spline's control point, negative settings create a repulsion effect.

Radius

The circle around a control point indicates the forces' scope or radius. Only particles inside a circle (or better: sphere) will be affected. The circle's size can be controlled with the yellow dot in the viewport as well.

Helper

When active, the spline's force field is displayed as green circles around the spline. This is the area, where particles will be affected.

 

Viewport manipulation

It is possible to manipulate the Offset and Radius of the control points directly in the viewport. In order to do it you need to enable the "Select and Manipulate" option in 3ds Max.

 

Select and Manipulate button
When this mode is enabled, several green squares are superposed over the spline object in the viewport to allow its direct manipulation.

Radius manipulator (left green dot) and Offset manipulator (right green dot)