Particle disk caching

Particle disk caching lets you cache complete sequences to disk. You can use the cache for batch rendering and playback. Disk caching has the following advantages:

• It lets you render more efficiently, especially when using multi-processor batch rendering. Maya loads the particles from the disk cache instead of re-computing them. This avoids the particle “run-up” at the start of the render.
• It lets you play the scene faster and scrub in the time slider.

You can also use particle disk caching to create different caches for the same scene. This lets you create and quickly play back variations on a scene. See Particle disk caching and Solvers > Create Particle Disk Cache.

Particle startup caching

Particle startup caching avoids run-up. It’s used when you save your scene at some frame greater than the start frame (it’s on by default). The startup cache lets you save your particle data for that one frame to disk so no run-up is needed. See Particle startup caching.

Memory caching

Memory caching saves the motion of objects in memory (not to disk). You can use memory caching to cache certain objects in your scene. See Memory caching.