RayFire Tool 1.43 Help

RayFire Tool 1.43 Help The RayFireВ ToolВ gives you the ability to shoot, destroy, demolish, ruin, break down, make havoc, blow up, burst, detonate, explode and do other similar things that you have always dreamed of in Max...

Table of Contents Compiled and prepared by John Rand http://www.4rand.com/ 

Installation Support Plugin Access & Menus  Installation: Install the RayFire Tool in your 3ds Max folder.

Launching: You can launch RayFire Tool via Command Panel / Create / Geometry RayFire Tool

Menus

1. Execution Via the Execution menu you can quickly perform all the main RayFire tool functions such as Activate Draw Fragment Mode, Simulate Shooting, Fragment, Simulate Explosion, Simulate Demolition, and Activate Instant Action. Action.

2. Manager Via manager menu You can activate Interactive mode. Select or delete layer and effects seleted in respective lists in Interactive Layrmanager rollout. For instance, after fragmentation last RF Layer will be selected in Layers list, so You can quiclky delete it via manager menu and fragment it again.

3. Tools Creat gun : creates simple plane with Look at constraint.

Installation Support Plugin Access & Menus  Installation: Install the RayFire Tool in your 3ds Max folder.

Launching: You can launch RayFire Tool via Command Panel / Create / Geometry RayFire Tool

Menus

1. Execution Via the Execution menu you can quickly perform all the main RayFire tool functions such as Activate Draw Fragment Mode, Simulate Shooting, Fragment, Simulate Explosion, Simulate Demolition, and Activate Instant Action. Action.

2. Manager Via manager menu You can activate Interactive mode. Select or delete layer and effects seleted in respective lists in Interactive Layrmanager rollout. For instance, after fragmentation last RF Layer will be selected in Layers list, so You can quiclky delete it via manager menu and fragment it again.

3. Tools Creat gun : creates simple plane with Look at constraint.

Clear all lists : CLear all RayFire Tool lists. Delete all original objects : When You fragment objects RayFire creates copies of Impct objects, hides original objects and fragment copies. so if You happy with results You can delete all hidden original objects to avoid confusions later. Clean up scene from RayFire info : cleans all objects in scene from any RayFire info. Clean up delected from RayFire info : cleans only selected objects from any RayFire info. Detach by element selected. Remove middle edge vertices: vertices : ProBoolean operation creates a lot of unneeded vertices. You can remove them using this tool. You can define angle threshold in Advanced Fragmentation rollout. Set it to 179 to remove all certices. Set it ot 5 or less to remove vertices only on straight edge. STL check selected: selected: RayFire will check all selected objects using STL check modifier and will suggest You to select all objects witth erors.

4. Options Hold scene before execute: execute : holds scene before shoot, fragment fr agment or explode. Update viewports: viewports: update viewports while fragmentation process. Advanced Fragmentation options : open Advanced Fragmentation options rollout. Add RayFire options : add custom Fragmentation options rollout for selected geometry objects. Custom options might be useful if You want to use Reactor demolition. They will allow You to fragment each object in its own way. Remove RayFire options : remove custom Fragmentation options rollout from selected geometry objects.

5. About Help: Help: Open off-line chm help file. Off-line help might be obsolete. For latest help check out On-line help. About: About: Open About rollout. In about Rollout You can see You request Id, build number, and peoples who help me. Website : Open RayFire Tool Website. Tutorials : Open Video Tutorial page. Purchase : Open purchase page. Online Help : Open On-Line help page. Check for updates : Download and install latest available build.

Table of Contents 

Installation, Support, Plugin Access, & Menus 1. Simulation TAB 1.1 Impact Objects 1.2 Interactive Layer Manager 1.3 Shooting Options

2. Physics TAB 2.1 Physics Options 2.2 Impact Objects 2.3 Unyielding Objects 2.4 Inactive Objects 2.5 Physx Influence

3. RayXplosion TAB 3.1 Fragmentation Options 3.2 Reactor Explosion 3.3 Reactor Demolition 3.4 Draw Fragment Mode

4. Geometry TAB 4.1 Holes 4.2 Reactor Debris 4.3 Decals & Bullets

4.4 Displace & Reactor Hit

5. Particles TAB 5.1 Particle Debris 5.2 Particle Sparks 5.3 Smoke 5.4 Blood

6. Effects TAB 6.1 Light 6.2 Custom Effect 6.3 RayFire Presets

SIMULATION TAB 

1.1 Impact Objects In this rollout you can define Impact objects.

Impact Objects Impact objects are geometry objects which you want to shoot, fragment or explode. You can use multiple animated Impact objects. You can also use skinned, pointcached or modifier deformed objects, note that in this case you loose the ability to use some of the features in RayFire, such as creating Realtime and Predefined Holes, and Reactor Hit. Pay attention that every time when You fragment, shoot using Any of Impact deformations or use reactor demolition, RayFire creates copies of Impact objects, hides original objects and use copies for simulation. When You delete simulation layer via Interactive layer Manger, RayFire deletes objects from selected layer and unhides originla objects. If You dont need in original Impact objects, You can delete them picking "Delete All Original Objects" in Tools Menu.

