Looping Particle Animation Help Needed

Compositing
1

I'm trying to create a short particle (1-3 sec.) animation and want to loop it so it doesn't jump on repeat. I'm exporting as a QuickTime so it can be converted to Flash Video for use in interface. Any suggestions for settings to accomplish this minor feat.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: I guess there's not too much traffic on the boards yet.

2

well what exactly are you trying to do? I don't think this is easy just because it's easy to ask.

3

QUOTE(destruct007 @ 08/24/05, 09:58 AM)
well what exactly are you trying to do? I don't think this is easy just because it's easy to ask.
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I want a looping particle animation for a window and button background. When I export my particle animation it jumps when the loops begins again because the particle formation is so different from the beginning particle formation. Simply put, I want it to loop seamlessly.

Thanks for any suggestions or ideas.

4

It's almost impossible to 'really' do a seamless loop on a particle system, because it's proceedural - which means you can't really specify what each particle does.

However - there is a VERY low tech (but very easy!) fix...

  1. Render out your particle system layer
  2. Butt two copies of it up in an edit operator
  3. Trim the ends of the cuts up so there's some trimmed handles
  4. Do a dissolve between the two cuts
  5. Make a cut in the outgoing clip (the first one in the edit) somewhere before the dissolve, and another cut in the incoming clip at the SAME point as the cut in the outgoing cut - LESS one frame

Now, if you remove the material before the cut in the outgoing - and the material after the cut in the incoming - you will have a seamless loop that can run forever... the mis-match is hidden in the dissolve...

Good luck!

Kim