Miscellaneous

What is the optimal scale to work with RealFlow?

Unfortunately, there is no global rule for scene scales. Some users prefer working at real scales, other say say that scale does not matter too much as long as the simulation looks good. Furthermore, the 3D programs, supported by RealFlow, use different scales too. Some of the connectivity plugins provide settings for compensating scale differences, but if you work at real world scales it is often necessary to change RealFlow's internal scale settings.

How can I work with big scales?

Rather than importing big objects into RealFlow, you can simply change the scale of the forces you are using. An example:

You have a box of 1 m x 1 m x 1 m, and you want to run a simulation as if the box was 10 m x 10 m x 10 m. In such a case you do not need to scale the box itself, but multiply the scale of the forces by 0.1 instead.

How do I import objects into RealFlow?

Any object has to be triangulated before it can be used inside RealFlow. The method you use to import objects depends on whether you want to export static or animated objects: 

1. For static objects, RealFlow supports a wide variety of → formats.
2. For animated objects, you must use the SD or Alembic format.

How do I import fluids into my 3D program?

Next Limit provides free connectivity plugins to import simulation data. These connectivity plugins are available for download from our → Customer Gateway ("RF Connect"):

• Actively supported platforms are 3ds, Cinema 4D, Houdini, and Maya.
  
• For Lightwave we provide compatibility updates  but do not fix bugs or add new features.
  
• XSI is no longer under development, but can be downloaded from the → Customer Gateway ("RF Connect").
  
• Support for other programs (Modo, Clarisse, etc.) is provided through the Alembic pipeline.

Where is the RealFlow RenderKit RFRK?

We have discontinued the development of the RFRK as of January 1., 2017 and the package is no longer available.

Are there plugins for Modo, Clarisse, Blender...?

These applications provide support for Alembic and – at least partially – OpenVDB files. By switching the output formats of RealFlow meshes, particles, and objects to Alembic you will be able to create a complete pipeline for most 3D porgrams.

What is Hybrido?

Hybrido is a fluid simulation engine for massive fluid scenes with millions of particles. The domain is responsible for the so-called core-fluid. Further detail can be added through Hybrido secondary fluids: splashes, foam, bubbles, mist.

What is Dyverso?

Dyverso is a fluid simulation engine for small- and mid-scale projects. Dyverso is very fast, GPU-accelerated and provides different fluid types: liquids, elastics, grain/sand, snow.

What are Multijoints? 

MultiJoints are used to connect objects and make them break again under controlled conditions. A typical field of application is to connect pre-fractured fragments. With the help of adjustable forces you specify how the pieces separate when they hit another object.

Does RealFlow render fluids?

You can use RealFlow's internal implementation of Maxwell Render to render fluids as meshes or particles.

How do I change the length of my simulation?

The → timeline provides three number fields. The first number is the simulation's start frame, the second one specifies the maximum playback range, and the last field is the maximum simulation frame.

How do I remove fluid particles, or give them a fixed lifespan?

You can kill particles by age, speed, isolation, collision, and a bounding box or sphere. Some particle types, e.g. foam, are controlled by RealFlow and the aforementioned tools have no effect on them.

Is RealFlow multi-threaded?

Depending on your simulation, RealFlow exploits all cores and CPUs of your computer, but some processes are single-threaded, e.g. RealWave simulations.

Just take a look at the → "Simulation Threads" page for more information.

How can I define the quality of my rigid/soft body dynamics?

You can define the quality through the rigid and soft body solver's → "Quality" slider in RealFlow's simulation options. 

What is a RealWave deformer?

A → deformer is a wave generator and displaces the RealWave mesh. You can add as many deformers as you want and blend them with a weight parameter.

What are the minimum system requirements for RealFlow?

Please click → here for detailed information.