Particle Illusion FX Program - A New Life

I have mentioned "Particle Illusion" before, and while I thought it was going away, it turns out it has a new life with Boris. 

 
https://borisfx.com/products/particle-illusion/


This development has caused me to upgrade a lot (long story).  But here is why I enjoy using it - a five minute entry in the 48 Hour Film contest in the Fantasy genre.  The PI effects are probably obvious, but ... foliage in the intro, bird flocks, welding sparks, smoke from the sub stack, birdseye view of the sub wake, locomotive smoke, closing aurora.


Comments

  • DUDUDUDU Posts: 1,945

    Thanks for the info!

    300E for the upgrade of the After Effects plugin, it is not so expensive and I can uninstal my old Autodesk Combustion 2008...

  • 3drendero3drendero Posts: 2,024
    The old particleillusion SE was free on some old magazine cover discs. Issue 18 of PCTools and PC utilities 52. Probably more...
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570

    So there isn't any form of stand-alone version, right? I didn't see one at least. I wonder how well it works in Resolve. 

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,214

    I saw that price and shut the browser

  • Steve KSteve K Posts: 3,235

    So there isn't any form of stand-alone version, right? I didn't see one at least. I wonder how well it works in Resolve. 

    The old program had a standalone version that could import any still or video and export the product with the overlaid FX.  I am keeping that program.  The Boris version says it can run standalone but only to develop new "emitters" (the effects), but any rendering must be done in the host program.  I'm not familiar with Resolve, I'm planning to use it with Vegas Pro, now owned by Magix (who is happily offering upgrade prices for owners of Magix Movie Edit Pro, which does not support OFX plugins I think, at least not my older version).  Other big name hosts are Final Cut Pro (Mac only) and Adobe Premiere Pro (subscription only).

     

  • Steve KSteve K Posts: 3,235

    I saw that price and shut the browser

    I got started with the SE version that came with 3D World Magazine years ago, and even offered an upgrade price.  The SE version was actually pretty full featured, but I eventually upgraded.  Now at least Boris is offering an upgrade price for users of the old version.

     

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570

    Magix has an AMAZING new year deal for Vegas Pro. I have Movie Studio and Music Maker, so I get their newsletters. I think it was like $399 off sale bringing Pro down to around 125 or something.

  • 3drendero3drendero Posts: 2,024
    Lost my old free version of PI SE. Maybe it is time to try the free version of Fusion 9 from Blackmagic. For particles it has 12 emitter templates (if the youtube promo is correct) and Google found about 50ish freebie "comps".
  • Steve KSteve K Posts: 3,235
    3drendero said:
    Lost my old free version of PI SE. Maybe it is time to try the free version of Fusion 9 from Blackmagic. For particles it has 12 emitter templates (if the youtube promo is correct) and Google found about 50ish freebie "comps".

    I won a version of Fusion a few years back, I just could not get into it.  The node-based approach just seemed foreign to me.  It gets very good reviews and I'm sure in the right hands it gives stunning results.  So it was probably just my long experience with Particle Illusion that made me biased.  PI just seems more intuitive and fun, probably more suited to hobbyists like myself.

  • 3drendero3drendero Posts: 2,024

    Well, the fun factor is probably higher, but the price of 200-400$ and a host application of 100-1000$ is not hobbyist level.
    The free version of Resolve does not support plugins and I missed the Humble Bundle deals with Vegas.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570
    3drendero said:

    The free version of Resolve does not support plugins 

    I don't think we need plugins for particle use - especially in Fusion. Resolve's built-in Fusion is not entirely the same as the stand-alone, but I bet it's still really powerful.

    When my graphics card blew and I replaced it with an economy pile o' junk (GT 730), Resolve won't run on my computer. When I build my new computer, I'm going for Resolve along with the stand-alone Fusion.

    It'll be really cool to have Fusion directly in the Movie-Making Resolve, but stand-alone is truly wonderful for just popping in and doing VFX magic with Fusion.

    Just a tiny example of using Fusion as a quick helper, I have some stock footage that I wanted to use on a plane in Carrara, but I can't load the video format in Carrara. So I just dragged the video into Fusion and rendered it to the version I wanted and Boom! Done!

    Along the way, I also decided to make a separate trans map while in Fusion.

    Paid versions of Resolve/Fusion allow for higher resolution support and plugin use along with a slew of other nice things, like collaboration support, etc., and it's not that expensive compared to how powerful they are. But the free versions can do a LOT!

