2009

TIP Setting the viewport count less than the render count can improve viewport
performance.
Render Count Maximum number of particles that can appear in a single
frame when you render it. Works in combination with the particle system's
timing parameters.
■ When the number of particles reaches the Render Count value, particle
creation is suspended until some particles die.
■ When enough particles die, particle creation resumes until Render Count
is reached again.
Flake Size Size of a particle in the active units.
Speed Initial velocity of each particle as it leaves the emitter. Particles travel
at this speed unless they are affected by a particle system space warp.
Variation Varies the initial speed and direction of particles. The greater the
Variation, the broader the area of snowfall.
Tumble Amount of random rotation for snowflake particles. This parameter
can range from 0 to 1. At 0, flakes do not rotate; at 1, they rotate the most.
The axis of rotation is generated randomly for each particle.
Tumble Rate Speed at which snowflakes rotate. The greater the Tumble Rate,
the faster the rotation.
Flakes, Dots, or Ticks Select how particles are displayed in viewports. The
display setting does not affect how particles are rendered. Flakes are star-shaped
snowflakes, dots are points, ticks are small plus signs.
Render group
Six Point Each particle is rendered as a six-pointed star. Each side of the star
is a face to which you can assign a material. This is the default setting for
rendering.
Triangle Each particle is rendered as a triangle. Only one side of the triangle
is a face to which you can assign a material.
Facing Particles are rendered as square faces whose width and height equals
the Drop Size. Facing particles always face the camera (or the user's perspective).
They are provided especially for use with material maps. Use with an
appropriate opacity map for bubbles or snowflakes.
NOTE Facing works correctly only in a perspective or camera view.
Non-Event-Driven Particle Systems | 3023