9.5.2

394 • CHAPTER 7
OBJECTS MENU • PARTICLES • 395
Start by choosing Objects > Modeling > Metaball to create a Metaball object.
Now edit the settings in the Attribute manager. As with the rst example, only
the values that you need to change are listed — leave the other values set to
their default.
Object page
 Hull Value = 70%;
 Editor Subdivision = 15 m;
 Render Subdivision = 5 m.
Next, choose Objects > Particle > Emitter to create an emitter. In the Attribute
manager, change the following values (again, leave the values that are not
listed set to their defaults):
Particle page
 Birthrate (Editor & Renderer) = 15;
 Lifetime = 100 F (Variation = 50%);
 Speed = 500 m (Variation = 50%);
 End Scale = 0 (Variation 100%).
Choose Objects > Primitive > Sphere to create a sphere. In the Attribute
manager, set the sphere’s Radius to 35 m. In the Object manager, drag and
drop the sphere’s name onto the emitter’s name to make the sphere a child
of the emitter. Now drag and drop the name of the emitter onto the name of
the metaball.
Move the time slider some way into the animation and render the picture.
Now experiment!
You must render to the Picture Viewer (Render > Render To Picture Viewer) in
order to see a smooth movement of the metaballs — this smoothness relates
to the metaball’s Render Subdivision value.