GLu3D - Water Dragon Tutorial

Glu3D Water Dragon Tutorial

by Jefferson Lim

1. Create a Helix Spline.

Radius 1: 50
Radius 2: 10
Height : 110
Turns: 1.5

2. Create a Dummy Helper.

3. Apply a Path Constaint to the Dummy.
Then assign the Helix as a path and
also Enable Follow and Bank.

4. Now create the Glu3D pouring system.

5. Align and Link the Glu3D Source Emitter
to the Dummy. (Use the Align Tool)

6. Rotate the Source Emitter so that the Preview Trajectory Spline would seem to connect and flow from the Helix.

Rotate Emitter at :

X: -90
Y: 180
Z: 0

(View Coordinate System)

7. You can play the animation from here
to see the results.

*The Trajectory Spline is showing how the simulation would closely look like when simulated.

*Notice how it flows going downward in direction... we'll need it to flow along
the Helix Path for this tutorial...

8. From the Space Warps>Glu3D Forces,
create a Glu3D-Path.

Pick the Helix Spline as the path.

<Check> Reverse Direction
Turbulence: 5.0
Frequency: 1.0
Scale: 0.08

*You can Also view the motion using Animation>Make Preview.

Also notice that as you drag the time slider up to the end of the animation range, things start to get slow on the viewports.
To remedy this, apply a Normalize Spline modifier above you Helix shape, set it to 30. Then collapse the stack to an Editable Spline.
You can now drag the time slider up with ease.
This Helps alot, because (as of ver 1.3.10) if you were to use a spline with lots of vertices... you'll most likely get a crash when simulating the scene later on.

9. Delete the floorGlu3D object and
Enable the Glu3D Clipping Box.

Position the Clipping Box to:

X: 0
Y: 0
Z: 0

*Particles hitting the floor will be deleted... helps in eliminating unwanted particles.

10. Now we can start simulating.

Select the Emitter and set some parameters first:

Radius: 8
Rate: 5
Variation: 30%
LOD: 8
Thickness: 10

Start@Frame: 0

Stop@Frame: 100

Select the Glu Logo and set the following parameters:

Show Particles (optional)
Gravity: 2

SET cache directory path to a location of your choice, this makes it easier to find it later on.
SIMULATE...

The Simulation Result

11. Now that we have the simulation, we'll transfer it next to PFlow to add some additional details.

Create a new scene. (You could save your scene first)
Open Graph Editors > Particle View.
Right Click > New > Particle System > Empty Flow (also be sure that you are in TOP view, or PERSPECTIVE view, so that Pflow will be created pointing downwards.)
Right Click > New > Birth Event > Glu3D Birth Op.
Wire them together.
Select the Glu3D Birth Op, and on the parameters panel, click on the "Select Cache Directory" button. Point it to the directory path you've SET on number 10 of this tutorial.

*After loading, the Cache Info will get updated to show that you got your previous simulation now inside pflow!

*As you drag the timeslider, you'll notice that, either the particles will disappear at an arbitrary frame, or it would suddenly move towards an outward direction. To fix this unusual issue, you must click on the Source Event in Pflow, under the System Management Rollout, set the Upper limit to something higher.

12. Create a Pwrapper with these settings:

Detail: 5.0
Drop Size: 0.5
Melt Force: 4.0
Shrinkage: 0.3

Then add PFlow as a Particle Object.

13. We'll add additional details to the flowing body using PFlow Operators.

Open Particle View
Add a Split Amount Op, set Fraction of Particles to 1%.

On a new Event, append a Speed Op with Speed set to 20 and a variation of 15.

Append a Delete Op, set it to "By Particle Age" with a life span of 15, and a variation of 5.

*This will add additional bits of particles that will get off from the body as if droplets of water are being emitted. Thus will also create bits and lumps for the PWrapper mesh.

14. Now, to add the head, you could just create a your own or download the accompanying max file glu3d_water_dragon_head.max (max 6). The head is just a simple mesh object rigged to have an animating mouth opening and closing.

Merge the Dummy you created from the previous file, it will also merge the helix with it.

Align and Link the Head Bone (the bone with fins) to the Dummy's Position Pivot and Rotation Axes. Rotate it afterwards if needed. (Use the Align Tool)

15. To combine the mesh Dragon Head with the Pwrapped body, we create a new Pflow system:

Open Partilcle View.
Create a New Empty Flow.
Wire a Birth Op with a Position Object Op to it.
Select the Birth and set the parameters:

Emit Stop: 0
Amount: 800

Select the Position Obejct Op and set the parameters:

<check> Lock to Emitter
<check> Animated Shape
<check> Subframe Sampling
<check> Surface offset and set the MIN:-1.0 & MAX:0.0 (this will help in placing particles inside the mesh, works alot faster than setting it to Volume)
Add the Dragon Head to the list of Emitter Objects.

Lastly, Add the new PFlow system to PWrapper.

*Hide the Dummies and Bones, and Disable the Display Ops in Pflow to view the resulting mesh and You're DONE! :D

Files:
A. Dragon Head Max File.
B. Final Max File Simulation Setup.
C. Final Max File PFlow/PWrapped Setup.

*note: you'll need to re-simulate File B in order to see the result of File C.

