Curve controls

[Eloi Andaluz]

Having a build curve control system on tyflow can help in a lot of areas:

-Next to Variation:  Right now all variations in Tyflow are linear, and with big quantity of particles you never want that for a natural look.  Will be cool if we have a small icon next to variation parameter, by default set to linear, and you can switch it to exponential, logaritmic,....and custom.  With custom opening a curve control to define exactly how do you want the variation.

-On animation:  Right now we have parameters to define for example "Scale". When we need to animate this value based on event age, we need to define it, but still animate using the timeline.  We are using a linear animation system to animate none linear animation system.  Will be great if we can switch from a "parameter" to a "Curve", so we can animate more directly from tyflow, with the "X" corresponding to the event age.

[tyFlow]

I don't understand your second point....you can already animate the scale parameters of the Scale operator on the timeline and then using the keyframes rollout to adjust the speed and offset of those keys for each particle.

As for your first point, I agree curve controls would be useful, the problem is just how to implement them without cluttering the UI. I will have to think about that.

[DPR]

Could it be like the mix curve on max's Falloff Map?

[TubeSmokeGuy]

Maybe like in PHX FD, there you can open nice and good scalable curve diagrams f.e. in the volume render settings of the simulators or in the modificators of liquid and / or fire sources.

[cgdvs]

In fact, I also mentioned a similar scheme.
His second point is easy to understand.
For example: I have a "Size" value (floating point) (the particles are not the same size). I can assign this value to the floating point channel of the "MAPPING" operator. To define the gradient color of the particles.
So the same, this "Size" value can also be defined in the "Magnitude" value of the "Speed" operator, so that large particles can have a faster speed, and small particles are very small.
You can also apply the "Size" value to the "Strength" value of the "Force" operator. Such large particles are subject to heavy gravity, and small particles are subject to less force.
You can also apply the "Size" value to the Z axis of the "Spread" operator. Such large particles have a higher position on the Z axis.