Working with lists Each list in the RayFire Tool has three buttons: Add, Clear and Menu. Add : To add some objects to the list, you must first select the objects in the viewport, then Left-click the Add button. Right-click the Add button to open the Selection Floater window to select objects inside floater. Clear : You can clear list by Left-clicking Clear button. In case you want to remove only one object from the list you must select the object in list and Right-click the Clear button. Menu : The Menu button gives you ability to mark objects in the list and quickly add them to the list later. Right-click the Menu button to open the Menu list. Selecting Mark objects

from the list will remember the marked objects, and quickly add them to the list later by Left-clicking the Menu button. You can unmark objects from the list or unmark all marked objects using next two buttons. Note that if you want to add a marked object in next max session you must save the scene after the objects have been marked. You can automatically add marked objects or add last added objects in the list every time when RayFire tool is launched or a max file is opened by turning ON Automatically add marked objects and Automatically add last added objects. You can use only one of them at a time, or turn both of them off. Interactive selection : Interactive selection available only for Impact objects list. Every time when You want to exlode or fragment some objects You have to add these objects in Impact objects list. In some cases such workflow might speed down You workflow. Turn On Interactive Selection and after that RayFire will update Impact Objects list every time when You will select objects. So, You can go to RayXplosion Tab and fragment objects just selecting them and clicking Fragment or Explode Button.

SIMULATION TAB 

1.2 Interactive Layer Manager In this rollout you can define Interactive mode and work with created effects: select, delete, hide\unhide or freeze\unfreeze them.

Layers and Effects Lists Layers and Effects Manager has two lists. Left list shows you all simulation Layers existed in scene. Right list shows you all existed effects in selected simulation Layer in the left list. If you select All Layers in left list, right list will show you all effects existed in scene You can select, delete, hide\unhide and freeze\unfreeze different effects or layers selecting them in lists and using buttons at the bottom of the lists. If you want to select all effects in scene: select All Layers and All Effects and push Select button. If you want to hide all effects in first simulation: select RF_Layer_1 and All Effects and push Hide button. If you want to freeze all lights in second simulation: select RF_Layer_2 and RF_Light and push freeze button. If You want to delete one of the layer and all effects: select this layer in left list and All Effects in right list and push delete button.

Tip: you can select several effects holding Shift button. Right list can shows you 11 different effects: RF_Impact, RF_Fragments, RF_Displace, RF_HolePredef, RF_Light, RF_Light_Muzzle, RF_Fume_Muzzle, RF_Debris, RF_Debris_Reactor, RF_Smoke, RF_FumeFX, RF_ObjectSrc, RF_Decals, RF_Sparks , RF_Blood, RF_InstantGun, RF_Bullet , RF_Custom. RF_Impact – Impact objects. Pay attention, every time when you use one of the impact deformation, RayFire creates copies of the original Impact objects, hides original Impact objects and makes all deformations on these copies. If you select RF_Impact in the right list and delete it using Delete button at bottom of the list, RayFire will automatically unhide original objects.

SIMULATION TAB 

1.3 Shooting Options In this rollout you can define the effects for shooting, how they are linked to Impact objects, the impact deformation type for Impact objects, use Interactive modes and simulate shooting

Gun Objects Gun objects are objects which will shoot Impact objects from the gun pivot point in the Z axis direction. You can use multiple animated Gun objects. You can also quickly create a plane with look at constraint to use it as gun clicking Create Gun in the Tools menu.

Shooting Options Start frame : First shooting frame. It cannot be less than frame 5.

End frame : Last shooting frame. Shooting rate : Shooting rate. Rounds per shot : How many shots RayFire will create at each shoot frame. Increase this spinner to get a shotgun like shooting effect, but do not forget increase Shoot spread spinner too or all shots will appear at the same position. Spread angle : Maximum random angle for each shot.

Simulate Shooting Executes shooting simulation. Be sure that you define at least one gun and one impact object. Note that if you use some impact deformations, such as: Reactor Hit, Displace, Holes - Realtime or Holes - Predefined, RayFire will create copies of all Impact objects, add Impact Deformation type to their names, hide original objects and will make all impact deformations on copies. After the simulation RayFire will automatically add these objects to the Impact objects list.

Instant Action Using this feature you can create all of the effects and impact deformations without a gun. Just choose some effects, add ONE object to the Impact objects list. Push Instant Action button, then start picking points on the impact object. All chosen effects will automatically be created at these points.

Warning: If you use impact deformations: Instant Action works directly with the original Impact objects, save your scene before using the Instant Action feature.

Geometry Decals : Create animated plane for Decals effect. Bullets : Create animated box or predefined objects for Bullet effect. Reactor Debris : References : Create geometry objects from Debris Reference list in Debris rollout at each impact point and explode them using reactor. Reactor Debris : Fragmented Predefined Holes : Fragment predefined holes in case you use Holes : Predefined impact deformation and explode them using reactor.