Glu3d for Max, www.3daliens.com
created at October 30, 2005

Glu3D Water Dragon Tutorial	by Jefferson Lim
	1. Create a Helix Spline. Radius 1: 50 Radius 2: 10 Height : 110 Turns: 1.5
	2. Create a Dummy Helper. 3. Apply a Path Constaint to the Dummy. Then assign the Helix as a path and also Enable Follow and Bank.
	4. Now create the Glu3D pouring system.
	5. Align and Link the Glu3D Source Emitter to the Dummy. (Use the Align Tool)
	6. Rotate the Source Emitter so that the Preview Trajectory Spline would seem to connect and flow from the Helix. Rotate Emitter at : X: -90 Y: 180 Z: 0 (View Coordinate System)
	7. You can play the animation from here to see the results. The Trajectory Spline is showing how the simulation would closely look like when simulated. Notice how it flows going downward in direction... we'll need it to flow along the Helix Path for this tutorial...
	8. From the Space Warps>Glu3D Forces, create a Glu3D-Path. Pick the Helix Spline as the path. <Check> Reverse Direction Turbulence: 5.0 Frequency: 1.0 Scale: 0.08 *You can Also view the motion using Animation>Make Preview.
	Also notice that as you drag the time slider up to the end of the animation range, things start to get slow on the viewports. To remedy this, apply a Normalize Spline modifier above you Helix shape, set it to 30. Then collapse the stack to an Editable Spline. You can now drag the time slider up with ease. This Helps alot, because (as of ver 1.3.10) if you were to use a spline with lots of vertices... you'll most likely get a crash when simulating the scene later on.
	9. Delete the floorGlu3D object and Enable the Glu3D Clipping Box. Position the Clipping Box to: X: 0 Y: 0 Z: 0 *Particles hitting the floor will be deleted... helps in eliminating unwanted particles.
	10. Now we can start simulating. Select the Emitter and set some parameters first: Radius: 8 Rate: 5 Variation: 30% LOD: 8 Thickness: 10 Start@Frame: 0 Stop@Frame: 100 Select the Glu Logo and set the following parameters: Show Particles (optional) Gravity: 2 SET cache directory path to a location of your choice, this makes it easier to find it later on. SIMULATE...
	The Simulation Result
	11. Now that we have the simulation, we'll transfer it next to PFlow to add some additional details. Create a new scene. (You could save your scene first) Open Graph Editors > Particle View. Right Click > New > Particle System > Empty Flow (also be sure that you are in TOP view, or PERSPECTIVE view, so that Pflow will be created pointing downwards.) Right Click > New > Birth Event > Glu3D Birth Op. Wire them together. Select the Glu3D Birth Op, and on the parameters panel, click on the "Select Cache Directory" button. Point it to the directory path you've SET on number 10 of this tutorial. After loading, the Cache Info will get updated to show that you got your previous simulation now inside pflow! As you drag the timeslider, you'll notice that, either the particles will disappear at an arbitrary frame, or it would suddenly move towards an outward direction. To fix this unusual issue, you must click on the Source Event in Pflow, under the System Management Rollout, set the Upper limit to something higher.
	12. Create a Pwrapper with these settings: Detail: 5.0 Drop Size: 0.5 Melt Force: 4.0 Shrinkage: 0.3 Then add PFlow as a Particle Object.
	13. We'll add additional details to the flowing body using PFlow Operators. Open Particle View Add a Split Amount Op, set Fraction of Particles to 1%. On a new Event, append a Speed Op with Speed set to 20 and a variation of 15. Append a Delete Op, set it to "By Particle Age" with a life span of 15, and a variation of 5. *This will add additional bits of particles that will get off from the body as if droplets of water are being emitted. Thus will also create bits and lumps for the PWrapper mesh.
	14. Now, to add the head, you could just create a your own or download the accompanying max file glu3d_water_dragon_head.max (max 6). The head is just a simple mesh object rigged to have an animating mouth opening and closing. Merge the Dummy you created from the previous file, it will also merge the helix with it. Align and Link the Head Bone (the bone with fins) to the Dummy's Position Pivot and Rotation Axes. Rotate it afterwards if needed. (Use the Align Tool)
	15. To combine the mesh Dragon Head with the Pwrapped body, we create a new Pflow system: Open Partilcle View. Create a New Empty Flow. Wire a Birth Op with a Position Object Op to it. Select the Birth and set the parameters: Emit Stop: 0 Amount: 800 Select the Position Obejct Op and set the parameters: <check> Lock to Emitter <check> Animated Shape <check> Subframe Sampling <check> Surface offset and set the MIN:-1.0 & MAX:0.0 (this will help in placing particles inside the mesh, works alot faster than setting it to Volume) Add the Dragon Head to the list of Emitter Objects. Lastly, Add the new PFlow system to PWrapper. *Hide the Dummies and Bones, and Disable the Display Ops in Pflow to view the resulting mesh and You're DONE! :D

	Files: A. Dragon Head Max File. B. Final Max File Simulation Setup. C. Final Max File PFlow/PWrapped Setup. *note: you'll need to re-simulate File B in order to see the result of File C.
Glu3d for Max, www.3daliens.com created at October 30, 2005