Particle linking objects in Lightwave and Blender and importing to Embergen

Software Support & Suggestions
1

Just giving some tip on expanding on particle simulations, or more accurate importing particle linked objects from other software, so you can orchestrate the explosions,particle emissions, directions and behavior from your other main software if you have that is :slight_smile:

Upon testing Embergen, I find that it can not cover it all, and physics and dynamics within other software may have to use it´s own particle engine for collisions, or spawning according to each scene case.

Currently there is however no particle import in Embergen from other software as I know of,
So a simple way of approaching that could be to import mesh object parts that are linked to the particle system that created the simulation, and just import that as FBX and run the simulation, initial test seem to work fine, but I have to test more with scaling and export back again to match other elements in for instance Lightwave or blender.

This sample below is just a brief showcase of particle linking spheres (could be any polytype) to the particles in lightwave with nodal motion and node linking and then cloning them, for more information on that You have to ask.
In Blender you can do in similar the same, but it´s actually easier to clone objects to particles by just selecting the render typ object for the particle system and choose whatever object you want.

Though blender can´t add any emitter only object as Lightwave can, you have to start with a mesh, and that one I need to figure out how to turn off, or reduce size or use a simple point to serve as emitter, if you would start with a box as an emitter, that would show up in embergen without any option to turn it off and at the same time no turning the other objects off.

Both Lightwave and Blender works with this approach and using alembic export…
Fbx export I need to check up more on before saying anything.

2

I made some tests with a plane crash and some fuel burning at impact, I can export from 3dsmax particles converted to objects using fbx ( alembic is really not good in my case), but there’s some limits ( 512 objects max ).

I need to find a way to link fuel/smoke emission to imported objects scale in embergen, so that they start emiting at impact time and not before ( in 3dsmax, objects scale is zero before impact, 100% after impact )

3

We will have increased imported object capabilities coming soon! We can’t guarantee variable vertex support, but both fbx and alembic are getting a big boost

4

Been away from here too long, had a comptuter crash and other things to install, and some other job related stuff.
But I am back now with some more trials of importing and exporting.
Alembic camera would be nice, cause the best camera matching between my two main software´s, Lightwave and blender, seem to be the best route for best pixel perfect camera matching.

Right now some issues with the export back to VDB and the speed, probably the FSP settings, simple spinning toroid and I don´t get it to follow properly neither in lightwave or blender.
So we have both the option to use absolute frames, instead of automatic frames in the vdb export options, or override original FPS in the import node in embergen, or set the simulation fps to be exactly what the scene is originally created at.

Working on it…though someone probably has this covered somewhere. :slight_smile:

5

Yep…just got the animation starting to matching now, and indeed it´s some of the FPS settings, need to uncheck each one of the settings though to see which one it was :slight_smile: So that´s the route to track down exactly what is needed.

Taking notes for the future for those using Lightwave and Blender, including scaling issues, and position issues.

6

We support Alembic cameras now! I can’t remember which update it was in but it’s def in 1.0.2.

As for the VDB stuff, make sure you use the Transform pin and connect that to the VDB export node. This will invert all of the transforms done in EmberGen so that the VDB is placed in the correct spot.

Additionally, when you use import nodes, make sure you have Override FPS enabled and set to 60 (the same as your timestep). This will match the import mesh frame rate to EmberGen’s and everything will play nicely :slight_smile:

7

Well…can´t afford upgrading right now for probably a year, depends on though, I might be able to do it sooner.

Great though with Alembic cameras, but I am still on 0.7.5.2.
I may have some update available there though, not sure…I just want to use this version as much as possible now with some presets I already made etc.

Later I would have to leave those for newer simulation types obviously.

But I do not see any transform pin option to plug in to the VDB export, so I would guess that isn´t available in 0.7.5.2 ??

And I think I tried override fps enabled with 60 set as timestep, that didn´t work, using the same FPS timestep as the scene was created with, got the best result, but I have to check once more tomorrow, it could be right as you say.

Love the program though despite there´s still some work to do, it´s addictive though, causing me not to sleep as I should.

So Keep up the good work, if my computer stays more stable this time and don´t crash on me, I will provide samples and more ideas.

As for the topic, for those not having lightwave or something more expensive, for blender you have to instance objects to the particles if you set up explosions etc, and make them real preferably.

Projects ahead would be to set up missile hits, or collision objects in Lightwave or blender, and spawn explosion areas, which then is generated similar to my first post, then make sure exports works in scaling and motion for vdb export, and for additional fast rendering, perfect camera match and render out from embergen as well.

I prefer to work with Lighwave particles though over blenders, flocking or other particle motions, so where these particles hit, new explosion particles should be generated, the actual trailing particles I would of course leave out, not needed for the final explosion effect, Lightwave flocking particles with some AI behaviour sort of is also of interest to test.

so basicly setting up the main missile particles and hits and main generation in Lightwave, then the fluids generated from that in Embergen …Of course.