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

In previous tutorial (Part 1 and Part 2), you have created paragraph using Particle Flow. Now it's time to animate the letters in paragraph.

1. First, we need to add frames. Long paragraph need more frames to animate. Click Time configuration button. In Animation, enter End Time=300 and click OK. Now, you have 300 frames for animation.

2.Open Particle View again. Drag Age Test operator inside Event 01. Place this operator at the most bottom row (until you see blue line and release). You have added this operator. In Age Test 01 rollout, enter Test Value=100 and Variation=80. .

3. Then, select Speed 01 (Along Icon Arrow) operator in Event 01 and drag this operator outside Event 01. Automatically, you will get new Event, named Event 02. Display 02 operator also included in this event. Select Speed 01 (Along Icon Arrow) operator. In Speed 01 rollout, enter Speed=300 and Variation=100. Then change particle display type in Display 02 operator to Geometry. Finally, connect Age Test 01 to Event 02.

Here's the explanation. Age Test operator will check whether particle is already in frame range between (100-80) to (100+80). If yes, that particle will be sent to Event 02. In this event, particle is set to move with Speed range from (200-100) to (200+100).

4.Srub slider to see the animation. As you can see, particle is moving parallel with PF Source icon direction. You can rotate PF Source icon to change particle direction. For example I set particle to move to top right direction..

5. Next, we're going to add more realistic movement. Add Spin 01 operator from Deopt (operator list) into Event 02. In Spin 01 operator, enter Spin Rate=30 and Variation=10. Low Spin value will make letters move slowly and smooth.

6. Final task is to add material to particle. First, you need to create material. Open Material Editor (press M in keyboard). Create material named "text material". I only use white color as material. When finished, close Material Editor.

7. Back to Particle View window again. Add Material Static operator into PF Source 01 event (global event). Placing material operator in global event will make particle in all event have the same material applied. In Material Static 01 rollout, click button under Assign Material. In Material/Map Browser window, activate Browse From: Mtl Editor and use "text material" you have created earlier.

8. Congrats, you have finished this tutorial. Image below shows finished event hierarchy in Particle View window. You can render animation to see the result.

Download 3dsmax lesson file up to this point

Text Dispersion Effect Using Particle Flow Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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

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