01-16-2011, 01:18 PM
In this tutorial, I will guide you through creating a hollow pipe, and then emitting objects out of the pipe.
I will also quickly go through adding gravity, and a deflector.
Preview:
Firstly, go to Objects > Create Spline > Bezier.
Make sure your perspective is a birds eye view.
Now this can be tricky, but what you need to do is, create a basic curve as shown below.
Note you may have to have a little play around so you can get used to using this tool.
If you have experience with using the pen tool in Photoshop/Illustrator, then you shouldn't have any problems.
Next, go to Objects > Spline Primitive > Circle.
The positioning of the circle doesn't matter, but use the Resize tool to choose the diameter you want your pipe to have.
Now you need to go to Objects > NURBS > Sweep NURBS.
Drag your Circle & Spline into your Sweep NURBS layer in the Objects Manager, making sure that your Circle is above your Spline, like so:
Now you'll notice your pipe doesn't have a hollow center. Click on your Sweep NURBS layer, and in the Attributes Manager, select the tab Caps.
Set both the Start & End properties as None.
Now your pipe should have a hollow center!
The next step is emitting objects out of your pipe.
Go to Objects > Particle > Emitter. Now you will need to position your Emitter inside of your pipe, like so:
Next, choose which object/s you wish to emit. In this tutorial, I will be using a Sphere object.
Go to Objects > Primitive > Sphere, and resize your sphere to the size you want (I recommend you keep it quite small).
Now drag your Sphere object into your Emitter in the Objects Manager.
You can now press play, and see a bunch of Spheres being emitted through your pipe.
A Few Additional Steps:
Adding Gravity
To add gravity, go to Objects > Particle > Gravity, and place your Gravity object into the area in which you wish your gravity to take effect.
So if you wanted them to drop as soon as they leave the pipe, place your gravity object at the exit of the pipe.
Adding A Deflector
If you have a floor, and want the Spheres to bounce as they hit it, rather than passing straight through, you need to add a Deflector.
Go to Objects > Particle > Deflector, and place it over the area you want the Spheres to Deflect off.
Hope this helps some of you!
I will also quickly go through adding gravity, and a deflector.
Preview:
Firstly, go to Objects > Create Spline > Bezier.
Make sure your perspective is a birds eye view.
Now this can be tricky, but what you need to do is, create a basic curve as shown below.
Note you may have to have a little play around so you can get used to using this tool.
If you have experience with using the pen tool in Photoshop/Illustrator, then you shouldn't have any problems.
Next, go to Objects > Spline Primitive > Circle.
The positioning of the circle doesn't matter, but use the Resize tool to choose the diameter you want your pipe to have.
Now you need to go to Objects > NURBS > Sweep NURBS.
Drag your Circle & Spline into your Sweep NURBS layer in the Objects Manager, making sure that your Circle is above your Spline, like so:
Now you'll notice your pipe doesn't have a hollow center. Click on your Sweep NURBS layer, and in the Attributes Manager, select the tab Caps.
Set both the Start & End properties as None.
Now your pipe should have a hollow center!
The next step is emitting objects out of your pipe.
Go to Objects > Particle > Emitter. Now you will need to position your Emitter inside of your pipe, like so:
Next, choose which object/s you wish to emit. In this tutorial, I will be using a Sphere object.
Go to Objects > Primitive > Sphere, and resize your sphere to the size you want (I recommend you keep it quite small).
Now drag your Sphere object into your Emitter in the Objects Manager.
You can now press play, and see a bunch of Spheres being emitted through your pipe.
A Few Additional Steps:
Adding Gravity
To add gravity, go to Objects > Particle > Gravity, and place your Gravity object into the area in which you wish your gravity to take effect.
So if you wanted them to drop as soon as they leave the pipe, place your gravity object at the exit of the pipe.
Adding A Deflector
If you have a floor, and want the Spheres to bounce as they hit it, rather than passing straight through, you need to add a Deflector.
Go to Objects > Particle > Deflector, and place it over the area you want the Spheres to Deflect off.
Hope this helps some of you!