What is Thinking Particles?
Thinking Particles is a standalone plugin that adds powerful particle simulation and effects tools to 3D animation software like 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Houdini, and Maya. It enables artists and animators to easily create complex, realistic particle effects like smoke, fire, explosions, sparks, fairy dust, and abstract visual effects.
Some key features of Thinking Particles include:
- Intuitive node-based workflow for building particle systems
- Options for emitting particles from meshes, fracturing meshes into particles, and conforming particles to surfaces
- Complex physics simulations using forces like turbulence, vortex, gravity, and air resistance
- Collision detection between particles and other objects
- Control over particle properties like size, color, opacity, rotation, and more
- Ability to render sprites or 3D objects as particles
- Powerful scripting and expression functions for advanced effects
- Caching of simulations for faster playback and iteration
- Integrates seamlessly into host 3D software
With its robust simulation engine and deep toolset, Thinking Particles is valued in VFX, motion graphics, and visualization for its ability to create a huge variety of realistic particle effects with detailed control and without the need for coding.