by Didik Wijaya

In Part 1 tutorial, you have created head animation using Path Constraints and also added a PF Source icon in viewport. Next, you are going to modify Particle Flow to create millipedes body and animation. Let's continue.

1. Open Particle View window (press "6" in keyboard). Select Birth 01 operator. Use Emit Stop=200. This value will create particle as long as animation length (200 frames). Also decrease Amount of particle to 60.

Also select Speed 01 operator. Set Speed=0. We need particle to stay put, not moving away to any direction..

2. Next, select and drag Position Object operator from Depot into Event 01. Make it replaces Position Icon. This operator will let you generate particle from any object.

In Position Object 01 rollout, click Add button and click head object in viewport. Use Location=Pivot.

3. From now on, particle will emits from head object. Scrub slider to see the animation.

4. Next, click and drag Shape Instance operator from Depot to replace Shape 01 operator in Event 01. This operator is used to change each particle into object.

In Shape Instance 01 rollout, click button below Particle Geometry Object, then click body object in viewport. Activate Animated Shape and Rand Offset.

5. To display the object in viewport, you can select Display 01 operator, and change display type to Geometry. Now, you can see millipedes body. But, it is too long. We need to reduce the particle.

Next, add Age Test operator into Event 01. Place it at the most bottom row. Use Test Value=50 and Variation=0

Click and drag Delete operator from Depot into Particle View window. Place it outside any other event to create new event. Then connect Age Test operator from Event 01 to Event 02.

Each particle that has appeared in viewport for as long as 50 frames will be deleted. That means shorter millipedes body.

6. Final task, you need to adjust the orientation of each particle. Select Rotation 01 operator. Use Orientation Matrix=Speed Space Follow, and X=90.

Turn on Auto Key. Move slider, when you see the particle need rotation, adjust Y value. For example, I adjust Y value in frame 60 (Y=100), 90(Y=121), and 120(Y=144). When finished, turn off AutoKey. You'll get a nice millipedes animation.

7. Here's sample of the finished animation

Download 3ds max files used in this tutorial

Want more exciting Particle Flow tutorial? Click here

Millipedes Animation Using Particle Flow Part 1 | Part 2

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