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184 Chapter 11: Space Warps and Particle Systems
or random basis. The most common usage of
this latter capability is with a Multi/Sub-Object
material, for applying a different material to each
part icle.
See also
Overview of Materials in Particle View (page
2–182)
Material Frequency Operator (page 2–185)
Material D ynamic Operator (page 2–187)
Inter face
The user interface appears in the parameters panel,
ontherightsideoftheParticleViewdialog.
Assign M aterial—When on, the operator assigns a
material to the particles. Default=on.
[button]—Use this button to assign a material to
the operator. Click the button and then use the
Material/Map Browser to choose the material.
Alternatively, drag the material from a Material
Editor sample slot to the button. After you assign a
material to the operator , its name appears on the
button.
Assign M aterial ID—When on, the operator
defines a material ID nu mber for each part icle.
Default=off.
Show In V iewport—When on, the material is shown
applied to the particles in the viewports.
Assignment Method
The Material Static operator gives you a choice of
three different methods for assigning Material IDs
to particles:
Material ID—Assigns the same material ID to all
particles. Use the numeric field to set the ID value.
Cycle—Assigns each part icle a material ID in
the range 1 to N, where N=# Sub-Materials, in
increasing sequential order. The first ID assigned
is 1, then 2, then ..., then N, then 1 again, and so
on.
Random—Assigns each particle a random material
ID in the range 1 to N, where N=# Sub-Materials.
# Sub-Materials—The highest ID number assigned
to particles using the Cycle or Random option.
In general, set this to the same number of
sub-materials in the Multi/Sub-Object material. If
you set it to a s maller number, the operator will
use only that m any sub-materia ls, start ing with the
first and counting upward.
Note: The software automatically sets this value
to the number of sub-materials in the material,
once only
, the first time you apply the material
to the operator. Any subsequent changes in the
material itself, or applying a different material to
theoperator,willnotchangeorupdatethesetting.
Rate group
These settings let you choose the basis on which
the operator changes material ID assignments, and
specify the rate of change.