To add a plugin node in Cinema 4D, go to
Plugins > RealFlow > RealFlow Particle Importer
Go to Setup > File Path and load a particle sequence with the “...” button.
Adjust the frame range if necessary, and decrease “Level of Detail” if you observe performance problems while displaying the particles.
The plugin can only load one particle sequence simultaneously. If you need more sequences simply add another “RealFlow Particle Importer” plugin. You can apply any material or shader to the plugin. There is also a built-in shader to apply individual colours for every particle based on the simulation's physical properties like velocity or pressure.
[ Image: pi_multiple_emitters_01.jpg ]
A very nice feature is that the importer plugin can be placed and rotated freely inside your Cinema 4D scene. All these offsets will be considered when the particles are displayed and finally rendered. This way it is easy to mix different emitters or render comparisons.
Once a plugin has been added you will see a “RealFlow Particle Importer” node in Cinema 4D's “Object Manager”. The plugin's parameters and objects can be adjusted in the “Attributes Manager”. The plugin provides four dedicated panels, while “Basic” and “Coord.” are not exclusive to the connectivity plugins, but available for any object inside Cinema 4D.
[ Image: pi_example_tendrils_01.jpg ]
A frame from a splash with tendrils.