Skip to main content
Blender

Return to Answer

deleted 50 characters in body
Source Link
vklidu
vklidu
  • 37.2k
  • 1
  • 64
  • 143

Sorry, my post covers generating smoke as a single mesh in Blender 2.79, and not an entire smoke sim anim, due a buggy particle system (or smoke cache). Blender

Blender 2.83 doesnt have texture type Voxel Data. 2.83 comes with, but there is a new object type - Volume and would be possible with Voxel Mesher Modifier modifier. Here is the patch on the way https://developer.blender.org/D4960

MyIn meantime my goal with 2.79 was to ...

Sorry, my post covers generating smoke as a single mesh in Blender 2.79, and not an entire smoke sim anim, due a buggy particle system (or smoke cache). Blender 2.83 doesnt have texture type Voxel Data. 2.83 comes with a new object type - Volume and would be possible with Voxel Mesher modifier. Here is the patch on the way https://developer.blender.org/D4960

My goal was to ...

Sorry, my post covers generating smoke as a single mesh in Blender 2.79, and not an entire smoke sim anim, due a buggy particle system (or smoke cache).

Blender 2.83 doesnt have texture type Voxel Data, but there is a Voxel Mesher Modifier on the way https://developer.blender.org/D4960

In meantime my goal with 2.79 was to ...

added 42 characters in body
Source Link
vklidu
vklidu
  • 37.2k
  • 1
  • 64
  • 143

Sorry, my post covers generating smoke as a single mesh in Blender 2.79, and not an entire smoke sim anim, due a buggy particle system (or smoke cache). Blender 2.83 doesnt have texture type Voxel Data. 2.83 comes with a new object type - Volume, but that doesn't solve nothing in your case, but future and would be possible with Voxel Mesher modifier. Here is always brightthe patch on the way :)https://developer.blender.org/D4960

Sorry, my post covers generating smoke as a single mesh in Blender 2.79, and not an entire smoke sim anim, due a buggy particle system (or smoke cache). Blender 2.83 doesnt have texture type Voxel Data. 2.83 comes with a new object type - Volume, but that doesn't solve nothing in your case, but future is always bright :)

Sorry, my post covers generating smoke as a single mesh in Blender 2.79, and not an entire smoke sim anim, due a buggy particle system (or smoke cache). Blender 2.83 doesnt have texture type Voxel Data. 2.83 comes with a new object type - Volume and would be possible with Voxel Mesher modifier. Here is the patch on the way https://developer.blender.org/D4960

added 313 characters in body
Source Link
vklidu
vklidu
  • 37.2k
  • 1
  • 64
  • 143

Sorry, my post is not an answer. Posted more like state of buggy Particle System and Texture > Voxel Datacovers generating smoke as a single mesh in Blender 2.79b79, and not an entire smoke sim anim, due a buggy particle system (or smoke cache). Blender 2.83 doesnt have this texture type Voxel Data. 2.83 comes with a new object type - Volume, but that doesntdoesn't solve nothing in thisyour case, but future is always bright :)

  • use voxel data to generate particle cloud from texture (01) or vertex weight (02)
  • particles represent by metaballs
  • animation export as Alembic or Wavefront, that converts metaballs (smoke) into Mesh Sequence animation

test 01 - MeshedMesh from Voxel Data Texture

Blender 2.79 contains Texturetexture type Voxel Data that use this kind of data as 3D texture. Blender Manual describes this quite straight forward. And it works for 8-bit RAW and Image Sequence file format (like CT scan or MRI).

ThatIt means - it is possible (with some headaches*) to generate mesh byfrom particle system represented asby metaball objects, like this ... enter image description here

Troubles comes with voxel file format Smoke (that should be able to reuse data of existing Smoke Domain on another object) and Blender Voxel (that should use externally saved simulation bake) ... enter image description here ... I could see material in Preview of Material andPreview in Texture Properties, but nothing was rendered.

Anyway ... for your needs, when I assigned particle system directly to domain and Domain was set as Texture for particle density I was able to generate a particle cloud and to mesh one frame of smoke, but not entire animation. Probably for the reason mentioned above - bug. I'm not sure how that one frame is selected, but probably current frame setupset on timeline when assigned? CantCan't confirm due the refresh issue.

For those interested - in case smoke sim is donebaked ...

