Create dynamic fluid effects
 
 
 

When you play the simulation, Maya applies the fluid dynamics solver to the values in the container, calculating new values at each time step and replacing old values in the grid with the new ones.

Explosions, flames, smoke, and lava are examples of effects you could create as dynamic fluid effects.

For examples of basic dynamic fluid effects, see Fluid Effects Lessons one and three in Getting Started with Maya Unlimited. Also look at the fluid examples in Visor. For details, see Fluid examples.

To create a dynamic fluid effect

  1. Create a fluid container.

    See Fluid containers.

  2. Add Density values to a dynamic grid. See Add properties to grids.
  3. Select the container, and click the fluidShape tab in the Attribute Editor:
  4. Set the Contents Method for Velocity to any setting but Off.
  5. Add Temperature and Fuel values to the container, if you are using them in the simulation. (Temperature and Fuel can be used for explosion and burning effects.)
  6. Add color to the fluid. See Add color to fluids.
  7. Play the simulation using the playback controls at the bottom of the Maya window.

    If you are in wireframe mode, the fluid displays as particles by default. To view the simulation as it would render, switch to shaded display mode and in the Display area of the fluidShape Attribute Editor, change Shaded Display to As Rendered.

    For information on speeding up the playback, see nCaching fluids.

  8. Modify the appearance and behavior of the fluid. See Modifying fluids.

You can make the fluid collide with and move geometry, affect soft bodies, and interact with particles. For details, see Object interaction.