Heat/smoke Effect

[bjtin]

I need to create the smoke/steam effect that we see on the surface of objects or ground when the weather is extremely hot. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[rowan-e]

What that is is a change air density. To simulate this, try a completely transparent material with a slight refractive index (0.05- 0.10 ish if you're doing it relative to air, higher if it does it to vacuum) and make a particle emitter or fluid effect using it.

[ptb]

I think it's more efficient to render black&white Particles (eg cloud shading) rising up and then using this with a distortion effect in your compositing tool.