Particle Emitters
Particle emitters continuously spawn new particles of their assigned particle types (child nodes in the object browser) in a defined area. They also define in which direction particles are accelerated initially.
The following properties can be adjusted in the property panel to define how emitters create particles.
General
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Lifetime | Time period during which the emitter is active and spawns particles. After the time expires, the emitter stops producing particles. If Repeat is activated, the emitter starts again after the specified duration. This is useful for emitters that should repeat their behavior after a certain amount of time. |
| Type | In what kind of area particles are spawned (Point, Line, Circle, Rectangle, Path, Sphere (3D), Cube (3D), Cylinder (3D)). |
| Particle Distribution | Where particles are spawned inside the emitter area. Uniform: Particles are spawned at a randomly generated location (uniform distribution) inside the emitter area. Center: Particles are created mostly around the center and less at the boundary. Hole: More particles spawn near the emitter boundary and less in the center. Boundary: Particles are created only on the emitter boundary. |
| Particle Emission | When particles are emitted. Continuous: Emitter continuously spawns particles throughout its lifetime. Burst (Start): Emitter instantiates all particles immediately after being created. Burst (End): Particles are spawned at the end of the emitter lifetime, or - if the emitter is a sub-emitter - when particles of the parent emitter reach the end of their lifetime. |
| Size | Extent of the emitter area. |
| Orientation | Orientation of the emitter area in degrees. For 3D effects, the orientation is composed of roll, yaw and pitch. |
| Direction | Direction in which particles move when spawned, in degrees. For 3D effects, the direction is composed of roll, yaw and pitch. The default mode is Fixed, causing particles to shoot off in a common direction. If you select Outwards, particles move away from the emitter. If you select Inwards, particles move towards the emitter's center. |
| Spread | How much the direction varies. A spread of 0° means that particles only move in the specified direction, while 360° leads to particles shooting off in all directions. |
Motion
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Position | Position of the emitter. This option allows you to specify a motion path the emitter traverses during its lifetime. It is shown in the scene view if the property is selected. |