Goal
Send each particle to its own target on an object or on another event's particles, arriving on time and smoothly: to form text, a logo or a mesh, hold it, then let go.
Particles go each to its own target on an object (its surface, vertices, curve or origin) or on another event's particles, arriving a set time after they enter or all at a set frame, slowing smoothly to a stop on it (turning to face as it does, if asked), and stay there, moving with it. Exactly, through anything: to form a shape, hold it, then go on (an Age Test sends them). Those arriving go along the wire.
- Add it
- EventAdd OperatorForcesGoal
- Sends on
- Along its wire: particles arriving on their targets.
- Influence
- No: a value can’t weigh it.
When to use it
- Forming a shape: particles fly in and form a logo, a word or a character, each to its own spot, all arriving on cue.
- Morphing: particles on one mesh's vertices go to another's matching vertices (In Order).
- Chasing: particles each go to one of another event's particles and follow it.
Goal is choreography, not physics: from wherever they are, particles arrive exactly when they're due, slowing smoothly to a stop on their targets, and stay there, moving with the object. Forces and colliders in the event don't move them.
Set it up
Make the shape: a mesh, a curve, or text.
Add Goal to the event, name the shape in Object and pick At: Surface, Vertices, Curve or Origin.
Pick Arrive: After a Time (each a set time after it enters) or At a Frame (all together).
To let them go again, add an Age Test to the same event, counting from Entering, and wire it to an event with forces. The Goal holds them on their targets until the test sends them on.
Settings
As the flow editor’s sidebar shows them. Changing any of them marks the bake old; those marked Keyframable can also change through a bake.
Where on the object the targets are.
- Surface: Spread evenly over the object's faces.
- Vertices: The object's vertices, one each, spread over it however few come (in number order with In Order), then again.
- Curve: Evenly along a curve, text or hair curves object, as Blender draws it.
- Origin: The object's origin: all to the one place.
- Particles: An event's particles, one each (spread over them however few come), followed as they go. This event's: those there before them.
The event whose particles they go to.
Shown when At is Particles.
What one does when its target particle is gone (or when there are none to go to)
- Stay: Go on to where it was last, and stay there (with none: slow to a stop)
- Let Go: Go on as they were.
- Delete: Remove them.
- Next: Go to another, from where they are (with none: go on as they were until there is one)
Shown when At is Particles.
How many targets, after which they are used again. 0 for as many as come (on vertices: one each)
Shown when At is Surface, Vertices, Curve or Particles.
Which particle goes to which target.
- Nearest: Each to its own target near where it is: those entering together are matched so their ways are short.
- In Order: The targets in turn, as particles enter (on vertices: by number, so one mesh's particles can go to another's matching vertices)
- Random: The targets at random, none twice.
Shown when At is Surface, Vertices, Curve or Particles.
When particles reach their targets.
- After a Time: Each a set time after it enters the event.
- At a Frame: All at a set frame, however early or late they enter (those entering after it go straight there)
Seconds after entering the event each arrives on its target, slowing smoothly to a stop on it (moving with it when it moves)
Shown when Arrive is After a Time.
How far out of the faces the targets are (negative: in)
Shown when At is Surface.
Turn them smoothly as they go, to face as their targets do on arriving: Z out of a face (a vertex or origin: the object's way), on a curve X along it.
Where the targets are
| At | Targets |
|---|---|
| Surface | Spread evenly over the object's faces, Offset out of them (in, for less than 0) |
| Vertices | The vertices, one each. However few particles come, they're spread over the whole mesh |
| Curve | Evenly along a curve, text or hair curves object |
| Origin | The object's origin: all to one place |
| Particles | Another event's particles (pick the Event), one each, followed wherever they go. Its own event's: those that were there first |
Targets sets how many targets there are: after that many particles have taken one, the next ones go to the same targets again. 0 gives as many as come (on vertices: one per vertex).
Who goes where
Order matches particles to targets:
- Nearest: each to a target near where it is, so paths are short and don't cross much. Those entering together are matched together.
- In Order: targets in turn as particles enter. On vertices, by vertex number, so particles born on one mesh's vertices go to another mesh's matching vertices: a morph.
- Random: targets at random, none twice.
When they arrive
After a Time: each arrives Arrive After seconds after entering the event, give or take Variation. At a Frame: all on the Frame, give or take Variation, however early or late they entered; those entering after it go straight there.
They set off going as they were, so Speed in the same event sets how they set off: a burst outward that curls back into the shape. Starting fast the other way, they may overshoot on the way.
Face Targets
With Face Targets, particles also turn as they go, to face as their targets do on arriving: their Z out of the face, or along a curve their X along it. Shapes shown on them line up with the surface.
If Gone
For targets on Particles, If Gone says what one does when its target particle is deleted (or when there are none to go to): Stay where it was last, Let Go and carry on as it was, Delete itself, or go to the Next target.
Works with
- Arrivals go along the wire. Wire the Goal itself to do something the moment each arrives; with no wire they stay on their targets.
- Age Test on Entering, in the Goal's own event, to let them go after a while.
- Speed Add in the next event: particles leave going as their targets go, and Add puts a burst on top.
- Follow Curve: particles arriving on a curve are handed to a Follow Curve on it.
- An event takes one Goal or Follow Curve, and no Collide, Particle Physics, Bind, Rigid Body, Liquid, Flock or Pin.
Problems you may see
event: operator needs the event whose particles they go to
event: operator takes particles where they go, through anything: it can't share an event with name
event: operator: 'object' has no mesh to go to
event: operator: 'object' is not a curve: pick a curve, text or hair curves object
event: operator: an event takes one Follow Curve or Goal
event: operator: name holds its particles, so it can't steer them
event: operator takes particles where they go: this event's forces don't move them
Errors stop a bake; warnings don’t. Every message is on the Messages page.
Related
- Following curves and forming shapes
- Surface Force, a softer pull to a surface
Follow Curve
Send particles along a curve, text or hair curves: exactly, through anything, riding it as it moves; or steered, pushed along it with the event's other forces.
Surface Force
Pull particles onto an object's surface, or a set distance off it, from inside or out: they hold there, ride it as it moves, and slide along it.