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Lesson setup

Lesson 1: Creating nParticles

Making nParticles collide with their environment

 

Learning Resources > Tutorials > Getting Started with Maya > nParticles > Lesson 1: Creating nParticles > 

Creating an nParticle system

Before creating an nParticle system, you must decide which nParticle style and creation method suits your nParticle effect. In this lesson, nParticles are used to simulate candies that are poured from a package into a bowl.

To achieve the appropriate look and behavior, you will use Ball style nParticles. nParticle styles are like templates that provide preset attribute settings for the nParticle object's appearance, size, render type, and collision properties. To create the nParticle system, you will emit nParticles from the surface of a polygon plane that is located inside the candy package.

To create an nParticle system

1. Select nParticles > Create nParticles > Balls.

   

2. In the Outliner, select candy_emitter_surface, then select nParticles > Create nParticles > Emit from Object > .

   

   The Emitter Options (Emit from Object) window appears.

3. In the Emitter Options (Emit from Object) window, select Edit > Reset Settings.
4. For the Emitter name, type Emitter_Candy.

   Naming your emitter object makes it easier to identify in the Outliner when you want to select it and make attribute adjustments.

5. From the Solver list, select Create New Solver.

   Selecting a solver determines which Maya Nucleus system your nParticles belong to.

6. From the Emitter type list, select Surface.

   A Surface emitter will randomly distribute nParticles from positions on or near the surface of the polygon plane that is inside the candy package.

7. Set Rate (particles/sec) to 50.

   This determines the number of particles that are emitted.

8. In the Basic Emission Speed Attributes section, set Speed to 5.0.
9. Click Create.
10. From the perspective window menu, select Shading > Smooth Shade All.
11. Play back your nParticle simulation.

    nParticles are emitted, but they fall through the side of the candy package and disappear. This is because the nParticles cannot yet collide with any of the other objects in your scene. For your nParticles to collide with the candy package and bowl, these meshes need to be passive collision objects and members of the same Maya Nucleus solver system as the nParticles.