RealWave Foam Maps

Owned by thomas (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 20 Sept, 2016
3 min read

RealWave provides the possibility of rendering foam maps from particles interacting with the wave surface. This way you can create foamy structures around objects, white caps, or maps from impacts.

The maps are saved as black and white images and can be post-processed in programs like Photoshop or After Effects.

 

Nodes List

All scene elements can be added from RealFlow's "RealWave", and "Daemons" shelves:

  • 1 "RealWave" object
  • 1 "RW Crest Splash Emitter"
  • 1 "Gravity" daemon
  • 1 "k Age" daemon
  • 1 "Noise Field" daemon

The Setup

  • Add the RealWave surface (there cannot be more than one RealWave node in a scene).

  • Right-click on the “RealWave01” node and choose Add Wave > Fractal and then Gerstner.

  • Open RealFlow's "Simulation Options" (see below) and set General > MAX substeps > 1. This step will speed up the simulation drastically.
  • Go the "Export" tab and activate the "Foam texture (*)" option.

 

Adjusting the Surface

The first settings influence the quality of the wave surface. In order to get as many structures and details as possible select the "RealWave01" node and open its Node Params > RealWave tab:

 

 

  • Polygon size > 0.025 creates a dense mesh.
  • Calculate texture > Yes activates the foam maps.
  • Resolution > 1024 writes out a squared maps with 1024 x 1024 pixel.
  • Diffusion > 0.85 blurs the foam marks.
  • Dissipation > 1.0 makes the foam marks vanish faster and cares for a fast change.

Deformer Settings

The deformers can be adjusted freely. For the example described here, the following settings have been used:

 

 

RW Crest Splash Settings

By default, the splash particle interact with the RealWave surface and create small secondary ripples. Here, this effect should be suppressed, because we are only interested in the foam maps. If you want to add the ripples anyway you should keep the relevant parameters (see below) as low as possible. Add the emitter from the "RealWave" shelf and open its Node Params > RW Particle Interaction panel:

  • Hit force > 0.0
  • Max height > 0.0

 

The "RW_Crest_Splash" section controls the amount of foam and the areas where marks will be created. Play with the settings to get different results:

 

 

  • Choppiness for emission > 0.0 makes sure that particles will be created at all, because this parameter is only relevant for the "Ocean Statistical Spectrum" deformer.
  • Height for emission > 0.1 is the waves' height to produce particles. With different deformer settings it is very likely that you have to apply changes.
  • Speed for emission > 0.15 is the lowest speed to create crest particles.

Daemons

Add the daemons from the "Node List" above. "Gravity" and "Noise" should remain untouched and only "k Age" will be modified. You will find the parameters under Node Params > k Age:

 

 

  • Life > 15 deletes particles after 15 frames. Use different values if necessary.
  • Variation > 3 adds some randomness to the process of deleting particles.

Simulation

RealFlow is capable of showing the maps at simulation time and to see them clearly make the emitter invisible. Then, hit "Simulate".