Name

Name of the goal object.

Mute

Toggles the activeness of the effect of the goal on the particles.

Goal Behavior

Determines how the particles react to the goal. Select an option from the list:

• Chase: the particles follow the goal object as if it was a magnet.

• Flee: the particles are repelled from the goal and move in the opposite direction of it.

• Arrive: the particles move gradually toward the goal.

You then set the landing distance in Softimage units and deceleration of the particles. This allows you to prevent the particles from overshooting the goal.

• Spring: the particles are linked to the goal by springs and dampers.

If you set the Spring Constant to positive values, the particles are attracted to the goal; negative values repel the particles. The farther the value is from 0 (either positive or negative), the more “elastic” the particles become.

Viscosity is the amount of resistance applied to the particles as they move through space, as if they were moving through fluid. This is similar to the effect of a drag force. The higher the value, the more the particles are slown down.

• Stick: the particles immediately stick on the goal object as they are born; that is, they do not move from the emitter toward the goal and then stick on it.

Target

The component on the goal object’s geometry to which the particles are attracted. Select an option from the list:

• Point: each particle is attracted to a randomly selected point (control vertex) on the goal’s geometry.

• Line: each particle is attracted to a randomly selected position on an edge, isoline, or curve of the goal geometry. If the goal object is a curve, make sure to select this option.

• Surface: each particle is attracted to a randomly selected position (a random U and V value) on a polygon mesh or NURBS surface.

• Volume: each particle is attracted to a randomly selected position inside the target geometry.

• Center: each particle is attracted to the center of the goal object.

If the Target option (geometry component) you select here isn’t supported by the goal object, the object’s Center is used.

Influence

Select Global or Local:

• Global: the particles are influenced by the goal wherever they are in space.

• Local: the particles are influenced by the goal only when they come within the distance as set by the Local Radius value.

Local Radius

If you selected Local as the Influence, this is the number of Softimage units within which you want the particles to be influenced by the goal.

This parameter also has a Var parameter so that you can produce a more random effect on the particles.

On the Advanced page, you can also set this parameter’s Distribution method (Uniform or Gaussian), as well as set a Seed value.

See Particle Variance and Seed Parameters for more information on these parameters.

Weight

Determines the amount of influence the goal has on the particles that are attracted to it.

Set a value between 0 and 1. A value of 0 means that the goal has no effect on the particles, and a value of 1 means that the goal has full effect (100%) on the particles.

If there is more than one goal, the Weight values are multiplied together.

This parameter also has a Var parameter so that you can produce a more random effect on the particles.

On the Advanced page, you can also set this parameter’s Distribution method (Uniform or Gaussian), as well as set a Seed value.

See Particle Variance and Seed Parameters for more information on these parameters.

Offset Reference

Determines the reference point from which the target is offset from the goal object using the Offset X/Y/Z options:

• World referential: the target is offset relative to the global center: the reference stays constant regardless of changes to the goal object’s position, orientation, or scale.

• Goal object referential: the target is offset relative to the goal object’s local position, orientation, scale, and shape.

• Goal point referential: the target is offset relative to the local reference frame of the points on the goal object; that is, the offset follows the state of the goal object’s normals and tangents.

Offset X/Y/Z

Offsets the target from its position on the goal object in relation to the Offset Reference you have selected. The offset directs the particles to the goal’s target plus the offset.

• With the World referential, the Offset X/Y/Z values are expressed along the X/Y/Z axes of the world (global).

• With the Goal object referential, the Offset X/Y/Z values are expressed along the X/Y/Z axes of the object (local).

• With the Goal point referential, the Offset Y value is the direction along the normals, while the Offset X and Z values are directions along the tangents.

This parameter also has a Var parameter so that you can produce a more random effect on the particles.

On the Advanced page, you can also set this parameter’s Distribution method (Uniform or Gaussian), as well as set a Seed value.

See Particle Variance and Seed Parameters for more information on these parameters.