#Particle FX
Grady,
As far as my studies have revealed, the spline patch is a mathematical
expression of a space. I don't know the real theory behind its construction. I
only know that in every software package where dynamic particle effects are
available, spline patches are not used. In all cased the objects are polygonal
surfaces, or are spline or nurbs surfaces that were converted to polygons.
Polygons can be detatched from each other and still retain their integrity as
objects. These objects can then be further modified and scaled to produce
various effects. A spline patch ceases to exist when you remove a spline. This
could affect many patches at once if it is a large object with a single spline
running all the way around it.
Maybe someone like Martin Hash has a better answer.
Sanford