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Use Rate Specifies a fixed number of particles emitted per frame. Use the
spinner to set the number of particles formed per frame.
Use Total Specifies a total number of particles formed over the life of the
system. Use the spinner to set the number of particles formed per frame.
The life of the system, in frames, is specified by the Life spinner in the Particle
Timing group, described later in this topic.
TIP Generally, Use Rate is best for a continuous flow of particles, like a trail of pixie
dust, while Use Total is better for bursts of particles over a short period of time.
Particle Motion group
These spinners control the initial particle velocity, which is directed along
the surface, edge, or vertex normals (interpolated for each emitter point).
Speed The velocity of the particle at birth, along the normal, in units traveled
per frame.
Variation Applies a percentage of variation to the speed of emission for each
particle.
Divergence Applies an angular degree of variation by which each particle's
velocity can vary from the emitter normal.
NOTE The initial direction for a fragment cluster is the normal of the cluster's seed
face. Clusters are created by choosing a single face (the seed face), and then
creating a cluster outward from that face, depending on the method chosen in
the Object Fragment Controls group on the Particle Type rollout.
Particle Timing group
These options specify when particle emission starts and stops, and the lifespan
of the individual particles.
Emit Start Sets the frame at which particles begin to exist in the scene.
Emit Stop Sets the last frame at which particles are emitted. This setting has
no effect if you choose the Object Fragments particle type.
Display Until Specifies the frame at which all particles will disappear,
regardless of other settings.
Life Sets the lifespan in number of frames of each particle from the frame of
creation.
Non-Event-Driven Particle Systems | 3051