RealFlow provides many parameters that can be represented with image maps. These maps create areas of different influence, based on the colours of a bitmap or texture. The adjustments are made from a separate window, providing all relevant parameters and switches to make use of this feature. An additional function is that you are even able to load image sequences for animated parameters. Dark areas indicate zones with low values, while white represents the maximum. Map-featured parameters carry a small checkbox:
- Right-click on the parameter name and choose "Load Texture".
- A new window appears.
You can, for example, create a river bed with low “Particle Friction” in areas where the water flows, while outside areas have higher friction. All this can be painted to a map and projected onto your landscape model, but please make sure that imported objects carry correct UV coordinates. Animated texture sequences are supported as well. To make the used map or image sequence visible in RealFlow’s viewport please go to
Node Params > Display > Texture > [ Map type ]
The workflow is easy:
- Under "File" load a RGB image; greyscale maps are not supported.
- Choose, which channel you want to use. Your selection is displayed in the canvas.
- The darkest pixel uses the value from "Min range"; the brightest pixel uses the value from "Max range".
- The other grey scales use interpolated values between "Min range" and "Max range".
If you work with image sequences (movie formats are not supported) the following parameters are also relevant:
- The image sequences can be limited to a range between "Min frames" and "Max frames",
- With "FPS ratio" the sequence is synchronized with the scene's current FPS rate.
- "Offset" will shift the sequence's start to the given frame.