Your first particle system

Entropy runs as an effect in After Effects. You can edit it in the Effect Controls panel, where After Effects lists the settings for a selected effect. You can also open Composer for a larger live preview. Entropy creates and moves particles automatically when you preview time.

Before you start

Install the Entropy build for your computer and restart After Effects. Use the compatibility requirements supplied with that build. Open the Entropy Licensing window if activation is required. Navigator has a LICENSE button.

Create a system

1. Create or open an After Effects composition.
2. Open Entropy Navigator from the Window > Extensions menu.
3. Select ADD SYSTEM. Entropy creates a solid layer and applies the effect. A solid is an After Effects layer with a single fill color; here it carries the effect.
4. Select the new system in Navigator to access its controls.
5. Set Emitter Shape to Point and Emitter Behavior to Continuous.
6. Set Particles/sec to 200, Life (seconds) to 3, and Velocity to 50.
7. Set Particle Type to Sprite and Size to 10.
8. Preview forward for several seconds. Particles should leave the source and disappear at the end of their life.

These values are a starting exercise, not a required preset. If particles are outside the view, adjust the emitter position to the center of your composition.

Change the look in Composer

1. Open Composer from the Entropy effect controls.
2. Confirm that the intended design appears. Use Import from AE to load the active Entropy layer again if needed. This replaces the current Composer settings.
3. Select a system row before editing its controls.
4. Change Emitter Shape to Sphere. Increase the emitter size to spread birth positions across a larger shape.
5. Adjust Velocity to change the starting speed. Adjust Size in the particle controls to change the particles themselves.
6. Select OK to apply the design to After Effects. Composer normally closes after a successful apply.
7. Preview the After Effects composition to check the result.

Emitter size controls the source. Particle size controls each particle. These are separate settings.

Use the preview

• Use the orbit tool and drag to turn the preview camera. Scroll to zoom. Double-click the viewport to reset the view.
• Use Position for a permanent source move. The preview move tool temporarily moves the emitter; it returns when you release it.
• Restart the simulation to replay from frame zero with the current settings. Turn on automatic replay to tune a repeating burst.
• Hide the ground grid or guides to inspect the look. These aids do not appear in the particle render.
• Change the preview background for contrast. This does not change the saved preset or After Effects render.

Edit a control

In Composer, drag a numeric control to adjust it. Double-click the control to reset it. Double-click its displayed value to type a number. Choose an item in a menu to change a mode. Hover over a control for its tooltip.

Some controls only apply to a particular source or particle type. If a control is unavailable, first check its related mode. See the control reference.

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