What to make video explosions with

[oreo321123]

This is a stupid question, but what software would you use to make a special effect explosion? (that doesnt cost more than one billion dollars, lol)

[triphop]

particle illusion is the quickest way to do this cheaply.

http://www.wondertouch.com/default.asp

[DaveInIowa]

You can obtain the full commercial version of ParticleIllusion 2.0 SE for under $20 by ordering the August 2003 back issue (#64) of Digit magazine.

http://www.digitmag.co.uk/backissues/

[oreo321123]

I can not open that on my computer, is it a good program? effects look good, and realistic?

[rbmerc]

is 2.0 se still pretty good? is it just the same as 2.0 full? i really need this program to make some bullet hitting effects and muzzle flash effects...

-merc

[oreo321123]

same here...

[housepig]

yeah, 2.0 will still do a hell of a lot - it's definitely worth it, especially if you can get it for $20 on that back issue! I may order that myself - I dropped the ball when it was on the stand.

and there are tons of free particle libraries and tutorials out there for pIllusion (well, maybe not tons, but it does have a thriving community online).

[rbmerc]

it says 9.99 in like uk money... what is the exchange rate to us dollars?

-merc

[BJ_M]

xe.com The Universal Currency Converter

http://www.xe.com/ucc/

[lgh529]

Don't know for sure, but its about $16 or so.

[housepig]

it says 9.99 in like uk money... what is the exchange rate to us dollars?

when I was there in December, it was $1.80 US = 1 British Pound

[BJ_M]

don't need to guess


xe.com The Universal Currency Converter

http://www.xe.com/ucc/

[housepig]

don't need to guess

but guessing is fun! let's all spread uninformed misinformation!

[BJ_M]

don't need to guess

but guessing is fun! let's all spread uninformed misinformation!

that does make sense in a way .....

[triphop]

Here is another product that works in a similar way to PI....

http://fxhome.com/alamdv2/

AlamDV - lot more reasonably priced.

[oreo321123]

I downloaded particle, and the onther one, and they both really don't meet my needs. Something more advanced would be nice. I need to be able to "paint" or what ever on the video, and have it look real. Is there something like that?

[gitreel]

don't need to guess

but guessing is fun! let's all spread uninformed misinformation!

That job was already taken. The misinformation minister of Iraq took it.

[BJ_M]

I downloaded particle, and the onther one, and they both really don't meet my needs. Something more advanced would be nice. I need to be able to "paint" or what ever on the video, and have it look real. Is there something like that?

inferno with flame is a good (great) solution ...

http://www4.discreet.com/inferno/#

watch the product showcase reels and system show reel

we used matador for a long time also -- did great work on matador systems

[Josef K]

I need to be able to "paint" or what ever on the video, and have it look real. Is there something like that?

Possibly. I just hope you have money to burn.

[housepig]

I downloaded particle, and the onther one, and they both really don't meet my needs. Something more advanced would be nice. I need to be able to "paint" or what ever on the video, and have it look real. Is there something like that?

what exactly are you trying to do? the responses for pIllusion & AlamDV were because you were looking for explosions (ie particle systems).

now you want rotoscoping? what are you trying to accomplish?

"I know I asked for a blender, but it won't microwave my soup - is there a blender that will microwave my soup?"

[oreo321123]

housepig-
I am looking for a special effects program, I need to make muzzel effects, explosions, bullet casings, etc. I don't want to use someone else's creation, I want to make my own special effects. These programs have been limited to what they have, they are "pick and choose your effect" programs. I need to be able to create my own, unless a program out there has absolutly every special effect possible.

Sorry if I was unclear before, I hope this helps.

[BJ_M]

housepig-
I am looking for a special effects program, I need to make muzzel effects, explosions, bullet casings, etc. I don't want to use someone else's creation, I want to make my own special effects. These programs have been limited to what they have, they are "pick and choose your effect" programs. I need to be able to create my own, unless a program out there has absolutly every special effect possible.

Sorry if I was unclear before, I hope this helps.

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=925648#925648

[Josef K]

I don't want to use someone else's creation, I want to make my own special effects. These programs have been limited to what they have, they are "pick and choose your effect" programs. I need to be able to create my own, unless a program out there has absolutly every special effect possible.

Why miss out on reusability? This is what new high level programming languages and graphic packages with scripting support give as their best selling points. Why not reuse someone else's effect and adapt it to your own liking? Then you can create your own great effect based on the small steps of those before you that you can share with others. Continue the cycle, as it were. particleIllusion allows you to 'pick and choose your effect' but also gives you the opportunity to expand upon the original concept.

The question remains: Why reinvent the wheel?

The only possible answer I can think of at the moment is that you want to make it as hard upon yourself as possible so you can learn the hard way.

[housepig]

These programs have been limited to what they have, they are "pick and choose your effect" programs.

I don't know about AlamDV, but pIllusion allows you to create your own custom emitters.

[rbmerc]

how long can you demo pillusion.. im thinking about trying it out for some gun effects in an action movie my friends and i are going to make..

-merc

[Josef K]

how long can you demo pillusion

Seems like forever since no mention is made of a time limit - only feature limitations.

[triphop]

Based on what you said you need, it looks like ParticleIllusion will do everything you need. If you need specialized effects that aren't in any of the demo packs, then you can create your own effects using your own art work.

PI can be used to create some spectacular effects and will do everything that you requre (although it does not rotoscope!).

Heres my advice - buy the tool for the job and dont necessary buy one tool that will do everything. You can do all of this with Aftereffects but unless you are very good with that package, you will have to spend some time getting up on its learning curve (hint: its a non-trivial application). The same goes for all the high-end video compositing tools.

[triphop]

don't need to guess

but guessing is fun! let's all spread uninformed misinformation!

That job was already taken. The misinformation minister of Iraq took it.

Don't forget the jokers currently occupying the Whitehouse... Can anyone say: Weapons of Mass Distraction?

I quite frankly am (was) far less worried about some tin pot dictator and his stooges than the jackass in charge of the USA.

[Suntan]

Hey triphop, chill out.

Anyone else, check out Blender it is not exactly tailered as a special effects program as it is a full CG animation program.Plus it is freeware.

Suntan,

[oreo321123]

Joesef K-
I am just not satisfied with the animations in these programs, that is what I meant by making my own special effects. Some effects requrie specializing the animation to the scene, and I need to be able to do that. I will experiment with particle more, and see what I can do.