Impact Deformation Reactor Hit : Using this feature you can create a realistic physical interaction of Impact objects with bullets. Every shot will hit an impact object and create animation for it using Reactor. Displace : Using this feature you can shoot low poly objects and automatically subdivide impact faces to get detailed dent.After that RayFire will create Displace space warp and bind it to the impact object. Holes : Realtime : Using this feature you can create holes in impact objects. Holes will appear in the real time and Impact objects will get additional geometry on fly. Holes : Predefined : Using this feature you can create holes in impact objects. Holes will be already predefined. Objects which fill these holes will change visibility at 0 at each impact frame. Also using predefined holes you can fragment each predefined object and explode them using Reactor at each shot. None : Do not create any impact deformations. Use this mode if you just want to create effects like smoke, debris etc.

Effects Link Mode Attachment Constraint : Every time RayFire creates effects it must link these effects to

the impact objects. Use the attachment constraint if you want to create effects on skinned or pointcached objects. In this case RayFire will apply attachment constraint on each created effect and link it to the impact objects impact face. Select and Link : Created effects will use standard Select and Link function to link effects to the impact objects. Use it with non deformed impact objects.

Particles Blood : Create particles for Blood effect using PArray and emitter plane. Sparks : Create particles for Sparks effect using PArray and emitter plane. Debris : Create particles for Debris effect using PArray and emitter plane. Smoke : Create particles for Smoke effect using PArray and emitter plane. Custom : Use this feature If you want to create your own particle system, lights or any other objects at impact points.

Light Impact Flash : Create Flash effect at each impact point using Omni Light Muzzle Flash : Create Flash effect at gun muzzle using Omni Light

Interactive Mode Using Interactive mode you can interactively change properties in the already created effects. There are two modes: Selected Layer and Selected Objects. Depends on which is active you can work with simulation Layer selected in the right list or only with selected objects. After you will activate one of the mode, all spinners which can interactively change properties will get red brackets. For example: You have debris in first and second simulations. You want to change particles amount for debris in first layer, particle size for debris in second layer and particle speed for all debris in scene. Turn On Selected Layer interactive mode Select RF_Layer_1 in the list. Change Num: spinner value in Debris group in Effects rollout. Select RF_Layer_2 in the list. Change Size: spinner value in Debris group in Effects rollout. Select All Layers in the list. Change Speed: spinner value in Debris group in Effects rollout. If you want to change color in specified lights, turn ON Selected Objects interactive mode, select these lights in viewport, don’t worry if you select any other objects and change color in Lights rollout. RayFire will change color for all selected lights created using RayFire. Using this technique you can change any properties in created effects through RayFire Tool, no matter when you create them. Also using presets you can interactively load properties.

For example: you can create two presets, one with low amount of particles and one with high amount. While you work in scene better to use low amount of particles to speed up your workflow, but before rendering you can turn on Selected Layer interactive mode, select needed layer, select preset with high amount of particles and push Load button. After rendering you can select preset with low amount of particles and load them again.

PHYSICS TAB 

2.1 Physical options In this rollout you can define physical properties.

Physical Options Physical engine : Define which physical engine You want to use. Physx engine supports only 32 bit MAX. Start frame : Define simulation start frame. Time range : Define how many frames will be simulated starting from Start frame. Collision tolerance (cm) : One of the tasks that reactor performs at each simulation step is detection of whether any objects in the scene are colliding, and then updates the scene accordingly. If objects are closer together than the Collision Tolerance value, reactor considers them to be colliding. A high Collision Tolerance value results in a stable simulation, but it can also cause gaps between "colliding" objects. (3ds Max reference)

Substeps : Defines simulation substeps for physical engine. Keep it in range between 2 and 10. It is desirable to increase it in case simulation objects pass through each other. Gravity : Multiplier for default gravity. Move timeslider (only for PhysX) : Check ON if You want to bake animation for simulated objects. Check OFF if You just want to physically spread objects around.

Scale Factor (only for reactor): Using it RayFire scales down fragments BEFORE send them into reactor simulation and scale them BACK AFTER simulation finished. It seriously decrease simulation time and completely removes gaps between fragments and collision

objects like walls and ground. Set it to 0 to turn it off.

Override properties : when ON, RayFire will override the reactor properties in the simulation. Turn this OFF, if you want to use your own reactor properties, such as gravity, substeps, and worldscale.

Preview and Create Animation buttons (only for reactor): Gives you ability to use reactor via RayFire User interface.

PhysX simulations buttons. 1. Start preview: Check ON this button to start simulation in preview mode. After Time range will be simulated Physx will start simulation again. So You can interactively adjust properties like gravity, time scale, etc in real time and get instant result. Also You can start simulation again manually Right clicking on this button. Check OFF if you want to stop simulation and restore all objects postion. 2. Bake animation: This mode works in the same way as Preview mode, but in this case it bakes animation for simulated objects. After Time range will be simulated Physx will stop simulation. Check OFF if you want to stop simulation and restore all objects postion. 3. Pause: Check ON if You want to pause simulation and make some adjustments, like add space warps, change physical properties, etc. Check OFF to continue simulation. 4. Stop: Hit this button to stop simulation.

