mParticle - 3DS Max 2014 Tutorial. Level: advanced (creating flying paper)

Tutorial on a few fun features of mParticle. We will talk about particle skinning, particle glue, and a few other features that we will use to recreate a tutorial from the people who originally made toolbox #2 which is the system that eventually became mParticles along with box#3.
This is an advanced tutorial that will only work in Max 2014.
Here is the Music Video • The Airborne Toxic Eve...

[@jonnypanteloni]

Never managed to figure out automated paper generation. That's something I'll work on today. Good work Kevin, you made me buy the MV and also another one of their tracks.

[@TheMhankel]

from time to time I'm coming back to this fantastic tutorial! Awesome! Thank you!

[@Vizcatz]

You are a real 3D friend - no matter if you manage or not, I want to thank you.

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Hi Michael, I am glad you enjoyed it. I have had a few requests for thing but it will be a very time consuming thing. The original script needs a ton of alteration b/c it is hardcoded for the project. So it works on the work machine with its directory for its specific purpose but if I find time this next weekend, I will hook you guys up with a run-through. No promises yet.

[@abhijit721]

Superb tutorial, thanks Kevin Harper

[@lefthandedhero]

Just watched it, nice! It seemed like some of the shots with paper (where they're colliding with the people) was real paper, but I can see how compositing in some CG for some of those shots would offer maximum control. Good work, rock on!

[@jamiethomas18]

That is AMAZING I would never have known those pieces of paper weren't real if I hadn't watched the video.

[@Jimbobuk10]

Excellent tut very well explained Sir!

[@christosviskadourakis9030]

I don't know why you said at the beggining of the video that this is a tutorial in advance level. I know nothing for PFlow and you got straight to the point and you explained everything very well! Well done, thank you!

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

+Christos Viskadourakis I like to set expectations. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@christosviskadourakis9030]

Can you provide though the script you are talking about? :)

[@AbdulVFX]

+KevinHarper3DArtist would you mind making a short tutorial about how the actual paper generating script works?

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

What you can do, instead of a path use a mesh like adding a sweep onto the path. Then you can create a separate particle system with the same in the same place as the rig and paper, and have the particle speed surface to the path surface. Then you can use an additional glue event to glue the paper rig to the particle that controls the speed.

[@TechSide]

tanx for answer Kevin! after I installed service pack problem disappeared, now all works fine.

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Yea I have been getting a few requests for it but have not found time to do so. It will take at least 2 days. To make, unless I just kind of skim over it but its a little deep. I will see when I find time to do so then post it on my website.

[@kelleypearson1493]

Checking out your scripting tutorial as well. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@PatrickGavin1]

Thanks Kevin will give it a go today and see if I can sort it

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Hi Patrick, To link one to the other, have single particles in the speed by surface that are initially located in the center of each paper. Create a second glue that sticks the paper to the "driver" (speed by surface particles"). This may take some time to figure out but it is what I did for one section of the cloud and it works well.

[@biju5049]

Very Nice tutorial

[@emmanouildagdilelis3564]

One of the greatest and most practical tutorials for vfx. Thanks! I am really wondering though how did you create that fx of papers flying out of the suitcase at 1:50

[@markomilasinovic6030]

Great stuff man.. any chance to post script .. Particle setup is very dynamic and flexible.. love it..

[@cloudgold1]

amazing!! great job! =)

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Thank you, thinking about it.

[@jonnypanteloni]

Haha yes! Raising the bind distance was the key. Thank you very much, I appreciate it. :)

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Yea this is just the basics. I had to make a script that automates and repeats this process to get things like the briefcase shot. First I the grid spawn new particles about every 5 frames, and then create a copy of the paper at the same place as the grid, then glue and skin it and move it up and out of the way before the next round of particles and paper spawns, with the glue baked, once the script is done, you can go back to zero and you have a stack of paper at your command.

[@studiopost9762]

gracias Kevin!!!!! saludos desde México!

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Ok make sure the box is checked. When you scrub the timeline, make sure you go to 0 and 1, it is not enough to scrub around 100 you have to go to 0. If that does not work, then the connections might not be happening b/c of your scene distance. It might be that you did not change your units at the beginning of the video and your scene is much larger. In that case, increase the binding distance to a ridiculous amount and scrub the timeline again just to see results. Then dial the distance down.

[@Ammour_Nadir_Automotive]

love it, thank you

[@businessdevelopmenttmc3214]

great tut thanx

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Thanks Hero, I am thinking about putting some time aside for it.

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Thank you Jamie.

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Not that I am aware of. Toolbox was an adon only in Max before it became part of the package. You can pull stuff like this off in Hudini but I am not sure about Maya.

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

good idea. done.

[@lefthandedhero]

Perhaps make another video on the script mentioned here? It doesn't have to be exactly the same but that would help a lot of us I'm sure. Thanks!

[@lefthandedhero]

Thanks Mate, it's good work. Speaking of, can you link the music video in the description?

[@huzainisahmawi]

thanks mate. love it.

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

You are welcome.

