Missile Smoke Trail - Particles

Mindwatering Incorporated

Author: Abigail Black

Created: 12/28/2022 at 08:58 PM

 

Category:
Animation
Blender

Creating a smoke trail without smoke sim, only the particle emitter

This presumes the missile is already made and paired to a path

Shift+A -> Mesh -> Cube
Name "Missile_SmokeMaterial"

Open Shader Editor
New Material -> name "smoke"
Delete Principled BSDF
Shift+A:
Shader -> Principled Volume
Texture -> Noise
Texture -> Gradient
Vector -> Mapping
Input -> Texture Coordinate
Input -> Object Info
Converter -> Math
Converter -> Vector Math -> Set to Add

Texture Coordinate Object output to Vector Math upper input
Object Info Location output to Noise Texture W input
Noise Texture Factor output to Vector Math lower input
Vector Math output to Mapping upmost Vector input
Mapping output to Gradient input
Gradient Color output to Math upper input
Math output to Principled Volume Density input
Principled Volume output to Material Output Volume input

Noise Texture
- Set to 4D (for the W input option)
- Scale = 7
- Detail = 2

Mapping
- Location X/Y/Z = 3m
- Scale X/Y/Z = -3

Gradient Volume
- Set to Quadratic Sphere

Math
- Set to Multiply
- Lower Value = 200



Object View
Shift+A -> Mesh -> Circle
Edit Mode -> Select circle lines -> F to create a face
Object Mode
Name "Missile_SmokeSource"
Select Circle -> Select missile -> Ctrl+P -> Object (Circle should now move with missile when missile is selected)

Go to Properties -> Particle Properties -> Click +
Name "Missile_Smoke"
Render -> Render As dropdown -> Object
Instance Object -> select "Missile_SmokeMaterial"
Physics -> Forces -> Brownian = >1
Field Weights -> Gravity = 0

Adjust sliders and numbers in Particle settings as wanted. Proof with timeline as Missile travels on path
When satisfied, Bake particles

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