Digital Art Zone

Thanks in advance for any help.

Here’ what I want to accomplish ...
Run a particle stream of spheres and have the spheres fade out after 2-3 seconds. Not the entire stream of particles - only the ones that have been in existence for the spec ... 

Edit: Not sure what happened - message got cut off!!! 

Fade out only the spheres that have been in existence for the specified time.
I know how to limit lifetime, fade out the entire emitter using a shader and change size over time.
But can’t figure out how to make them fade away.

Thanks for any help.
Allen

Hi Moviehawk

You’d use the ( Natural functions / Particle shader ) then choose “Age” as the variable.

you can make a Mixer in the alpha channel, or transparency channel and use that ( particle shader / age) as the Blender of two values.
and that will fade the particle out depending on it’s age.

Hope it helps

Thanks ..  I owe you a pizza. 

I keep forgetting the particle shader is located under natural functions(!) 

This works ... almost.
Ideally I want the particle to run 4-5 seconds - with no fading, then fade out over the following 1-2 seconds.
I’ll have to keep tweaking. 

Thanks

Moviehawk - 05 June 2012 08:02 AM

Thanks ..  I owe you a pizza. 

I keep forgetting the particle shader is located under natural functions(!) 

This works ... almost.
Ideally I want the particle to run 4-5 seconds - with no fading, then fade out over the following 1-2 seconds.
I’ll have to keep tweaking. 

Thanks

Use a curve filter on the particle shader. Adjust the curve to get what you want.

Eximorph .. thanks for that tip, but I can’t seem to get any results using that approach?? I must be doing something wrong - I’ll keep trying.

Is this the type of effect you were trying for?

In my second try I simplified the alpha channel. The particle age is modified by the curve filter so that for the first 70% of the lifespan will have alpha 100%. Then it will fall to 0% by the end of the lifespan.

If you are interested in my test scene, PM me your email and I’ll send it to you.

Hi Eximorph

Nice solution.
the curve filter can be a really powerful way to control the effect of shaders.

Eximorph .. that did the trick!

Eximoroh, 3dage - you both get pizzas!

Never used the curve filter before - opens up a whole new bag of tricks!

Was just starting to try Shoestring Shaders proximity shader - a powerful tool with it’s own WOW factor, but this gives me the result I was looking for.
Applied the same concept to the glow channel and now I can get my particles to change glow color at midstream.
Will have to keep experimenting.

Thanks