Phoenix texmap

[Ivaylo Katev]

well, it's not that simple
you can specify opacity by texture, and put phoenix texture in the slot. then you can specify in the phoenix texture to represent the alpha of the selected simulator.
here you will have *real* circular reference and max will hang.

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

True, we'll detect that.

Interesting what will happen in Maya if we do that.

[9k_JHT]

@Svetlin- Using the Maya Field Solver because I needed to push fluid up a tube with a vortex like motion to it. The fluid needed to be controlled and the field needed to be evenly distributed onto the fluid. For this reason I ended up using a volume curve as it is the only option that I know about to do this.

I'm probably missing something, but the only field I could with Phoenix FD is the "Force Field" which doesn't seem to be what I'm looking for (the documentation is pretty skimp when talking about the force field, but what I can tell it attracts or repels the fluid. Can this be linked to geometry for more control? ).

Turbulence is nice, but it's turbulence, not so much a tool to manipulate the direction of the fluids as far as I can tell. If you have any better suggestions on how to simulate fluid moving through a curvy pipe while maintaining a vortex like motion please do share. Other than that I'm stuck working with Maya Fields (because what other option do I have? Use a force field? I've looked around, read the documentation, watched as many explanation videos that I could come across and the options that come with Phoenix FD seem to be slim pickings).

If you have any better suggestions I'm all ears.

Best,
Clayton

[Ivaylo Katev]

the follow path force has rotational component, i think it's exactly what you need, if already implemented for maya.

[9k_JHT]

the follow path force has rotational component, i think it's exactly what you need, if already implemented for maya.

That sounds absolutely astounding. Last time I checked it wasn't implemented though. If you could confirm that (don't know how hard that is for you to do), I'd be very appreciative. If it is available in the latest nightly I'd really enjoy getting an example or being pointed to documentation (cannot find anything on it).

Also, would you please point me to better documentation (if available) on how to use the force field? If I'm stuck with PhoenixFD solvers I'll make due, but the documentation I could find and the example scenes aren't doing much for me. Can I link geometry to the force field? A spline? I stand by Choasgroups software, but in this instance I feel you almost have to be a developer or tool around with Phoenix for weeks through trial and error attempts to figure some of this stuff out.

Like I said, appreciate you guys and stand by Choasgroup. Long time Vray user and wouldn't want to go a day without it.. but when this is all the official documentation on the Force Field I can find-

http://docs.chaosgroup.com/display/P...FD+Force+Field

It is sort of a put off, just a little bit. I'm fine not being spoon fed this stuff, but I need a bit more to go on than that to learn how to utilize some of these tools better.

addition:

And the only reason I'm stuck on using Force Field is because that's the only "solver" I could find for Phoenix FD outside of Turbulence.

So if Force Field is my only Phoenix FD solver option.. then I guess I'm confused why I'd even be asked "why do you use the Maya field solver in the first place?" if Maya field solvers seem to be my only option to control the fluids movements (outside of making dummy geo.. but that's hardly something I'd consider a clean way at controlling the shape and movement of fluids)? I must be missing something huge here....

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Hey,

Indeed, seems like the Force Field won't do this kind of job.

The Path Follow force is not in Maya yet though - we are doing stabilization of the stuff we already have and hopefully soon the new features from Max will make their way into Maya as well. This is roughly how it looks in action:

https://vimeo.com/130441394

You are absolutely right about the usability and documentation. There are newer docs in the making, and it may sound like a placeholder sentence, but we are really working on making things more intuitive so one wouldn't have to go look for help in the docs in the first place.

I will bump the thread when the Path Follow is in Maya, although we shifted it a bit

Cheers!

[9k_JHT]

Thanks Svetlin.

...and it may sound like a placeholder sentence... - not at all. Sometimes I need to remind myself how large Chaosgroup's operation is and that there are many, many different elements you guys need to worry about that I am not in the slightest aware of. Doing an awesome job, keep it up. I think I was just in a dark place yesterday battling it out with fluid simulations, haha.

Deadlines. They change people Thanks again for all the help and the great responses you've given on this forum. Can't thank you, Ivaylo, Vlado and any other developers that have personally been helping out the community enough!

-Clayton