Is it possible to create a cloud of animated flies with particles (like in tutorial 6.2.2) that have random movements within the cloud? My attempts have them either bursting out from a center point and shooting off in all directions or drifting in one particular linear direction. What I want is the illusion that they are swarming around an object but was trying to avoid animating each one by hand. I can and will do that if I have to, but I was thinking there might be a better way.
Also, even though I checked randomized playback on the particles tab, they are all animating the same. Do I have to use bones to make that work correctly or does each fly have to be a single layer (each is a four layer group right now)?
A cloud of flies
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
The randomized playback option only offsets the starting frame of a particle's existing animation (the individual particle layer's animation).
So, you animate each particle (each fly group, in your case) separately to the particle animation effects - no getting away from it, I'm afraid.
However, this can be quite effective with only simple looping animation, combined with the motion due to being a particle - one example is the second particle layers example on the Moho features page. Each bee has a simple in-place motion - up and down, or a simple circle movement, or something similar - added to the overall particle motion.
It's the particle equivalent of a walk cycle.
Whether or not you use particles, possibly you could use Macton/CrashCore's curve-to-layer-translation script to draw your individual motion paths rather than manual keyframing.
Regards, Myles.
So, you animate each particle (each fly group, in your case) separately to the particle animation effects - no getting away from it, I'm afraid.
However, this can be quite effective with only simple looping animation, combined with the motion due to being a particle - one example is the second particle layers example on the Moho features page. Each bee has a simple in-place motion - up and down, or a simple circle movement, or something similar - added to the overall particle motion.
It's the particle equivalent of a walk cycle.
Whether or not you use particles, possibly you could use Macton/CrashCore's curve-to-layer-translation script to draw your individual motion paths rather than manual keyframing.
Regards, Myles.
"Quote me as saying I was mis-quoted."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx
Interesting. I will install the script and see if I can make heads or tails of it. It appears that it will do more or less what I am looking for.
Also, regarding the randomized feature - I assumed that is what it was supposed to do but it didn't offset ANY of the particles. They all started on frame 1 of their cycle. What I did was create a completely different cycle for each 'particle' I added to the particle folder and that worked (kind of). Now maybe that's what you were saying and I just didn't understand correctly, but if so I see no reason to click on the randomize check box since I manually performed the function.
When I have more time I will play with the particle features so I can better understand them, for now I'll do it the hard way.
Also, regarding the randomized feature - I assumed that is what it was supposed to do but it didn't offset ANY of the particles. They all started on frame 1 of their cycle. What I did was create a completely different cycle for each 'particle' I added to the particle folder and that worked (kind of). Now maybe that's what you were saying and I just didn't understand correctly, but if so I see no reason to click on the randomize check box since I manually performed the function.
When I have more time I will play with the particle features so I can better understand them, for now I'll do it the hard way.