PHYSICS TAB 

2.1 Impact Objects In this rollout you can define physical properties for Impact objects.

Impact and Debris Properties Simulation Geometry : Geometry for physical interaction during simulation. Material : Material presets, use these to quickly assign Friction and Elasticity on next two spinners. Mass By : Method which RayFire will use to assign mass for to the Impact Objects and Reactor Debris. Random: range : RayFire will apply a random value from the mass range to each fragment. By volume: range : RayFire will distribute mass from the mass range to each fragment using the fragments volume. So the smallest fragment will get the minimum value from range and largest fragment will get the maximum value from range. By material density : RayFire will apply mass to each fragment using the fragments volume and material density. Mass range : First spinner: Minimum value, Second Spinner: Maximum Value. Friction and Elasticity : RayFire will assign these values to the objects.

PHYSICS TAB 

2.2 Unyielding Objects In this rollout you can define physical properties for Unyileding objects.

Unyielding Objects list Add objects to this list in that you want to use as deflectors (ground, walls) for Impact, Inactive and Reactor Debris objects.

Unyielding Properties Simulation Geometry : Geometry for physical interaction during the simulation. Material : Material presets, use these to quickly assign Friction and Elasticity on next two spinners. Friction and Elasticity : RayFire will assign these values to Unyielding objects.

PHYSICS TAB 

2.3 Inactive Objects In this rollout you can define physical properties for Inactive objects.

Inactive Objects RayFire will not shoot and explode objects added to this list. These objects will collide and interact with Impact, Unyielding and Reactor Debris objects.

Inactive Properties The same as in Impact and Debris properties.

PHYSICS TAB 

2.5 PhysX influence In this rollout you can define advanced Physx properties.

Physx influence list Physical influence list supports: Space warps (Wind, Drag, Gravity, PBomb ), Geometry, Helpers (RF_Bomb, RF_PhysX)

Commomn options Deactivate static Impact objects: It is possible to deactivate Impact objects with purpose to selectively activate them later. RayFire will deactivate only STATIC impact objects, which means that these objects should not be animated at simulation start frame. While objects is deactivated it behaves like Unyileding object. Activate by Force : Activate deactivated objects by affecting on them by force. For instance, You can prefragment wall, then create RF_Bomb or PBomb with some range near this wall, and then explode only small part of wall, which in the bomb's explosion range while all other part of wall will be simulated as unyileding objects. Activate by Geometry : It is possible to activate objetcs by some animated geometry in case You want to activate some aprts of deactivated objects at spcial moment. Using this feature You can script demolition of some building activating different parts at different time. Important to know that object will beactivated when it's bounding box will intersect with Activation geometry's bounding box. Also good way to use this feature is to define so simulated object as Activation geometry, For instance, You want to throw some rock in the wall and You want to break only some small part of this wall. In this case You can define all wall fragmets and rock as Impact objects and turn ON "Deactivate static Impact objects", then turn on "Activate by geometry" and add rock in Physx Influence list to define it as Activation geometry. When You will start simulation all wall fragments will be deactivated beause they wer not animated. When rock will be near wall's fragments it will activate them and hit right after that. So, it will break only part where it collides with wall. Here You can see small video demonstration: http://www.mirvadim.com/videos/tut/RayFire141_PhysX_Objects_Activation.wmv Activate by Mouse (radius) : You can activate objects just hovering mouse cursor over deactivated objects with pressed SHIFT key. Activate by texture (map channel) : It is possible to activate objects using animated balck and white testure. To use this featur You have to create some material with animated texture in DIFFUSE channel, then assign this material to all objects which You want to activate, start simulation, object will be activated right after it will become white. This feature is turned OFF when it is 0. Stick selected to mouse : Using this feature You can physically affect on simulated objects just selecting them. All selected objects will try to reach mouse cursor. With such ability You can easily physically spread some objects over the ground. If You want to release selected objects just hold SHIFT key for a second. Collision damping : Decrease objects speed if they collide with each other.

Force options Strength multiplier : Global strength multiplier for all defined forces. Strength by mass : Simulated objects will be affected by forces accordinly to their mass. Affect on Inactive : Forces will affect on Inactive objects.

Interactive Demolition options

Interactive Demolition works only in Bake Animation mode. Pay attention that before start Interactive demolition simulation, RayFire copies all simulated objects, hides original objects, and creates simulation with copies. Important to know that Interactive Deolition works in conjuction with objects material, which meanst that it takes into account material density and solidity before decide whether object should be demolished or not. For instance if You will collide Concrete with Glass , RayFire will demolish Glass but Concrete will not be demolished. Also You should know that it isn ot possible to demolish objects with metal material. Demolish geometry : Activates Interactive demolition for geometry objects. Demolish groups :Activates Interactive demolition for groups. Depth level : Defines how many times each object migh be fragmented. 1 means that original object will be fragmented one time and not more. 2 means that original object will be fragmented and EACH createdfragment might be fragmented again and so on. Material solidity : Global multiplier for material solidity. For instance, if want to collide concrete with glass and break them both then You should decrease global Material Solidity. Minimum size limit : Object will not be demolished if distance between it's farthest corners of bounding box is less then Minimum size value.

