Baker

The Baker effect, also known as Particle-Baker, lets you make decisions about the particle system's position, angle, number, etc. in the same way that a baker would make decisions about the ingredients that go into baking a cake. The Baker performs the particle simulation, combining all the ingredients specified to get the final result. The Baker must always be connected to the Particle-Visualizer.

Particle Baker Properties

Parameter Description
Name Lets you rename the node.
Seed

Allows you to apply a random effect to the particle system. There may be times when you want to copy the particle system to two different locations on your screen. You can take the out-port of the Particle System Composite node, and plug this into two separate Bakers and Visualizers. Then you could move one system over by attaching a peg into the left side of one Visualizer. This makes the two systems look exactly the same. Add a random Seed to make them look different.

Simulation Quality

Defines how many simulation steps per frame are performed. The lowest quality creates one step per frame. Raising the quality will divide the simulation time and create two or more steps of simulation for each frame. This increases the computation time, but also increases the quality of the result.

Number of Pre-roll Frames

Allows you to select a start position in the particle effect sequence, other than the start (generation) of the sequence. This allows you to start the particle effect part-way through its cycle, even if it starts on frame 1 of your project. An example of when this parameter might come in handy is when you want it to be already raining at the start of your scene. If you don't change the number of Pre-roll Frames, it will always start to rain at the beginning of the scene.

Maximum Number of Particles

Lets you put a limit on the number of particles that will be created; particles will stop being generated once this number is reached.

Age Particles

Tracks how long a particle has existed in its cycle from the time of its inception. Knowing a particles "age" means you can tack other parameters onto its life span, such as having the particle start to disappear or change colour at a certain time.age.

Move Position

Allows the particles to move position, otherwise the particles cannot flow in a specified direction. This option also exists in the Move Particles node. You do not always need a Move Particles node; this is why this option exists in the Baker. This option is also useful when your Move Particles node is cut off by a sink—see Sink.

Move Angle

Allow particles to flow from different angles. This option also exists in the Move Particles node. You do not always need a Move Particles node; this is why this option exists in the Baker. This option is also useful for when your Move Particles node is cut off by a sink—see Sink.