  • 0oseven0oseven Posts: 626

    There is a link over in CarraraTors to an alternative to Particle Illusion.

    http://www.bond3d.byethost18.com/index.php?topic=357.0

    I could post the link here but I make no secret about wanting you to visit CarraraTors.wink

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570
    0oseven said:

    I could post the link here but I make no secret about wanting you to visit CarraraTors.wink

    Good man! I'm coming... I'm still just getting my head on straight! LOL

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570
    0oseven said:

    There is a link over in CarraraTors to an alternative to Particle Illusion.

    http://www.bond3d.byethost18.com/index.php?topic=357.0

    Very cool! I tried to leave a comment there (Carrarators) but it became unresponsive. I tried a few more times, but to no avail :(

  • Steve KSteve K Posts: 3,235
    0oseven said:

    There is a link over in CarraraTors to an alternative to Particle Illusion.

    A good tip, the more options, the better.  As you may have guessed, I think these kinds of FX can add greatly to videos, especially if used "gently".  OK, I may have gone a little overboard in my animation in the original post, but we only had two days ...

    wink

     

  • Steve KSteve K Posts: 3,235
    3drendero said:

    Well, the fun factor is probably higher, but the price of 200-400$ and a host application of 100-1000$ is not hobbyist level.
    The free version of Resolve does not support plugins and I missed the Humble Bundle deals with Vegas.

    Yes, the free version of Fusion should attract a lot of people.   Same way the magazine version of Particle Illusion SE attracted me, years ago, with no host required.

     

  • 0oseven0oseven Posts: 626
    edited January 2019
    0oseven said:

    Very cool! I tried to leave a comment there (Carrarators) but it became unresponsive. I tried a few more times, but to no avail :(

    Well dont quite know why you had that problem assuming you managed to log in.frown

    But shucks, I'll put the direct link here as i dont wish to cause anyone any pain.http://www.rigzsoft.co.uk/timelinefx-particle-effects-editor/ 

    Worth noting the developer's comments about moving code to C++ and making program open source [ free ] then relying on selling pre-made effects packs. However his timeline for that not mentioned

    SteveK - have you tried and compared to Particle illusion ? Any thoughts ?

     

    Post edited by 0oseven on
  • 3drendero3drendero Posts: 2,024
    edited January 2019
    Thanks 007, found a free open source PI clone with about 50 ready made effects. Called Effekseer. http://effekseer.github.io/en/index.html
    Post edited by 3drendero on
  • Steve KSteve K Posts: 3,235
    0oseven said:
    0oseven said:

    Very cool! I tried to leave a comment there (Carrarators) but it became unresponsive. I tried a few more times, but to no avail :(

    Well dont quite know why you had that problem assuming you managed to log in.frown

    But shucks, I'll put the direct link here as i dont wish to cause anyone any pain.http://www.rigzsoft.co.uk/timelinefx-particle-effects-editor/ 

    Worth noting the developer's comments about moving code to C++ and making program open source [ free ] then relying on selling pre-made effects packs. However his timeline for that not mentioned

    SteveK - have you tried and compared to Particle illusion ? Any thoughts ?

    No, I'm kind of swamped with new software I won in a Rendo contest ... and the upgrades needed to run it ... so many toys, so little time.  

    blush

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570
    Steve K said:
    0oseven said:

    There is a link over in CarraraTors to an alternative to Particle Illusion.

    A good tip, the more options, the better.  As you may have guessed, I think these kinds of FX can add greatly to videos, especially if used "gently".  OK, I may have gone a little overboard in my animation in the original post, but we only had two days ...

    wink

     

    It's really easy - especially at first - to accidentally go overboard (or be too harsh) with compositing! The folks who are really good at it certainly deserve artistic respect!

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570
    3drendero said:
    Thanks 007, found a free open source PI clone with about 50 ready made effects. Called Effekseer. http://effekseer.github.io/en/index.html

    Great detective work, 3drendero, Thanks!

  • 0oseven0oseven Posts: 626
    edited January 2019
    3drendero said:
     Thanks 007, found a free open source PI clone with about 50 ready made effects. Called Effekseer. http://effekseer.github.io/en/index.html

     

    Wow This looks impressive ! Thanks

    Post edited by 0oseven on
  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,214
    edited April 2020

    https://effekseer.github.io/en/index.html

    new version out but I cannot download it

    Fail Server problem crying

    update

    Open link in new tab on the download works

    Post edited by WendyLuvsCatz on
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