Birth Script Example

Description:

The following example shows the default Birth_Script script with detailed comments.

Can Be Used With:

This script is used as the default script in the Birth_Script action.

Effect:

The script generates a nice particle pattern - a helix built by a sine curve. In order to see the effect of the script, you should:

EXAMPLE

``` --The ChannelsUsed handler defines the channels --to be made available to the script. --For the list of all channels, see --Interface: MaxscriptParticleContainer --The parameter pCont passed to the handler --contains the Particle Container the script is applied to on ChannelsUsed pCont do ( pCont.useTime = true--enable the Time channel pCont.useAge = true--enable the Age channel pCont.usePosition = true--enable the Position channel pCont.useSpeed = true--enable the Speed channel )

--The Init handler is called on initialization. --It is not used in this case. on Init pCont do ( )

--The Proceed handler contains the main script --applied to the Particles. --The parameter pCont passed to the handler --contains the Particle Container the script is applied to: on Proceed pCont do ( --Get the Start Time as float. This converts the time to ticks. t1 = pCont.getTimeStart() as float --Get the End Time as float. This converts the time to ticks. t2 = pCont.getTimeEnd() as float

--Clamp negative time values to 0 if (t1 < 0)then(t1 = 0)

--If the end time is less than 100 frames --(100 frames * 160 ticks per frame in 30 fps NTSC) if (t2 < 100160) do ( --then do a loop using the time values divided by 8 --this way a particle will be created every 8 ticks for i in (t1/8+1) to (t2/8) do ( --set the variable curTime to the actual time in ticks curTime = 8i as float --give birth to a new particle pCont.AddParticle() --get the index of the last particle that was added pCont.particleIndex = pCont.NumParticles() --set the current time of the particle in frames --(160 ticks in one frame at 30 fps NTSC animation) pCont.particleTime = curTime/160 --Set the age of the particle to 0 - newborn! pCont.particleAge = 0 --Define a radius variable based on the sine of the current time sh = 2sin(5curTime) --Define an angle variable based on the current time ang = 0.2*curTime --Set the particle position using the above variables pCont.particlePosition = [shsin(ang), shcos(ang), 0] --Define the speed using the same variables and falling down along Z pCont.particleSpeed = [0.01sin(ang), 0.01cos(ang), -0.005] ) ) )

--The Release handler is used to do cleanup work. --Not used in this case. on Release pCont do ( )

```