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Overview
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The FollowPath component provides a force that Follow Path helper force pushes a fluid along a spline curve. The degree of force is controlled by a virtual pipe around the spline. For points outside the pipe, the force pushes the fluid toward the spline. For points inside the pipe, the force pushes the fluid along the spline.
To give a balance between predictability and the randomness of natural behavior, two important values are used: terminal velocity and influence. The terminal velocity is the maximum velocity a particle can reach, set by by Follow Speed, Pull Speed, and and Rotation Speed. The range of possible speeds can be limited to values near or at terminal velocity, or a wider range of speeds can be used, for example ranging from 1/10 of terminal velocity up to terminal velocity. The The Influence parameter parameter sets the range of possible speeds.
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Parameters
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Follow Speed (units/sec) | axspunits – Specifies the terminal velocity of the fluid moving along the spline. This part of the force is most pronounced inside the pipe.
Pull SpeedSpeed (units/sec) | radspunits – Specifies the terminal velocity of the fluid moving toward the spline. This part of the force is most pronounced outside the pipe.
Rotation SpeedSpeed (units/sec) | orbspunits – Specifies the terminal velocity of the fluid that flows around the spline.
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Sub Segments | subsegments – Breaks the spline into several parts of equal size. Each sub segment influences the simulation separately, allowing the force effect to accumulate over areas with multiple segments nearby.
Max Distance (units) | maxdistunits – Specifies the distance from the spline at which the force no longer affects the fluid.
Fade Start | fadestart – Specifies the relative distance (as part of the Max Distance) where the force starts to decline, expressed as a decimal fraction.
Pipe Radius (units) | radiusunits – The radius of the virtual pipe used to determine where the Follow Speed is replaced with the Pull Speed.
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