  • add Metaball object
  • select Smoke Domain
  • add Particle system - Emission>Start1 End1 / Source>Volume / Distribution>GridDistribution>Grid> / Velocity>zero / Texture>New (Cycles engine onlyCycles only) / Field Weight>Gravity=zero
  • go to Particle Texture (Particles) Properties - Type>Voxel Data / Voxel Data>Smoke / Influence>DensityColor>Ramp=ON to adjust density / Influence>Density=ON
  • set render particles as Object>Mbals
  • export (Mball) as Wavefront(.obj) or Alembic (.abc) that converts metaballs into Mesh Sequence animation
  • (in case someone will fix the bug :) )

... another pain as hell is particle system refreshing https://developer.blender.org/T52160 . Even you have visible particle cloud, opening file again hides the particles. To make them visible again I discovered only one weird way - switch to Blender Internal inengine into RenderView mode in 3Dview, change particle resolution to something, it refresh particle appearappearance, switch back to Cycles if needed.

test02 - Mesh from Dynamic Paint - Weight

Dynamic Paint in video of Miikah can use a smoke sim as a "brush" to paint, so I wanted Weight paint into a dense grid byusing voxel data. Vertex Weight becomes Particle size solver. But ... I don't even thing this was implemented or I do something wrong here. (I could only approved dynamic paint vertex-weight can generate animated particle cloud, but not driven by smoke.)

Edits forNotes to fix setup of your second blend file

  • Influence > enabledenable Density (and Size)
  • FiledField Weights > Gravity = 0
  • Render > Size is very small, try 0.4
  • looks better to use Random for GridEmission>Grid
  • you have set Smoke cache frame range 1-90 even scene is set 1-150
  • also life time of particleparticles system for metaballsLife Time is only 50 should be 150

Screens below use – Grid Res 200 / Particle Size 0.1 / Mball Preview 0.2

Smoke Default Preview enter image description here Smoke Viewports Display Color Ramp enter image description here Mball Particles enter image description here Hight

Hight Grid Resolution /+ Smaller Particle Size /+ Smaller Metaballs resolution = More detailed final mesh

Bake Smokesmoke sim first. If particles are not visible check italic paragraph under my first blend file.

Sorry, my post is not an answer. Posted more like state of buggy Particle System and Texture > Voxel Data in Blender 2.79b. Blender 2.83 doesnt have this texture type. 2.83 comes with a new object type - Volume, but that doesnt solve nothing in this case, but future is always bright :)

  • use voxel data generate particle cloud from texture (01) or vertex weight (02)
  • particles represent by metaballs
  • animation export as Alembic or Wavefront, that converts metaballs (smoke) into Mesh Sequence

test 01 - Meshed from Texture

Blender 2.79 contains Texture type Voxel Data that use this kind of data as 3D texture. Blender Manual describes this quite straight forward. And it works for 8-bit RAW and Image Sequence file format (like CT scan or MRI).

That means - it is possible (with some headaches*) to generate mesh by particle system represented as metaball objects, like this ... enter image description here

Troubles comes with voxel file format Smoke (that should be able to reuse data of existing Smoke Domain on another object) and Blender Voxel (that should use externally saved simulation bake) ... enter image description here ... I could see material in Preview of Material and Texture Properties, but nothing was rendered.

Anyway ... for your needs, when I assigned particle system directly to domain and Domain was set as Texture for particle density I was able to generate a particle cloud and to mesh one frame of smoke, but not entire animation. Probably for the reason mentioned above - bug. I'm not sure how that one frame is selected, but probably current frame setup when assigned? Cant confirm.

For those interested - in case smoke sim is done ...

  • add Metaball object
  • select Smoke Domain
  • add Particle system - Emission>Start1 End1 / Source>Volume / Distribution>Grid / Velocity>zero / Texture>New (Cycles engine only)
  • go to Particle Texture Properties - Type>Voxel Data / Voxel Data>Smoke / Influence>Density
  • set render particles as Object>Mbals
  • export (Mball) as Wavefront(.obj) or Alembic (.abc) that converts metaballs into Mesh Sequence animation

... another pain as hell is particle system refreshing https://developer.blender.org/T52160 . Even you have visible particle cloud, opening file again hides particles. To make them visible again switch Blender Internal in RenderView mode, change particle resolution to something, particle appear, switch back to Cycles if needed.

test02 - Mesh from Dynamic Paint Weight

Dynamic Paint in video of Miikah can use a smoke sim as a "brush" to paint, so I wanted Weight paint into a dense grid by voxel data. Vertex Weight becomes Particle size solver. But ... I don't even thing this was implemented. (I could only approved dynamic paint vertex-weight can generate animated particle cloud, but not driven by smoke.)

