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GMoni
Known Participant
February 26, 2024
Question

Trapcode Particular Physics Time Factor Skipping

  • February 26, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 1764 views

AE 24.1.0

Trapcode 2024.1.0

MacOS 14.3.1

M1 Ultra, 64 GB

 

We are trying to animate the speed of a fluid system. Go from regular speed and then ramp it down to slo motion. Using the Physics Time Factor in the Global Controls seems to be the trick but when I play it back the seems to skip after a few seconds. Anyone else seen this before? 

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2 replies

Community Expert
February 28, 2024

Try this. Create a constant flow at about your slow flow rate, Pre-compose moving all attributes, enable Time Remapping, and add some keyframes. It's pretty easy to visualize the speed changes if you open the graph editor and edit the speed graph.

 

I use Time Remapping all the time. You won't end up with repeated frames and it's much easier than any other way to vary the speed of any particle system.

GMoni
GMoniAuthor
Known Participant
February 28, 2024

Yes I tried that but it does not look smooth enough.

GMoni
GMoniAuthor
Known Participant
February 29, 2024

You have to start by making the particular layer longer than it is going to be in the final composition, then adjust the speed of the particles to the slowest speed you want in your design. Then, Pre-compose, Time Remap, and speed up the particles and slow them down as needed by moving keyframes closer together and keeping the speed graph between 1 second per second and faster.  As long as the slowest speed stays close to 1 second per second, you won't see any jumpy movement. 

 

The Speed Graph editor will look like this:

The gif is only 8 FPS, but as you can see, the particles speed up and then move slowly for the last half of the animation. The slow speed was achieved by fiddling with the velocity and air density.


Thank you! Like I mentioned it does not look smooth enough. I am probably slowing it down way too much. Honestly I was hoping to eliminate the extra step using the Global Controls instead of rendering at full speed to then slow it down in a new comp. But again thank you!

Known Participant
February 28, 2024

Just out of curiosity what do you mean by skipping? Like dropping frames? Slowing things down in Particular using the Physics Time Factor has always been hit and miss in my experience.

GMoni
GMoniAuthor
Known Participant
February 28, 2024

It did skip frames but all the particles jump. It looked like it would skip back several frames. However I did make a totally new composition and it seemed to work fine. But a few comps later and it was back again.

GMoni
GMoniAuthor
Known Participant
February 28, 2024

Sorry...i meant it didnt drop frames.