xpSystem

xpSystem is the control hub for your entire X-Particles set up, helping you to manage objects and organize your scene as a whole.

Selecting xpSystem from the INSYDIUM menu will immediately drop a hierarchy of folders, which all have their own individual function, directly into your object manager.

xpSystem puts an xpEmitter into the opening scene as a default setting.

This setting can be disabled in the INSYDIUM Preferences folder in Cinema 4D.

Objects Manager, on introduction of xpSystem.

Objects menu.

Clicking and highlighting any of these folders will introduce their individual settings in the Attributes Manager.

There is the opportunity to create a sub-folder, in order to keep things tidy as you are working.

The Create Sub-Folder button in the Attributes Manager for generators.

Object tab

Auto-Disable XP Objects

When this is enabled, if you then disable the System object in the Object Manager (turning the green tick to a red cross) all the X-Particles objects, which are in the object hierarchy under this System object, will be disabled automatically.

They will all be enabled if you enable the System object again.

This lets you enable or disable an entire setup with one click, rather than having to disable every object in that System object manually.

The System object will remember the state (enabled or disabled) of the X-Particles objects under it when the System object is disabled.

It will then restore that state when it is re-enabled rather than simply enabling all the objects even if they were previously disabled.

Icon Color

You can set the color for your icon here, which is recommended when you have multiple systems operating, so that you can easily differentiate between them.

Icon in Viewport

Enable this to put the X-Particles logo in the origin of your system in the viewport.

Icon Size

Increases or decreases the size of the icon.

Only Modifiers in Same System

It is sometimes desirable to use multiple xpSystems in any one scene.

For example, you may want to simulate a rain effect using one system, and a lightning effect using another system.

Ticking this box will ensure that any modifiers that you use in the rain system won’t affect particles in the lightning system.

Leaving this unticked will mean that the effect of all modifiers will affect all particles, irrespective of which xpSystem they’re in.

Only Deformers in Same System

When you have multiple systems operating, as above, ticking this box will ensure that any Cinema 4D deformers will only effect particles, if they are within the same system.

Generators and Objects

In these dropdown boxes, you have the opportunity to import any Generator, Dynamic, or Utilities objects into your system.

xpSystem will then input them directly into the relevant folder, within the hierarchy, as a child of the null.

Generator Objects

Simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Generator null in the Objects Manager.

The Generator Objects menu.

Dynamics

Simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the dynamics null in the Objects Manager.

The Dynamics Objects menu.

Cloth Object

Drop your Cloth object into this link field to access the additional parameters associated with cloth settings.

If you drag a spline or object into the Cloth Object link field, then choose Create Cloth from the Dynamics drop-down menu, all the necessary objects needed for the Cloth FX system will be created and placed into the correct locations.

Utilities

Again, simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Utilities null in the Objects Manager.

The Utilities menu.

Modifiers

In these dropdown boxes, you have the opportunity to import any type of modifier into your system.

xpSystem will then input it directly into the Modifiers folder, within the hierarchy, as a child of the null.

Control Modifiers

Simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Modifiers null in the Objects Manager.

The Control Modifiers menu.

Motion Modifiers

As above, simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Modifiers null in the Objects Manager.

The Motion Modifiers menu.

Sprites Modifiers

Simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Modifiers null in the Objects Manager.

The Sprites Modifiers menu.

Generate Modifiers

Simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Modifiers null in the Objects Manager.

The Generate Modifiers menu.

Actions

In these dropdown boxes, you have the opportunity to import any type of action into your system.

xpSystem will then input it directly into the Actions folder, within the hierarchy, as a child of the null.

Object Actions

Simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Actions null in the Objects Manager.

The Object Actions menu.

Control Modifier Actions

Once again, simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Actions null in the Objects Manager.

The Control Modifier Actions menu.

Direct Actions

Simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Actions null in the Objects Manager.

The Direct Actions menu.

Dynamics Actions

Click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Actions null in the Objects Manager.

The Dynamics Actions menu.

Other Actions

Simply click on the dropdown box and select an item from the menu to import it into the system as a child of the Actions null in the Objects Manager.

The Other Actions menu.

Global Transform tab

In this tab, you have the option to make your emitter work globally, instead of locally.

Emitters

Drop an emitter into this link field to activate it ‘globally’.

In this tab, you can turn on the System object transforms.

By default there are no emitters in the Emitters list so that, if the system object is moved or rotated, its child objects will also be moved and/or rotated but the particle stream, once generated, will not be affected.

If there are one or more emitters in the Emitters list, moving or rotating the System object will also move or rotate the entire particle stream produced by that emitter.

Since the position of the particles themselves is changed, this will move objects generated from them such as trails, sprites, etc.

If it is, then the points of the trail will also be transformed independently of the particles. If not then the trail itself is not altered but simply follows the particle movement. You will get very different results depending on whether the trail is a child of the same System object as the emitter or not. This only applies to trail objects and not to other objects using the emitter, such as sprites, the generator, etc. These will behave the same, whether they are child objects of the System object or not.

Parameters

The tab is very simple, shown below.

Untitled

Global Transform tab.

Emitters

Drag all the emitters you want to be transformed into this list.

You can prevent specific emitters from being transformed by clicking the tick so it is disabled.

The emitter(s) to be transformed must all be child objects of the System object. No emitters outside of the hierarchy of this System object will be transformed.