Escalight - 3ds Max tutorial, Photoshop, Flash, V-Ray, Blender, Free 3D models, etc

by Didik Wijaya
If you are unfamiliar wth Particle Flow, please read our previous tutorial Getting Started with Particle Flow

After we have created trunks in Part 1 tutorial, now you are going to add branches.You will also use particle to add branches.

1.Continue your previous lesson. First, we need more particle. Add Spawn operator from Depot into Event 01, make sure you place on the most bottom row. Spawn operator is used to create new particle from existing particle. In Spawn 01 rollout, fill in Offspring=5. Here, you create 5 new particle for each existing particle.

2.What are we going to do with the new particle? We will make them move up along trunks. That's why, you need to drag Speed operator from Depot into Particle Window. Release this operator outside any other event. New event will be created (Event 01), with Speed and Display operator included in this event. Connect (wiring) Spawn 01 operator in Event 01 to Event 02. In Speed 02 rollout, enter Speed=200, Variation=150. Then, activate Reverse. Scrub slider, spawned particle will move up (opposite from PF Source icon direction).

3. Spawned particle continuously moving up. So, you need to stop them (to make sure they are still inside the trunk). Add Age Test operator from Depot into Event 02. Place this operator at the most bottom row. In Age Test 01 rollout, use Test Value=50 and Variation=5. Drag Speed operator from Depot into Particle View window to make another new event (Event 03). In Speed 03 rollout, use Speed=0. Finally, wiring Age Test 01 to Event 03. Try to scrub slider, spawned particle will stop, creating several height levels in each trunk.

4. Next, we are going to replace each spawned particle with branch object. Add Shape Instance operator into Event 03. In Shape Instance rollout, click button under Particle Geometry Object, then click "branch" object in viewport. Use Scale Variation=50% to randomize branch size. Activate Animated Shape to make each branch animated from small to big. Then, in Animation Offset Keying, use Sync By: Event Duration.

5. To make us able to see branch object in viewport, change particle display type to Geometry. Try to move slider. The animation is well created, but, we need more randomize branches orientation.

6. Add Rotation operator into Event 03. In Rotation 01 rollout, use Orientation Matrix=Random Horizontal, with Divergence=90°. Our trees is much better now.

7. This tutorial is finished. You have created Growing Forest Effect. To enhanced this effect, you can try to add more trees by adjusting Amount in Birth 01 operator, and add more branches by adjusting Offspring in Spawn 01 operator. Remember, add more particle means more computer reources needed. Below is finished hierarchy in Particle View window.

Download 3dsmax lesson file up to this point

Growing Forest Part 1 | Part 2

Any question or comments regarding this tutorial should be sent to:
Didik Wijaya, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Discuss this tutorial