INPUT CLIPS
Background Clip: clip over which the fireworks explode.
APPLICATION
Fireworks must be set up in a completely different way to normal fx.
Only at frame 0 will the parameter values be used to create a firework. If you
set values at any other frame they will be COMPLETELY IGNORED!
At frame 0 the firework is created - all subsequent frames are the firework
going off. Every time you render frame 0 the old firework is destroyed and
a new firework created.
Make sure your TimeEditor is on frame 0 then you decide what effects you want and when they should happen. There are five pre-set fireworks but to build your own imagine you are actually filling up the firework container.
LAUNCH
CREATION
PREROLL
Frames (Min: 1 Max: 1000 Default: 50)
The selected number of frames are executed prior to rendering. Therefore you do not have
to view/render all the frames up to this point.
OVERALL
Phase Birth ( Init: 0.0 = Phase Birth OFF 1.0 = Phase Birth ON )
Phase Birth OFF: Each burst of the effect will occur at the given frame.
Phase Birth ON: the bursts will take place at or later than the given frame up
to a maximum of the total lifetime of that effect. This is a global control all
stages will be either phased or not.
Condensation ( Min: 0.0 Max: 100.0 Init: 100.0 ) If less than 100.0, the particles will be reduced in intensity at birth then gradually increase to the specified intensity.
Damp Sqib( Default: Off)
Damp Squib Off=0: The bursts will have their given life expectancy.
Damp Squib On=1: A global control which will randomly change the
life expectancy of each burst. The lifetime is always reduced.
Brightness ( Min: 0.0 Max: 400.0 Init: 100.0 )
Brightness of the firework particles.
LAUNCH
Each firework needs some power and direction to blast the effects into the
sky. Your choice of launch style will affect the force, direction and
position of the effects launched.
Style (Default: Rocket)
Rocket=0: carries the effect straight up to the apex then blasts the launch
particles to break them up and start swirling downwards.
Hint: set the timing of the effects to be after reaching the apex.
Blast=1: the launch particles are given turbulence from birth, swirling them
up to the apex and scattering the effects from the start.
Arch=2: the launch particles carry the effects up to form an arch at the apex.
The radius of the arch can be defined by Launch Trajectory Style2 Arch.
Ball=3: the launch particles cruise up to the apex and fall to earth. At the
chosen effect start time the effects burst into into a spherical display of
desired radius - use Stage1/2/3 Ball to set the radius.
Life ( Min: 0.0 Max: 1000.0 Init: 40.0 )
How many frames the launch particles exist for.
Many ( Min: 0.0 Max: 1000.0 Init: 40.0 )
How many launch particles there are.
To Apex ( Min: 1.0 Max: 1000.0 Init: 25.0 )
The chosen number of frames to the apex will dictate the speed.
Use Launch Trajectory X/Y Bot and X/Y Top to set the distance travelled.
Birth Colour Red/Green/Blue (Default: red)
Death Colour Red/Green/Blue (Default: yellow)
The launch particles change from their Birth Colour to the Death colour over their
lifetime.
Hint: Having non zero colour values will ensure an intense white when the
particles are concentrated.
Swirl Density ( Min: 1.0 Max: 100.0 Init: 80.0 )
How broad or fine the turbulence swirl is.
Swirl Amplitude ( Min: 1.0 Max: 100.0 Init: 1.0 )
The amplitude of the turbulence swirl. The larger the amplitude the
wilder the effect.
Trajectory Velocity Variance ( Min: 0.0 Max: 200.0 Init: 0.0 )
At 0.0 the launch particles move with the same velocity. Increasing this
value changes the potential for the launch particles to move at different
speeds.
Trajectory Style2 Arch ( Min: 0.0 Max: 100.0 Init: 20.0 )
100.0 gives a complete circle, 50.0 a semi circle, 25.0 90 degrees etc.
This comes into effect only if 'Arch' is chosen for the launch style.
Trajectory XY Bottom (Default: bottom center)
Trajectory XY Top ( Default: center)
The launch position for the firework and the height it will reach upwards. The
distance travelled in conjunction with Frames to Apex will give the speed of the
launch of the firework. This force is carried through to the particles launched
in the following stages.
Trajectory Position Variance (Min: 0.0 Max: 500.0 Defalut: 3.0) The radius of the firework - where the particles are launched from.
The Stages
There are 3 potential fx stages in the life of the firework. By setting the Bursts
to 0.0 you can limit which stages you want to use. Each stage can be independant,
taking only the birth position information from the launch particles, or they
can be linked together so the current effect is dependant on the previous one. The
Follow option activates this sequencing. All three stages have a similar set of
options which you can mix and match.
STAGE 1/2/3
Style (Default: Flower)
Flower=0: a radial burst.
Spray=1: a trail of particles.
Rosette=2: a spiral evolving.
Sparkle=3: a twinkling burst.
Select what particle type you want to launch.
Start (Min:1 Max 1000 Default:28)
The frame at which this effect should start at.
Bursts (Min:1 Max 1000 Default:28)
How many of the chosen style may appear.
Life (Min:1 Max 1000 Default:28)
Number of frames the effect could last for.
Birth Colour Red/Green/Blue (Default: red)
Death Colour Red/Green/Blue (Default: yellow)
The particles change from their Birth Colour to the Death colour over their
lifetime.
Hint: Having non zero colour values will ensure an intense white when the
particles are concentrated.
Many (Min:0.0 Max 10.0 Default:1.0)
Scale the amount of particles created for this effect. Each style has a set
amount of pixels assigned to it which you can boost or reduce as requred.
Blast (Min:0.0 Max 10.0 Default:1.0)
Scale the force with which the effect is born.
Tail (Min:0.0 Max 10.0 Default:1.0)
Scale the length of the rendered particle.
Ball (Min:0.0 Max 10.0 Default:1.0)
If the chosen launch style is Ball, the radius of the launch sphere is scaled.
The stage1 efffect will created within this radius.
STAGE 2
Follow 1 (Default: Off)
Independance=0: a direct result of the launch characteristic.
Follow On From Stage 1=1: If the start frame of Stage 2 is after the start
of Stage 1, the birth position and characteristics of Stage2 are based on the current
state of Stage 1.
STAGE 3
Follow 2 (Default: Off)
Independance=0: a direct result of the launch characteristic.
Follow On From Stage 2=1: If the start frame of Stage 3 is after the start
of Stage 2, the birth position and characteristics of Stage3 are based on the current
state of Stage 2.
If both Follow 1 and Follow 2 are on, Stage 1 particles are born from the launch charcteristics; Stage 2 from Stage 1 and Stage 3 from Stage 2. If neither are on, then all the particles are a direct result of the launch style.
PI DEMOS
There are 5 preset demos; all are based on 100 frames aproximately.
WORKING METHODS
As this effect is radically different in operation from the usual try out the
demos using this technique.