RAYXPLOSION TAB 

3.1 Fragmentation Options rollout In this rollout you can fragment Impact Objects and define fragmentation properties for Reactor Demolition feature.

Fragmentation will not work properly if your mesh has open edges. Close all open edges before using fragmentation. RayFire will weld vertices and cap open edges automatically, this is better done by yourself. You can fragment several objects at once, although it is recommended you fragment them separately. To use this feature add base object to the Impact Objects list and push Fragment Impact Objects button. After the fragmentation process you can select new objects or delete them via Interactive Layer Manger. In case the Impact object has more then 50000 triangles a Yes/No/Cancel window will appear. It will inform you about Impact objects which have more then 50000 triangles and ask you "Do you want to optimize these objects automatically before fragment?" Choose Yes to optimize mesh, but pay attention that in this case UVW map will get out of order. Choose No to continue without optimizing, ProBoolean may fail during fragmentation process. Choose Cancel to cancel fragmentation process. Keep this in mind and try to fragment object no more than 10000 - 20000 triangles Fragmentation Types: 1. Uniform: All fragments will have about the same size.

2. Irregular: Some fragments will be big, some small.

3. Relative to Bomb/Impact. Fragment object with more tiny fragments to point in space or to Impact point in case You use Reactor Demolition. You can set this point by defining one object as bomb in Reactor explosion options, RayFire will use it`s pivot point position. If Bomb object undefined RayFire will use Impact objects average position.

4. Relative to Mouse. Fragment objects relative to mouse cursor position. RayFire will fragment objects only near mouse cursor, if You will move cursor far from fragments RayFire will use Uniform fragmentation type.

5. Relative to Pivot. Fragment objects relative to objects pivot point. 6. Continuous. Fragment objects at one pass. Try not to use iterations more then 25. Each next iteration will take more and more time.

6. Voronoi - Uniform. Fragmentation type based on Voronoi diagram. Creates fragments with about the same size. 7. Voronoi - Bomb\Impact. Fragmentation type based on Voronoi diagram. Fragment object with more tiny fragments to Bomb object or to Impact point. If Bomb objects is not defined, object will be fragmented relative to pivot point. 7. Voronoi - Particle system. Fragmentation type based on Voronoi diagram. Fragment object using particles of selected particle system as point cloud. For now RayFire supports only PCloud and Pflow. So, poition particles as You wish, then select particle system and click Fragment Impact Objects.

Iterations : Defines how many times object will be cut. Second Spinner will add variation.

Chaos : Defines random angle range for cutter object. Detailization : Defines fragments surface detailing.

Noise strength : Defines fragments noise strength.

Material Button : push this button to define material for the fragmented area. Pick Button : push this button and pick object with material which You want to use as fragment material. Advanced fragmentation rollout. Also via Options menu or Rigth clicking "Fragment Impact Objects" button You can

Fragmentation method : RayFire provides two ways to fragment object: ProBoolean and ProCutter. ProCutter more stable but less accurate. If for some reason ProBoolean cannot fragment object try to use ProCutter. Fragmentation seed : using fragmentation seed You can fragment object evry time with the same pattern. Set seed to 0 to fragment object each time in different ways.

Face threshold : Defines fragments minimum face number. If a fragment has a lower face number than the Face threshold value it will be deleted. Useful if you want to explode fragments using reactor. Size threshold : Defines fragments minimum size. If fragment has a lower size than the Size threshold value it will be deleted. Useful if you want to explode fragments using reactor. Jitter amount : Defines the maximum position shift for the fragments. Material Id : Defines material Id for fragment surface. Pay attention that value should be greater then biggest material Id value of Impact object. Set it to 0 to apply Material Id automatically. Rift width : Defines gap distance between fragments. Useful if you want to explode fragments using reactor. Fill rifts : Creates object which fill rifts. Bake animation : Bake fragments in case Impact object has animation. Quadrangle faces : Make all fragment`s faces four sided. Create selection sets : create slection set with fragments after fragmentation. Animate Impact and Fragment objects Visibility : Activate this checkbox if you want to animate visibility for original object and the resulting fragments. Use Start Frame spinner in Shooting Options to define the time when the original object will change its visibility to 0 and fragments will change their visibility to 1. If this checkbox deactivated RayFire will just hide the original object. Useful if some fragments become unstable during reactor explosion. After fragmentation has finished you can delete them. Remove middle edge vertices : removes two-edged vertices after fragmentation is finished Remove angle threshold : defines maximum angle for two edge which shares middle edge vertex.

RAYXPLOSION TAB 

3.2 Explosion Options rollout In this rollout you can set properties for reactor explosion and explode Impact objects.

Using Reactor Explosion you can quickly and realistically explode objects. To use this feature add objects in which you want to explode to the Impact objects list. Do not forget to add unyielding objects in Unyielding Objects list in the Reactor rollout. You can also define the physical properties for objects in Reactor rollout .