[@kelleypearson1493]

Excellent tutorial! Care to sharing any insights on the script you developed? Thanks! :)

[@IncidentalTrees]

Great info in this tutorial thanks. I've been trying to work out - Is there no way to simply choose one particle set up to become the particles for a different system? Or this only accessible with scripting? ie. You create for the paper called 'Spaper' Then you create a new particle system with the particle instancing the 'Spaper'

[@seppeclijsters6433]

Thanks a lot ! How do I render this without seeing the collision pilar?

[@maciej9588]

Great tutorial Kevin. I think it is very valuable knowledge how to make copy of that rig by scripting. I serch internet but nowhere find solution. It would be first exaple how to do. I am the first who will BUY tutorial :)

[@dontwantahandle69]

Hey! This is an amazing feature and great tutorial explaining it, but I wonder how to make several papers... I wanted to make papers flying in a spirale around an object, a fantasy kinda thing :p Thanks alot bro!

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Hey Killer, If you just want them to fly around an object, I would recommend just using a normal particle system and with animated pieces of paper. This system is totally overkill unless you are going to have these papers collide with objects or each other. If that is what you need, you can follow the steps I took in this tutorial and create a script that duplicates the steps on the fly. Be careful not to go over about 50 papers at once or your computer might have a hard time. If you need more papers as I did, you will need to bake each 50 into a point cache.

[@LeandroSalerno]

good tutorial, but how emit more particles of this setting. This only serves to a sheet of paper or am I wrong? the papers such as escaping the man's briefcase in the clip. greetings!

[@PatrickGavin1]

Have a single particle located at the center of the paper. Can't get one to glue to the other. Not sure where to put the 2nd glue that sticks the paper to the driver, in the first event or in the 2nd event? and do I wire them together or do I select the glue and Bind with other event particles? ...struggling

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

No not directly. This is why I had to create the script to do it. Sorry. If I find the time, I will share the script and explain it, but I have been pretty swamped.

[@seppeclijsters6433]

If I add multiple forces, how can I make sure the force doesn't influence the other excisting forces?

[@TechSide]

hey Kevin, when I set the wind (all settings like yours) and started play, particles just running in place and it all. I'm confused, what it may indicate what the problem is?

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

You are welcome.

[@Vizcatz]

Hi Kevin, Thanks for your tutorial. I have fine reults. Then I wanted to make more paper flying, but if I make copies, they have excact the same movement - they look alike. Can we see or get your script. I would like an animation where the papers fly out of a window. Thanks a lot in advance. Regards Michael

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

you are welcome

[@MusaNadimAli]

pllllllllllllllllllllllzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz people why no one makes a motion graphics tutorials with 3d max,,, kevin i love ur channel so much wannaaaa say thanks,plz make a motion graphic tutorial

[@PatrickGavin1]

Hey Kevin, I have created 2 particle systems. 1 rigged as per the tutorial and a 2nd simple system with a speed by surface. I can't figure out how to glue my paper rig to the second particle system, any ideas?

[@MaRvElllOuSguys]

how to make a lot of papers like you in your video, im beginner in 3ds max

[@neilkadu8745]

26:08 cant see the preview as your screen is zoomed in too much.

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Sorry, it is not enough information. You could make a video and send it to me but I would recommend starting over and making sure you do not skip any steps, including setting up your units correctly and weighting the particles properly

[@roohivfx]

nice tutorial.. how you make multiple papers flying ? kindly help

[@mariotrahan7591]

me too !

[@jonnypanteloni]

My Mparticle bindings won't show up (i have checked and unchecked the box and scrubbed back and forth on the timeline) and they don't do anything either. Do you know what this is?

[@hugomsrosado]

Hi, I enjoy the video but I thought that the point was to see the particle system fire these paper sheets. for me that should be the advance stuff. You have many ways to animate paper this is a good one no doubt, but without seeing the PF generating the paper sheet is a bit disappointing, Is there any tut that explain that bit? Cheers

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

+Hugo Rosado Hey Hugo, Sorry I made this thing years ago and then got really buzzy with many projects, I always wanted to make a followup that shows I took that concept and replicated it but making a tutorial like this is very time consuming. With a full time job, house renovations, tech hobbies, a wife, a child and a video game addiction it is hard to set aside 2 days to work on a tutorial. Also, I have been making video games for the past 2 years and keep my VFX work to a min, just when I need extra cash. I am sorry that you are disappointed but if you watch this tutorial, and do the maxscript tutorials, you will understand how it is done. There is nothing tricky about it, you just have to turn what we do in this tutorial into a function that does not rely on any existing mesh but or bounds, but generates the mesh and bounds, and then you can call that function as much as you want to create more papers via a for loop with a delay. It looks a lot more complicated than it is but it does take time to set up.

[@mauriciostapich4154]

hello, because I do not appear mParticle flow? i have only PReset flow, empty flow, standard flow and One click Flow.. help me

[@themind3d]

great job!! but pleeeeease....many people here need your script!! thank you.

[@vglong4]

Great Tut! Are you able to go into how you brought this into video or give some hints on that part of the process?

