Particles Simple particle system (Particle SOP)
For simple particle systems, you may be able to use the Particle surface node instead of creating a particle network.
The Particle SOP lets you quickly set up a simple particle system with one emitter, a single collision object, and a single attractor.
For more information on the particle surface node, see the
Particle SOP node help.
When to use a real particle network
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Large number of local variables to represent particle attributes.
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Control over attribute manipulation and inheritance.
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Event-based behaviors.
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Grouping of points based on rules or collisions.
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Support for per-particle rotation and instanced geometry.
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More birthing options.
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Multiple collision objects/attractors.
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Ability to customize a particle system’s behavior with networks of pops.
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Ability to write custom POPs with the HDK.
How to create a real particle network
There is a tab on the shelf called Create Particles which allows you to create complex particle systems by simply clicking a button.
For more information on the different types of particle systems and how to create them see the following help pages: