Hi there.

I have a polyplane that I would like to follow a particle.

I have done the following the pariticle bit, but now I need to rotate the polyplane acordingly.

What I want is the polyplane to orient toward where the particle will be in a moment. To be pointing where it is heading so to speak. Like an arrow.

I'm not sure but i think what I need to do is to take the particles velocity and use that information to derive the orientation.

But how is the math? And how is the MEL way?

Do I make sence or do I need to explain more?

Thank you.

if you are instancing geometry onto the particles then you have options there for which direction to point. Check that out.

it's all in the docs

A

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Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

IMDB

I'll bet you could set keyframes and do it manually.
Takes a bit of time.
Oh, and you can mess with the driven key stuff. Don't know where it is, but I know that'll fix it.
It alows you to move objects in relation to other objects.

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"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

George Bernard Shaw - Man and Superman

Em no you can do it manually with keyframes....are you mad?!

particles are a simulation thus you wont know how many there will be etc etc. Do what I said with the instancer that should do it.


A

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Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

IMDB

I could use the instancer, but I need to have every instanced piece of geometry to bend and jiggle individualy. As far as I know, the instanced object can deform on a per instanced object basis.

I have worked around my problem thoug. I choose to shift the solution backwards a few frames. So what I did was this:

I know at every frame where my particles are at the moment. I then store these postitions on locaters, and compare this position 2 frames ahead. With these 2 positions I can now reduce everything to a mere orient constraint.



Thanks by the way.

You could have simply pointed your "arrow" down the X axis and then set the "aim direction" of your particle shape under the "instancer" section to velocity.

next time

hi
I am interested in the same thing, since I am new here. I agree with your description of the process which also means a cross-section at any time which is the same as tomography used in a PET scan.
One expects then for PET scans and MEL rotation you descibe, that their mathematics is related to the Heisenberg theory called the uncertainty principle, from the 1930's.
I hope you find the help on your question.
Also good luck with maya .