Edits for your second blend

  • Influence > enabled Density (and Size)
  • Filed Weights > Gravity = 0
  • Render > Size is very small try 0.4
  • looks better use Random for Grid
  • you have set Smoke cache frame range 1-90 even scene is set 1-150
  • also life time of particle system for metaballs is only 50 should be 150

Screens – Grid Res 200 / Particle Size 0.1 / Mball Preview 0.2

Smoke Default Preview enter image description here Smoke Viewports Display Color Ramp enter image description here Mball Particles enter image description here Hight Grid Resolution / Smaller Particle Size / Smaller Metaballs resolution = More detailed final mesh

Bake Smoke sim first. If particles are not visible check italic paragraph under my first blend file.

Sorry, my post covers generating smoke as a single mesh in Blender 2.79, and not an entire smoke sim anim, due a buggy particle system (or smoke cache). Blender 2.83 doesnt have texture type Voxel Data. 2.83 comes with a new object type - Volume, but that doesn't solve nothing in your case, but future is always bright :)

  • use voxel data to generate particle cloud from texture (01) or vertex weight (02)
  • particles represent by metaballs
  • animation export as Alembic or Wavefront, that converts metaballs (smoke) into Mesh Sequence animation

test 01 - Mesh from Voxel Data Texture

Blender 2.79 contains texture type Voxel Data that use this kind of data as 3D texture. Blender Manual describes this quite straight forward. And it works for 8-bit RAW and Image Sequence file format (like CT scan or MRI).

It means - it is possible (with some headaches*) to generate mesh from particle system represented by metaball objects, like this ... enter image description here

Troubles comes with voxel file format Smoke (that should be able to reuse data of existing Smoke Domain on another object) and Blender Voxel (that should use externally saved simulation bake) ... enter image description here ... I could see Material Preview in Texture Properties, but nothing was rendered.

Anyway ... for your needs, when I assigned particle system directly to domain and Domain was set as Texture for particle density I was able to generate a particle cloud and to mesh one frame of smoke, but not entire animation. Probably for the reason mentioned above - bug. I'm not sure how that one frame is selected, probably current frame set on timeline when assigned? Can't confirm due the refresh issue.

For those interested - in case smoke sim is baked ...

  • add Metaball object
  • select Smoke Domain
  • add Particle system - Emission>Start1 End1 / Source>Volume / Distribution>Grid> / Velocity>zero / Texture>New (Cycles only) / Field Weight>Gravity=zero
  • go to Texture (Particles) Properties - Type>Voxel Data / Voxel Data>Smoke / Color>Ramp=ON to adjust density / Influence>Density=ON
  • set render particles as Object>Mbals
  • export (Mball) as Wavefront(.obj) or Alembic (.abc) that converts metaballs into Mesh Sequence animation
  • (in case someone will fix the bug :) )

... another pain as hell is particle system refreshing https://developer.blender.org/T52160 . Even you have visible particle cloud, opening file again hides the particles. To make them visible again I discovered only one weird way - switch to Blender Internal engine into RenderView mode in 3Dview, change particle resolution to something, it refresh particle appearance, switch back to Cycles if needed.

test02 - Mesh from Dynamic Paint - Weight

Dynamic Paint in video of Miikah can use a smoke sim as a "brush" to paint, so I wanted Weight paint into a dense grid using voxel data. Vertex Weight becomes Particle size solver. But ... I don't even thing this was implemented or I do something wrong here. (I could only approved dynamic paint vertex-weight can generate animated particle cloud, but not driven by smoke.)

Notes to fix setup of your second blend file

  • Influence > enable Density
  • Field Weights > Gravity = 0
  • Render > Size is very small, try 0.4
  • looks better to use Random for Emission>Grid
  • you have set Smoke cache frame range 1-90 even scene is set 1-150
  • also particles system Life Time is only 50 should be 150

Screens below use – Grid Res 200 / Particle Size 0.1 / Mball Preview 0.2

Smoke Default Preview enter image description here Smoke Viewports Display Color Ramp enter image description here Mball Particles enter image description here

Hight Grid Resolution + Smaller Particle Size + Smaller Metaballs resolution = More detailed final mesh

Bake smoke sim first. If particles are not visible check italic paragraph under my first blend file.

deleted 2 characters in body
Source Link
vklidu
vklidu
  • 37.2k
  • 1
  • 64
  • 143
added 1744 characters in body
Source Link
vklidu
vklidu
  • 37.2k
  • 1
  • 64
  • 143
added 89 characters in body
Source Link
vklidu
vklidu
  • 37.2k
  • 1
  • 64
  • 143
added 111 characters in body
Source Link
vklidu
vklidu
  • 37.2k
  • 1
  • 64
  • 143
added 2551 characters in body
Source Link
vklidu
vklidu
  • 37.2k
  • 1
  • 64
  • 143
Source Link
vklidu
vklidu
  • 37.2k
  • 1
  • 64
  • 143