Once I import my sparks particles from Houdini, they appear colored in the Maya viewport. BUT as soon as I render them, they're all white.
I'm using Arnold (or Maya Renderer).
What's the best Arnold material to render sparks?
What's the setting to keep Houdini's colors?
Thanks in advance,
Gz

So I had to dig more to find the solution... Not easy!! Here's how I did it :

In Maya:
- Have Hou Engine installed
- Import asset hda
- Play, check if it works
- Create a light with menubar > arnold > light > sky dome. aiSkyDomeLight1. Attribute editor:
* Part "Sydomelight attributes":
¤ color = white
¤ intensity = 5
* Part Visibility:
¤ Camera = 0
- Create a cam and position it
- Select objet file1_1 and in the attribute editor > file1_1Shape >
* Part "Arnold" > radius multiplier > 0.1
* Part "Particle size" > only if needed : radius = 0.05.
- Check the render with menu bar > arnold > open arnold render view > button play / stop
- Go to Hypershade
* tab > aiStandardSurface
* Outliner : select file1_1
* aiStandardSurface : RMB > assign to selected objet
* aiStandardSurface : attribute editor : base > weight = 1, specular > weight = 0, geometry > opacity = 1
* TAB > particleSamplerInfo.
* particleSamplerInfo connect RGB PP in aiStandardSurface, input : base Color
- Check the render


However, I still have a question : I got back the colors from my Houdini particles, but NOT the Alpha. In Maya , with particleSamplerInfo , I tried to connect the "Opacity PP" to aiStandardSurface, inputs Opacity R, Opacity G, Opacity B. But it does not work, the render becomes all black, WHY?

Also, as I asked before, is aiStandardSurface the best material for Sparks particles?

Thanks!

Hi there,

This would be best directed to Arnold support.

Ok, follow up : https://answers.arnoldrenderer.com/questions/30679/particles-opacity-problem.html [answers.arnoldrenderer.com]