Each time you push Explode Impact Objects button RayFire creates a simple animation for impact objects. It moves them from the defined objects pivot point. You can define this object by pushing Pick Bomb button and picking object. If Bomb object is not defined RayFire will move them from their average position. After that Reactor creates an animation. Pay attention that this feature can works with animated objects. Do not forget to set proper properties in Reactor utility, such as collision tolerance and substeps. Bombs List : RayFire Tool will explode objects from objects defined in Bombs list. In case You did not define any bombs, RayFire will explode objects from their average position. You can use several bombs but all of them will use the same explosion properties. If You want to use each bomb with differnet properties You should use special RF_Bomb object. Go to Create Panel --> Helpers --> RayFire Tool category, click RF_Bomb button and click somewhere in the viewport. To use cretaed RF_Bomb add this object in Bombs list. In RF_Bomb Modify panel You can set custom explosion properties, including explosion time. Explosion Direction : You can use three different explosion direction: Sperical: explodes objects in all direction from bomb. Planar: explodes objects in two directions using bomb`s Z axis. Cylindrical : explodes objects in all directions using bomb`s Z axis. Time range : Defines explosion simulation time starting from Explosion Frame value Explosion Frame : Defines explosion start frame. Explosion Strength : Defines explosion strength. Explosion Chaos : Defines explosion chaos. Spin Strength : Defines spin strength for exploded objects. Explosion Range : Defines explosion range for selected Explosion Direction. Set this value to 0 to use unlimited Explosion range. Range Angle: Defines explosion range angle for selected Spherical ExplosionDirection. Lowering this value You can get cone explosion direction. Show Range : Show bomb`s ranges in the viewport. Blue color means that bomb has unlimited range, Green color means that bomb has

limited explosion range. Create Animation : Check this OFF if you want only animated impact objects within the Reactor rigid body collection. After that you can manually define some properties for impact objects such as mass or friction. Later you can create a Reactor animation using Create Animation button in Reactor Utility. Set strength by size : When ON, RayFire will distribute explosion strength by the objects size, smallest objects will get the maximum explosion strength value and biggest object will get the minimum explosion strength. Objects out of range : Defines simulation status for objects out of bomb`s range. Explode Impacts Objects : Execute explosion. Tip: If you want to recreate an explosion just change the properties and push Explode Impacts Objects button again.

RAYXPLOSION TAB 

3.3 Reactor Demolition In this rollout you can set properties and simulate Reactor Demolition.

Using Reactor Demolition you can quickly and realistically collide and brake objects. To use this feature add objects which you want to brake to the Impact objects list or to the Inactvie Objects list if You want to make them inactive until first collision. Warning: Reactor Demolition does NOT work with Havok 3 solver.

Break Impact object: RayFire Tool will fragment and brake Impact objects on their first collision with Inactive or Unyileding objects. Turn this Off if You want to brake only Inactive objects

Break Inactive object: RayFire Tool will fragment and brake Inactive objects on their first collision with Impact or Unyileding objects. Turn this Off if You want to brake only Impact objects

Use reactor fracture : Creates Reactor fracture for fragments. Break at Impact Time : Set Reactor fracture break time to First collision time. Fracture connectivity :Define reactor fracture connectivity. Break velocity : Defines minimum velocity for breakage for simulated objects. Energy loss : Set Energy loss value for reactor fracture.

RAYXPLOSION TAB 

3.4 Draw Fragment Mode In this rollout you can define Draw Fragment Mode properties and activate Draw Fragment Mode .

Using Draw fragment mode You can fragment objects drawing strokes on screen in

Step size : Defines stroke detalisation. Pay attention that drawn shape will appear on screen only after You will move mouse cursor from First click on Step Size value distance. Segments : Defines detalisation for fragmented area. Noise : Defnes noise for stroke and for fragmented area. Auto smooth threshold : Defines smooth threshold angle for fragmented area. Draw Fragmnt Mode button : Activates Draw Fragmnt Mode. Workflow: 1. Add object which You want to cut in Impact Objects list.

2. Zoom object. 3. Activate Draw Fragment mode. Your viewpost will be changed to orthographic. 4. LEFT click to start draw stroke. 5. Start draw stroke, pay attention that it will appear only after You will move mouse on distance more the Step Size spinner value. 6. LEFT clik gain to finish stroke. RayFire will cut object using drawn stroke. 7. LEFT click to draw another stroke or RIGHT click to exit Draw Frgment mode.

GEOMETRY TAB 

4.1 Holes In these groups you can define the properties for Holes - Realtime and Holes Predefined impact deformation features.

Custom Hole Reference With each shot RayFire will randomly use one of the objects from the list as hole reference. Do not forget to apply proper materials to these objects.

Default Reference In case you did not define a custom hole reference object(s) RayFire will use the default hole reference.

Geometry type : Geosphere and Cone : Use Geosphere if you want to shoot impact objects at the same place several times, each shot will make hole deeper and deeper. Use cone if you want to create more realistic holes, notice the results will be imperfect if you shoot at the same place more than one time.

Size : Define the size for the default object. Segments : Default object segments, increase it to make the holes more detailed. Noise strength : Noise strength for the default hole reference. Noise scale : Noise scale.

