Daemons : Visualizer

Owned by Alex Ribao
Last updated: 22 Oct, 2018
2 min read

The "Visualizer" is a viewport preview tool for force fields and helps you to adjust force-based daemons. The forces of one or more daemons will be displayed inside a bounded box and give you spatial representation of areas with weaker or stronger forces, and how they are distributed space, or evolve over time.



RealFlow Scene

In RealFlow | Maya it is possible to use multiple "Scene" trees in the same project. To link a daemon to a scene tree right-click on the field, choose "Set Scene", and select an item from the appearing list.

Daemons

Here you drag and drop the force-based daemon(s) you want to visualize. Only the following daemons can be used: → "Attractor", → "DSpline", → "Gravity", → "Noise Field", → "Vortex", and → "Wind". These daemons can be combined freely in this field.

Channel

Decide, whether you want to display the daemon's "Force" or "Velocity" attribute. The appropriate channel/mode has to be set in the daemon's → "Affect" option as well.

Resolution

Choose, how many arrows, lines, or dots you want to see. High settings may affect Maya's viewport responsiveness.

Mode

There are two modes:

  • "Volume" you will see a 3D cube, filled with arrows, lines, or dots.
  • "Slice" will show a horizontal plane – this mode is very fast, esp. if you want to display animated forces with high "Resolution" settings.
Type

Here you can change between "Arrows", "Lines", or "Dots" to visualize the force field.

Streamlets

This feature uses an internal tracing method to visualize the force fields as curves. Streamlets often give you a better idea of how the forces behave and evolve in 3D space.

Constant Length

When active, all lines and arrows will have the same length. When disabled, the streaks' length depends on the daemon's strength.

Display

Visible

Decide, whether the viewport gizmo will be visible or not.

Size

Another value connected to the Mode to control the display size of the points.

Automatic Range

When active the daemon's minimum and maximum strength values are calculated by RealFlow | Maya automatically. The colour gradient from "Particle Color" is adjusted to this range. When disabled you will be able to define your own range, e.g. for enhancing colour contrast. Particles with values smaller than “Min Range” or greater than “Max Range” will be displayed with the same gradient colours.

Min Range

If “Automatic Range” is unchecked you can define a custom value. All viewport gizmo elements with values smaller than “Min Range” will be displayed with the same colour.

Max Range

If “Automatic range” is unchecked you can define a custom value. All viewport gizmo elements with values greater than “Max Range” will be displayed with the same colour.

Color

Adjust the colours of the force field's viewport representation.