My 3.0 wishlist

[Ihno]

First, you did a great job, I love 3.0

1:
I dont know if this is possibe, propably not can't beleve you didn't thought about this before:
I'd like to ask if you could make an internal auto spf depending on the parameters set. And we can use the spf parameter to add spf's to the automatically specified spf.
There are things like viscosity which can't be simulated proper with too low spf, as far as I understand there is no scenario where it will work with one spf exept a very low timescale but this is also a parameter you can read.

2:
Presets for: Waveforce based shore, Waveforce based stormy Ocean.

3.1:
Add a Parameter in Particle shader to render everything below given size in point mode.
I know this is already possible with a second Particle shader.
But there are some clicks to make and you have to keep two size parameters equal.
And if you want to shade foam, splash and mist using this, you'd end up with at least 6 Particle shaders and even more if you also want to have a different setup for lets say underwater foam.
3.2:
An enabled checkbox in PHX Particle Shader to turn it off without the need to delete the source objects from the list. Wasn't there one in 2.2?
3.3:
A help Button in PHX Particle Shader UI.
3.4:
Something which shows the size distribution. Some kind of histogram or simply some greyedout (Min/Max) numbers like the subdivisions in the vray mtl.

4.1:
Splash/Foam/Mist birth Gizmo. Ability to define an object in which those kinds of particles can be born. Is the option active, no Splash/Foam/Mist particles can be born outside that gizmo.
4.2:
Different Particle preview colors by default. Dont know why you changed that, maby I'm wrong but I think this makes more sense than having everything in white.

5:
I already mentioned this in another thread but just to place it in the right froum:
Backup frame formular field where you can type on which frames a backupframe should be. Like this for example: 20, 46, 53

6:
Ability to choose which kind of particles of the PHX sim to use as source for the Vray instancer.

Edit: And fix the geometry cutting in mesh mode
Also, can you somehow prevent displacement from beeing ablied to the sides and "cutouts" (If you have an object underwater)

[Ivaylo Katev]

1. even phoenix 1.0 had auto spf, and it was released with auto spf switched on, a HUGE mistake, perhaps the bigest one in the entire project history belive me, better adjust it by hand.
3.2 you have it, the right click "renderable" option does exactly this

about the geometry cutter and the mesh mode - you can use the max boolean operator, it's slow but precise. our cutter is fast (and limited) because it modifies the grid content, not the final mesh. it's pointless to create a duplication of the boolean operator

[anthonyh]

i had a thought(wish). probably not possible/reasonable but what about an adaptive solution to camera ? help speed up generating by not solving grids off camera ?
anthonyh

[georgi.zhekov]

There is an option for this already It's in the adaptive settings.

Shrink to view – you can limit the grid expansion up to the viewing frustum of the camera.

[anthonyh]

woops. nice job, i`ll check that out, my sim is getting way out of hand.
thanks
anthonyh

[anthonyh]

hi georgi,
would shrink to view speed up the simulation or just save memory ? i`ve got a huge dust sim running although 2/3 isn`t visible to camera but i don`t want to stop it if it`s not going to simulate any faster next time ?

edit: i thought i`d do a quick test in another scene and it doesn`t seem to be excluding any cells from simulating based on the camera view ?

thanks
anthonyh

[georgi.zhekov]

It's related to the adaptive grid - so when your boundaries expand it will take effect and it will set the limits. This will save both CPU time and RAM.

[anthonyh]

of course! derp, sorry i had numpty mode engaged. i`ll try that agin..
thanks georgi.
anthonyh

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Hey, so in the nightlies now there are Birth Volumes with fadeout for Foam, Splash and Mist

Also, regarding which kind of particles you can use for the instancer, just now I figured you can select one of the "PG [XXX] of XXX" nodes and it should to the trick. Liquid won't be selectable this way though.

[Ihno]

Ah cool! Nice to hear, will try that later
Now I can finally test drive small stripes of water to find the right settings for those particles!

I wanna add a little wish.
Could you please keep the rendering/input rollouts functioning even if all licenses are in use or no license is available?
I want to have one computer simulating while I play with the render settings of the running simulation on another computer.
And buying a new sim license for this purpose seems odd. Especially because we already have the volumegrid inside of vray.
You could look for a vray render license if you dont want to open it too much.

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Ah, sure. The grid rendering is free anyway - the Volume Grid and the Phoenix demo can load and render grids without engaging a license.

[Ihno]

Great, Thanks alot

[EL_CISNE_POST]

Hi Ihno, I was wondering if you can tell me what kind of use you give to the vray instancer mixed with the PHX, hope you don't mind I ask you this on your post

[Ihno]

Well, phoenix is capable to easily simulate 50-100m particles and with the instancer you can effectively scatter unlimited objects.
I used this to pimp the phx sand hack. The sand grains won't rotate of course, so its not perfect but neither the sand hack is.
I also used it with a baked dirt map as emision tex and only 1 frame of simulation for very detailded closeup dust. And I acually used it to scatter grass before I had Forest Pack.
All in all its just because PFlow isn't nearly as stable and powerfull as PHX is.
But it wasn't the most important wish on my list. Its not like I need it every day.