Particle Generation Emit Time

[stusic]

I have a model that uses particles to imitate a radio wave. I have the wave set up, but it's too thick, and the only way I can make it thinner is to shorten the emit time of the particles, but I've already set the emit time to one frame, but it's still too wide. Is there any way to make the emit time less than one frame (say 1/2 frame)?

You can see what I'm talking about in my other thread (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?p=912742#post912742) in the DV Gallery.

Thanks All!

[dellis]

I would suggest lowering the particle count. As an aside though, do you have to use a particle system for this? My first tries at something like this would have been an animated circle shape or even the ringwave object. Post back if ya need further help.

[stusic]

I was actually thinking more particles -- I'm trying to get them appearing more as one entity than the "dusty" look that's there now. The problem is that they're emitting too long; by the time one frame of emit time goes by, it's a really wide band -- I'm trying to thin the band down a bit (maybe halfsies?). I was thinking of scaling my timeline by two, then create the emit time at 1, then scale it back down... maybe itk'll make a half-frame emit time? I'm afraid it'll mess something else up, and may not even accomplish what I'm looking for.

[dellis]

I just made up an example for ya but its in MAX 2009 format. So i'll describe it and post it...in case you aren't using MAX 2009.

-Create a circle shape object and then right click and convert to editable poly.
-Place the circle where you want the particle waves to emit from.
-Create a pflow system.
-make sure the quantity multiplier (in the modify panel) for the viewport shows 100%.
-open up particle view
-click on the birth event and change the birth start and end times to zero...with about 2000 particles
-drag a position object operator from the depot and drop it on the position icon operator.
-pick the circle as the emitter object and then in location set it to emit from surface
-in the speed operator change the speed to a lower amount (whatever you need) and change the direction to icon center out.
-change the shape to cube and set the size to be whatever you need.
-in the display operator switch the type to geometry

-once you do all that, select the event and hold down shift and drag the event to an empty spot in the particle view to make a copy.
-wire this new event to the pfsource node.
- i would start naming them as well as visually placing them in some order.
-now in the second event...change your emit start and stop times to what ever spacing you want in between waves. (both the start and stop frame must be the same number)

-then just repeat, making a copy and offsetting the birth event.

Let me know if this helps....