I have an idea for an ecosystem, but I'm not sure how to create it.  I have a plane that came with a lo-res prop of a pilot parachuting.  It would be perfect for use in an ecosystem of troops parachuting.

I think I read a long time ago that you could have the mat on a primitive that was somehow made invisible, but I can't find anything in the manual about that.  I've seen a flock of seagulls ecosystem at Cornucopia that was probably done that way.

Could someone explain, if possible, or point me to a tutorial?  I have Vue 8 Studio.  Can I do it as is, or do I need the AdvanceGraph module to make this work?  Thanks for any help!

John

Geekatplay has a tutorial on 3D ecosystems, which is what you're after. Basically, the technique consists in applying an ecosystem to an object and applying a noise function in the slider "offset from surface" (the noise must be multiplied and biased, otherwise it's too small to be noticeable). It's not complicated and the manual doesn't refer it probably because this is acomplished just using the normal tools available in the material and function editors.

This requires you to work in the function editor. If your vue version can't do it, you probably won't be able to create this kind of ecosystem.

But if the prop is lo-rez and if you have enough memory, you probably can do something similar with the scatter/duplicate tool.

Thanks, Rutra, I'll check that out.  I've already been warned by Vue to back off on editing a function because I didn't have AdvanceGraph.  I'll get it if Cornucopia will sell it to me.  I tried to buy some items that were listed as being compatible with Studio, only to be told at check-out that I needed to register a copy of Infinite to be able to buy them.  I hope they're not always that hard to deal with.

I have 8gigs of RAM, so the scatter/duplicate method should be okay.

Another thing I want to do is use my Liberty Ship to make a convoy.  It will have to be an ecosystem for that.  Wish me luck!

John

duplicates are semi-instances, iirc, and don't use too much memory, but they are linked ot the parent one's original state I believe?
(ie don't blow them apart, mid way thorugh an animation, lol)

Just make sure your sticks are positioned and distanced properly or you'll have hell to pay in the DZ LOL! Take it from an old Airborne trooper LOL!!!

 I would just make a standard terrain, populate it with the ecosystem-parachuters, then make the terrain 100% transparent and move it up into the air.

Hi weezerhopw.  That's where I get stuck in my head.  How do I make an object invisible without making the material, the ecosystem, invisible also?

I imagine there's a secret, but I don't know what it is.

John

Make terrain, go into material editor and make the transparency 100%, then add your ecosystem layer to it.  

About 80% through this tutorial, Vlad talks about it...
http://www.geekatplay.com/tutorials/supernova/

here is a screenshot from it and where you do it...so really you make the first layer transparent, then add a second layer and add your ecosystem.

Thanks a lot, weezerhopw!  I saw all the tuts at geekatpay, but didn't know where to start. lol

Thanks again for the help.

John

 You are welcome, glad you got it figured out :) I look forward to seeing your image :)