教學: 用PhoenixFD 2.2製作燒香煙霧

文 / Hammer Chen

有FumeFX用戶問我，FumeFX在市場這麼久了，火焰煙霧爆破這些都可做，為何要用PhoenixFD呢? 這裡我們就介紹一個範例，只有PhoenixFD做得到 (至少用FumeFX很難達到同樣的細節控制)。 這個教學我將說明製作燒香的煙，適用於香菸或是熱咖啡上的細煙效果。 這個範例強調了PhoenixFD 2.2的一個強處，就是能直接渲染粒子(類似於Krakatoa這樣的particle算圖器)。

PhoenixFD 2.2 for 3dsMax實測報告

文 / Hammer Chen

優點:

• 在3dsMax平台上，唯一同時可以模擬火焰 、水 、煙霧 及爆破的外掛軟體。甚至支援粒子算圖
• 與VRay完美整合，不需要透過如Krakatoa這類的particle renderer，可直接渲染液體的泡沫、浪花
• Viewport預覽效能絕佳
• 模擬時不會鎖住viewport，因此可以邊模擬邊調參數或算圖
• 提供各種專門的參數解決不同特效需求
• 原廠在論壇與社群網站都提供積極技術支援

缺點:

• Color and Transparency 編輯器操作不便
• 缺乏專門的render elements (在下一版將提供)
• 大量分散的參數，學習曲線較長
• 缺乏Gravity help，要改變smoke移動方向有點不便

Phoenix FD vs FumeFX Comparison

by Hammer Chen

click here for update version of this table.

	FumeFX 4.0	PhoenixFD 2.2 official build
price	*USD 845	*USD 960
Simulation capability	fire, smoke and explosion	Fire, smoke, explosion, water, high viscosity fluid, Infinite ocean with splash and foam, beer foam, boat wake, bubbles
UI	Floating UI	Rollout
cache file path	Absolute path	Relative path to scene, $(implicit)
Adaptive Grid	only offers "smaller than initial grid"	Fully controlled, fit in cam view
Alpha channel for smoke and fire	One for fire, one for smoke	shared
Particle shader		PHXFoam, able to render (large amount of) particle
Object Interaction (default)	Inclusive list	Exclusive list
Ocean Texture Map		PhoenixFDOcean Tex
Color gradient / curve  editor	user friendly	difficult
Particle source control	user friendly, radius with curve editor	through particle size
Gravity helper	YES, straightforward and effective
2D Simulation		YES
Viewport preview		high performance
Interactive simulation (Simulation not locking the gui)	YES (start form FumeFX 4.0)	YES
Wavelet	Wavelet	Wavelet , Resimulation
retime	YES, Post Processing	YES
Workflow for resim / select cache	straightforward, Sim Mode swicher	Automatic, might be confusing for beginner
Inertial forces	YES, Use Grid Motion	YES, can link sim grid to moving object, i.e.: moving torch
Dynamic solvers	Solvers: CG and QCG Advection: Default, Advanced (fields), Advanced(fields and vels)	Conservation: Symmetric, Smooth and Buffered Advection methods: Classic, Slow moving, Forward transfer and Multi-pass
Fluid Mapping	YES
heathaze		YES
displace voxels post-sim	NO	YES
Fire create smokes	YES
Smoke buoyancy	Sensitive to dynamic
Cache optimization	Drop unused channels by post processing	Storage quality control (similar to jpeg compression)
Import Field3D, openVOD	support	support
Export PRT	support	support
Self-illuminate acceleration	Illumination map	Grid-based
Render elements	FumeFXfire, FumeFXsmoke, velocity, zdepth	YES for Maya version
Integration with Particle Flow	FumeFX Birth, Follow, Test	PhoenixFD Birth, Force, Test
Integration with thinkingParticles	FumeFX Birth, Follow, Probe
GPU Preview	Floating windows, user friendly	Thorugh 3dsmax extended viewport
Solid mode		YES
Network simulation	through backburner
Spline Follow	YES	YES, follow path
Render Warps	YES
Effectors	YES
Learning curve		Lots of parameters, take time to learn
best GI renderer compatability	mentalRay	V-Ray
Customer support		Offical forum and Facebook group

*Please check official website for their local store / sales details.