3DS - RealFlow Particle Import

Owned by thomas (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 16 Jul, 2013
3 min read

This tutorial covers a typical workflow when importing RealFlow particles in 3ds Max using a Particle Flow system. We will import four emitters simulated in RealFlow.

 

  • Open RealFlow and create four emitters, a "Plane" object, a "k Kill", and a "Gravity" daemon. 

 

Scene with four emitters created in RealFlow.

 

  • Simulate 100 frames.

 

Simulated scene in RealFlow.

 

  • Open 3ds Max and create four PFlow emitters.

 

Four PFlow emitters in 3ds Max (top view).

 

  • Open the "Particle Viewer" and remove the following default operators from all four containers: "Birth", "Position Icon", "Speed" and "Rotation".
  • Place a "RealFlowBirth" operator in all four containers.

 

"RealFlowBirth" operators added to all four containers.

 

  • Select the BIN file sequence for each birth operator and set the emission range to start at frame 0 and end at 100.

 

The settings for the RealFlowBirth operator.

 

  • Add a "RealFlowFileUpdate" and a "RealFlowDeathTest" operator to all four containers. Please note that we need the "RealFlowDeathTest" operator, because we have simulated the scene using the “k Kill” daemon in RealFlow.

 

Containers having all three RealFlow operators added.

 

  • We do not need the dead particles, so we route all of them to a single container and delete them. 

 

All dead particles are routed to a single container and deleted.

 

  • Close the "Particle Viewer". In the viewport you will see that all particles are created relative to their "PFlow Source" emitter. To get the same positions as in RealFlow, uncheck “Inherit emitter TM” on every "RealFlowBirth" operator. The final image should look like this:

 

All dead particles are routed to a single container and deleted.

 

  • You can add various PFlow operators if you wish to alter the particles in any way (motion, color etc.). For example you can route some particles based on their age and increase their speed. Do not forget to add RealFlow update and death operators to all the containers (except those with only a delete operator in them).

 

PFlow Speed operator applied to some routed particles.