Options Size Variation : Add some size variation in percents to each hole reference. Random rotate : randomly rotates each hole reference before using it. Do not use Random rotate with Cone geometry type. Tip: Sometimes ProBoolean may create a hole incorrectly or the impact object may disappear, in this case delete the layer created through the Interactive Layer Manager then decrease the noise strength and/or increase the shoot rate. Then try again.

GEOMETRY TAB 

4.2 Reactor Debris In this rollout you can define the properties for Reactor Debris.

Debris Reference List Geometry objects inwhich RayFire uses as debris references. If you didn't define any debris references RayFire will use boxes.

Reactor Debris If you checked Reactor - Explode Debris References ON in the Debris group, RayFire will create geometry objects from the Debris Reference list at each impact point and explode them using reactor. RayFire will also animate their visibility. Pay attention to the explosion properties - explosion strength and explosion rotation RayFire will use the Reactor Explosion Options from the RayXplosion Tool rollout. Amount : Total amount of reactor Debris. Second spinner will add variation. Size variation : Size variation in percentage. 30 means that the object size will be in therange between its original size and (original size * 1.3) Distribution radius : Maximum distance from the impact point. Reactor Debris uses reactor to explode objects, to avoid penetrations at the moment the explosion occurs they must be positioned some distance from Impact object. Explosion direction : Defines explosion direction. Reactor debris uses RayXplosion tool for creating explosions, it needs bomb position. Using this spinner you can define position of the bomb. 0 means that bomb will be exactly at impact point, in this case explosion angle will be 180 degree. 0.3 means that bomb will be inside impact object and explosion angle will be less then 180 degree. -0.3 means that bomb will be between gun and impact point. This is useful if you shoot a thin wall.

Simulate Debris from previous shot : When ON, Reactor will simulate Debris from previous shot as well, it means that all debris from the previous shots will interact with debris from current shot. Pay attention that each shot will take more time to simulate because reactor will simulate more and more debris. When OFF, Reactor will simulate debris only from current shot. If you checked Explode Fragmented Predefined Holes in the Debris group, you can use the Holes - Predefined impact deformation and RayFire will fragment predefined holes using ProBoolean Fragmentation options in the RayXplosion Tool rollout and explode them using reactor. This feature only uses the Explosion direction spinner from Reactor Debris group. Tip: You can totally explode an impact object after the first shot by increasing hole size in Holes rollout. In this case RayFire will use the whole object as a hole object. It will fragment it and explode it.

GEOMETRY TAB 

4.3.1 Decals In this rollout you can define the properties for decals and bullets.

If you checked Decals in the Effects group, RayFire will a create plane with animated height and width and apply a procedural decal texture to the plane. Later, you can pick this material from the Decal plane, modify it or apply your own texture. Size : Plane size. Second spinner will add variation.

4.3.2 Bullets If you checked On Bullets in Effects group, RayFire will create box and animate its position and visibility. Also you can use any other objects instead default box. Size : Basic Size for thebullet. Length : Bullet length. Speed : Defines how many frames it will take for the bullet to move from the gun to the impact object. Pick Bullet : Push this button and pick an object to represent the bullet reference.

GEOMETRY TAB 

4.4.1 Displace In this rollout you can define the properties for Displacement.

If you select Displace Impact Deformation in Impact Deformations groups, RayFire will subdivide each impact face, create at this face Displace space warp object with a procedural map for strength and animate the strength property. After that RayFire will bind this displacement to the Impact object. Pay attention that original impact objects will be hidden and all subdivide operations will be produced on their copies. Bake animation : By default RayFire uses standard Select and Link function to link Displace space warp with impact object. But in case impact objects are skinned or pointcached or deformed in any other ways you must bake displace space warp position and rotation at each frame. Subdivide Level : Number of times impact face will be subdivided.

Strength : Strength for displace space warp. Size : Length and width for displace space warp. Second spinners of each will add variation.

Tip: If you want to apply your own map for strength, just select one of the displace space warps, then drag and drop a Gradient map as an instance from the image group to the material editor. After that you can modify this gradient map or exchange it with your own map. This will affect all of the RF displace space warp objects.

4.4.2 Reactor Hit In this rollout you can define the properties for Reactor Hit. Reactor Hit strength : Hit strength for the Reactor Hit impact deformation. Increase it to make the interaction stronger. Reactor Hit additional time : adds additional frames to the reactor simulation. For instance, if you want to simulate shooting with Reactor Hit Impact deformation between 10 and 70 frames, it means that reactor will create a simulation between 10 and 70 frames. Setting 20 in this spinner means that reactor will create the animation between 10 and 90 frames. Inactive Impact objects : for instance, if you want to shoot several Impact objects with Reactor Hit Impact deformation. RayFire will create an animation for each object that is hit. In this case, the checkbox is OFF, all other Impact Objects in this simulation will be treated as Unyielding objects and the object that was hit will collide with them but reactor will NOT create animation for them. When this checkbox is ON all other Impact objects will be treated as Inactive objects, this means that after an object is struck it will collide with them and reactor will create animation.

PARTICLE TAB 

5.1 Particle Debris In this rollout you can define the properties for Particle Debris.

Debris Reference list Geometry objects which RayFire will use as particle debris references.