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Hi Van, thank you for your compliment. I am not sure I understand your question, can you rephrase it?

[@vglong4]

KevinHarper3DArtist Perhaps it is easy but I am trying to figure out how you got from 3Ds Max to your final video. Your tut is about how you create the particle(s). I am left wondering how you brought it into your video. Thank you.

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Van Garmon Hi Van, Compositing is a very different task job and a beast on its own. Generally, the CG Artist / 3D Generalist does not do the compositing but a Compositor does it in a separate program. In this case, it was composited in Nuke but on bigger spots it is often Flame. As the 3D Artist we just provide them with the assets they need. One could do this comp it together is something easier like AE but it is limiting in complexity. I guess the point I am trying to make is that the video back drop is not added in 3DS Max b/c it would be very limiting as the software is not designed for comping and color corrections and stuff like that. I realize that does not answer your question but the basic idea is that you render out the particles with an alpha channel and then it gets comped back into the shot in a compositing software.

[@vglong4]

Makes sense. Thanks for the response and the great tut!

[@Rampuniernix]

...you wasted my time so well, so I need to give a thumb up! Thanx indeed! =)

[@loucannizzo3587]

Very nice, however, disappointing. We find out at the end of the tutorial that we need to be a script writter to make more than 1 paper sheet. A link to that "auto script" would be nice :)

[@3DxPOD]

He actually mentions it in the beginning, the fact that he automates the process via script for the final animation.

[@AlexanderKuzmenkoUA]

How create many papers?

[@ARISGAO]

Hi Kevin, what is the name of the MV in this tutorial, thanks:)

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Hi Li Wei, the link to the video is in the description. The Airborne Toxic Event - Timeless

[@ARISGAO]

thank you very much! you are super!

[@DavidBaca3d]

damn, I'm still on 2013 :(

[@ApexArtistX]

Can you do tutorial on mflow tree trunk for destruction

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Sorry Stock, I am am working in Unity at the moment. As you can see I uploaded this video in 2013

[@ApexArtistX]

small question, how to link mparticles in a moving mesh like a car , so i can deform it. I can't seem to bind mparticles to an animated object

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

sorry n particles is not the same as m particles I dont htink you can do this in maya.

[@seppeclijsters6433]

Whenever I select the edges and add garment maker, my paper becomes invisible... Pls help!

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Hi Seppe, This tutorial is a broad overview of the technique for advanced users to glance over. You have had a lot of questions yesterday and I wonder if you don't want to start with something that will be less frustrating for you. Maybe do a tutorial on Garment maker first, do some tutorials on pFlow and then the mParticles 101 tutorial. Then come back to this one and it will be easy cake!

[@seppeclijsters6433]

KevinHarper3DArtist haha sorry, 3ds max is pretty new for me. I was so excited to create this flying paper that I wanted to finish this today. It was very frustrating day haha ;) But I finally have it working! So thank you for the awesoem tutorial and I'll be watching some easier tutorials from now on !

[@seppeclijsters6433]

seppe clijsters But could u please answer this question: I made the scene with the colliding pilar and a paper. Is their a way I can render the simulation without seeing the pilar in the final render?

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

seppe clijsters right click the pilar, go to properties and uncheck visible to to camera, or renderable.

[@seppeclijsters6433]

KevinHarper3DArtist Thank you a lot! Subscribed!

[@PaulOsadchy]

Now with TyFlow in 5 minutes without pain and scripting

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Nice, Yea things were a little different in 2013.

[@Ras123637]

I am from Indonesia

[@RibeyeconAdventures]

First of all, shout out to KevinHarper3DArtist, your tutorial still contributes to others growth even after 5 years! Thank you for taking your time to put this together! I was able to come up with a somewhat successful version of the flying paper. I did not write a script as i am not very code/script savvy. I was trying to figure out how to code it for about 3 days, and felt like i was just spinning my wheels. In the end, i did a lot of copy/paste and manual adjustment. The end result is not as flexible if i had a script, but this set up took about two hours, compared to my coding try of 3 days... you can see it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/roaziWCAYqygmZY If anyone has any tips or suggestions how to make it more efficient please let me know.

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

Thank you. I have actually never seen output from anyone from this tutorial so that was nice. Also, I struggled with scripting for years as well, in the end I found an different way to script and realized that the problem was not me not being able to learn how to code but that Autodesk sucks at teaching from a perspective of a beginner. I always felt like I had to study computer science before I start learning from the documentation. So many years ago, I made this tutorial series from the perspective of 3D Artist. Not sure how relevant it still is as I do not use much max anymore. But here it is. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZi6dpeJlLafnZY

[@RibeyeconAdventures]

yeah man, your tutorials are very thorough and easy to follow, you should definitely keep teaching! In case you are curious, the final project is up at kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYG4qIGbpdKWgcU The particle flow part is in the second half of the video if you dont have time to watch all the way through. i did not write a script, so changing things and adding a different collider after the fact was time-consuming, but it accomplished the goal. Anyway, thank you for your vid!

[@KevinHarper3DArtist]

lol