CC Particle Systems II - keyframe not working

In general if you want to animate the particles you are using in a particle generator you need to use a pre–comp.

Animate your target particle layer.

Turn target layer into a pre–comp.

Select the now pre–comped layer and use that as the base for the particle.

It should animate.

I don't see why Particular wouldn't/ shouldn't work here. You just need to spend time understanding its parameters just like with Particle Systems II.

Mylenium

Straight to the point: Keyframing never yields a direct response on most particle systems. You have a misunderstanding there. In most cases you keyframed some base properties, but they are still evaluated over the life cycle of the particle and you need to take this into account. And some parameters such as color over life cannot be animated, anyway. Whatever you want to do at the very least will require a more sophisticated plug-in like Trapcode Particular or an entirely different approach, but without more specific info nobody can tell you much.

Mylenium