CompuServe Thread

>> i can e-mail you a sample 3ds file if you like. << Please do, reverse the charges. Thanks. Anyone have success with Explode Volume? Paul S.

>> We certainly want you to be satisfied! << I appreciate it. Actually, I was able to straighten out a few things by spending another afternoon on them. I still have a few questions (you probably don't need the files for now): 1.) Lightning is a 3D effect, but it gets awfully thin across the "depth." Do the branches get generated every which way, or does the width of each branch always correspond to, say, the x axis of the bounding box? If I increase the Size setting, will this increase the "depth" as well? 2.) I had a scene with 12 objects assigned lightng.axp. I generated a strike.txt file for each object according to instructions. None of the text files was very accurate, although they tended to show a low level of correspondence. This made the keyframing of light flashes horribly incorrect. I'll have to render the entire sequence of strikes themselves in order to set the lights. Anything else I should know about this feature? 3.) All of your .axp's say the bounding box should be created in the top viewport. What are the limitations (if any) for copying objects? If they are copied in a non-top viewport, will they still behave appropriately? If I assign the .axp to an already scaled (conical) box, will the effect be the same as assigning the .axp and *then* scaling the box? 4.) I was able to get closer to an effect I desire with Explode Volume. In manipulating the tutorial scene, towards the end of the effect, when motion is low, all of the particles begin drifting in the +X direction, as if there was a secondary gravity effect…? 5.) It would be very handy for someone on the forum or at Schreiber to develop a small library of standard settings for Explode Volume. There is so much tinkering that can be done, but it would be nice to have a general neighborhood of where to start when trying a certain style of explosion regarding the surrounding environment. By styles, I mean settings to simulate different object properties (rigid, elastic), mediums (water, air, vacuum), surrounding object elasticity, and such, with different gravitational levels. Yes, these settings are all there, but they do not work cohesively. In efforts to slow down particle spin by increasing resistance, I then find my gravity setting needs to go up to maintain the same rate of fall, but then I need more energy at the outset, which causes more particle spin, etc… It would also be nice to be able to differentiate between rotational and linear motion of particles. Paul S.

Have you guys considered updating imagine FX? I picked the package up 2-3 weeks ago, and it is ok, but could really use an update. Specifically: It is difficult to get the lightning to look right. What you need is a preview window, so you can see what you are doing as you do it. The sliders aren't very intuitive. I would also like to see the lightning be more flexible, do things like waving arcs and other electrical discharge kinda stuff.