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I don't want to use the fluid simulator beacuse i've been getting more controlled results with the particles system feature + using a guide as a force field.

What i'm trying to accomplish is water flowing inside a pipe. I don't need it to be realistic but i need an inner flow to be perceived.

So i was thinking of using a particle system guided with the same curve that models the pipe (so it follows its shape) and maybe add a smooth modifier to the result, to make it appear as though the multiple particles are only one fluid.

Of course if you think there's a way to achieve this easily with the fluid sim, or maybe there are ways to control it more preciselly, I will be glad to listen to your suggestions. But if what i'm asking is possible i would like to go that way or even a lower-tech solution (without any kind of simulation at all!)

Thanks!

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If you set up a particle system that works, you can use metaballs as the object it emits, so it looks like it's one smooth "fluid". Metaballs will merge together into one smooth shape. The result isn't perfect, but it's decent:

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you! this is exactly what i'm looking for, but i cant find the metaballs.... do i have to create 1 as an abject first in the scene and then select it as the object to be emmittted? $\endgroup$
    – invicente
    Commented Apr 11, 2014 at 17:44
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    $\begingroup$ @invicente Yes. Fair warning, this can be extremely slow with medium to large amounts of particles. $\endgroup$
    – gandalf3
    Commented Apr 11, 2014 at 18:54
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks to you two, I didn't know what "metaballs" were. Now i know. $\endgroup$
    – invicente
    Commented Apr 11, 2014 at 20:07
  • $\begingroup$ Would it be possible to "bake" the result to an animated mesh or something? And, if so, would that turn to be less resource consuming? $\endgroup$
    – invicente
    Commented Apr 11, 2014 at 20:09
  • $\begingroup$ @invicente if you want to save the mesh for a single frame, you can convert it to a mesh, but it won't animate anymore. There really isn't a way to "bake" it as far as I know. $\endgroup$
    – CharlesL
    Commented Apr 11, 2014 at 21:52

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