Time Delay Expression

[Kingkell]

Hi,

I need some help with an expression. I have a sequence with a golden football which is traveling in 3D space. I want to have a tail or a tunnel of rings after the football. The rings should born from the football and then scale up a bit and finally disappear (opacity: 0), it should be 5-8 frames between each ring and they have to track the x,y,z position of the football.


Anyone have a good solution for my problem?


Thanks in advance

[davestewart]

can you post a pencil sketch?

[scribling]

Is there a lot of xyz motion ... or a simple arc if so, you could use particle world -- using cone -- to puff out something like smoke rings ... you could use this as a distortion too.

[Kingkell]

Dave,

Here is a rough outline, top-left view. It´s important that the rings is following the football so they can take a turn.



Thanks!

/ Per

[davestewart]

Alas! Deadlines are on top of me so I can't play after all...

The first hurdle I came across is that Auto-Orient is not exposed to scripting, nor does it relflect in the orientation parameters, so can't be connected to via expressions.

This means that to orient the rings, you would probably have to do some trig, or use look-at. Not THAT scarey, but getting quite technical once there are lots of rings (and changes).

If I were you, I'dd take a look at Trapcode's Particular. I think it will probably do what you want (and a tonne more!) with some nice, user-friendly sliders.