Particle Deflectors list Deflectors for particles.

Particle Debris If you checked ON in the Particles in Debris group, RayFire will create a PArray and an emitter plane at each impact point and animate PArray`s rate property. RayFire will also create a Gravity force and bind this force to the PArray. The gravity force will be called RF_Gravity_Debris. Later you can change its properties to get different dynamics for particles. RayFire will not create this force again at the next simulation if it already exists in scene. It will bind the already existing force to the new PArray`s. In case you did not define Debris references, debris will appear as a sphere with the impact object material. Rate : Total amount of particles for each PArray. Divergence : Particle divergence angle. Size : Debris size. Speed : Particle speed. Life : Particle life. Gravity : Gravity for particles. Display as mesh : Displays debris particles as a mesh.

PARTICLE TAB 

5.2 Sparks In this rollout you can define the properties for Particle Sparks.

4.2.1 Particle Deflectors list Deflectors for spark particles.

4.2.2 Sparks Rate : Total amount of particles for each PArray. Life : Particles life. Speed : Particles speed. Divergence : Particles divergence angle. Size : Sparks size. Length : Sparks length. Gravity : Gravity for particles. Second spinners will add variation.

PARTICLE TAB 

5.3 Smoke In this rollout you can define the properties for Smoke.

If you checked ON Smoke in Effects group, RayFire will create a PArray and an emitter plane at each impact spot and animate PArray`s rate property to simulate smoke. Later you can use these particles with the AfterBurn plugin. Also RayFire creates wind and drag forces and binds these forces to the PArray. Wind force will be called RF_Wind_Smoke and drag force will be called RF_Drag_Smoke. Later you can change their properties to get different dynamics for the particles. Also RayFire will not create these forces again at next simulation if they already existing in scene. It will bind the already existing forces to new PArray`s. In this group you can define impact rate, life, divergence and speed for particles. Rate : Total amount of particles for each PArray. Life : Particle life. Speed : Particle speed. Divergence : Particle divergence angle. Second spinners will add variation.

PARTICLE TAB 

5.4 Blood In this rollout you can define the properties for Blood.

If you select Blood in the Effects group, RayFire will create PArray with red bloody material and emitter plane at each impact spot as welll as animate PArray`s rate property to simulate blood. For now it uses MetaParticles. RayFire also creates a Gravity force and binds this force to PArray. The gravity force will be called RF_Gravity_Blood. Later you can change its properties to get different dynamics for particles. RayFire will not create this force again at the next simulation if they already exist in scene. It will bind the already existing force to new PArray`s.

Particle deflectors list Deflectors for blood particles.

Blood Rate : Total amount of particles for each PArray. Size : MetaParticle size. Speed : Particles speed. Divergence : Particles divergence angle. Second spinners will add variation. Life : Particles life. Gravity : Gravity for particles.

EFFECTS TAB 

6.2 Custom Effect In this rollout you can define the properties for Custom Effects.

In this rollout you can define custom objects and their options. This feature gives you the ability to create any object at the impact spot. Using this feature you can create your own particle system, adjust the properties, and assign a material. You can then animate any of the properties at 0 frame. For example: Animating the Rate properties. Push the Auto Key button, go to frame 0 and set the Rate: 0 then go to frame 3 and set the Rate: 50, then go to frame 5 and set the Rate: 0 again. Next add this particle system to the Custom object list, check the Synchronize checkbox to ON, and create the simulation. RayFire will create the same particle system at every Impact spot and shift the Rate animation at the Impact frame for each particle system. Using this technique you can create any animated type of object (Geometry, Lights, Cameras, Particle Systems etc.) and RayFire will create them and shift their animation. You can also animate their position, rotation and scale. Z Axis rotation variation : Add variation in Z axis rotation. Random Seed : If you use particle systems as Custom objects, RayFire will create a different seed in each particle system, check this checkbox on. Synchronize : Synchronize animation in created Custom objects with Impact frame.

EFFECTS TAB 

6.2 Custom Effect In this rollout you can define the properties for Custom Effects.

In this rollout you can define custom objects and their options. This feature gives you the ability to create any object at the impact spot. Using this feature you can create your own particle system, adjust the properties, and assign a material. You can then animate any of the properties at 0 frame. For example: Animating the Rate properties. Push the Auto Key button, go to frame 0 and set the Rate: 0 then go to frame 3 and set the Rate: 50, then go to frame 5 and set the Rate: 0 again. Next add this particle system to the Custom object list, check the Synchronize checkbox to ON, and create the simulation. RayFire will create the same particle system at every Impact spot and shift the Rate animation at the Impact frame for each particle system. Using this technique you can create any animated type of object (Geometry, Lights, Cameras, Particle Systems etc.) and RayFire will create them and shift their animation. You can also animate their position, rotation and scale. Z Axis rotation variation : Add variation in Z axis rotation. Random Seed : If you use particle systems as Custom objects, RayFire will create a different seed in each particle system, check this checkbox on. Synchronize : Synchronize animation in created Custom objects with Impact frame.