• Emit from Parent – Particular’s new ‘Emit From Parent System’ makes it possible to have emitters that emit complete Emitters. You can easily set up emitter chains, or have multiple systems emit from one source. Combine presets to create embers and smoke from flame particles. Fireworks can reach a whole new explosive depth.

• Even More Particle Systems – Work with up to 16 particle systems in the same 3D space (previously 8) and explore endless creative possibilities. Create beautiful, complex effects through the interaction of different systems, all within one instance of Particular. Emitters in Multi-system setups can share parameter settings (such as turbulence, gravity and more), and can be saved as a single preset.

• Physics: Air & Bounce Together – For the first time ever, combine air and bounce physics for the most realistic, complex effects ever offered in Particular. Choose up to 3 bounce layers with full bounce control and interaction.

• Physics: Environment – The Environment category houses external forces like Gravity, Air Turbulence and the new Wind effect – a force that is now responsive to the mass, size, and air resistance of particles. Define different aspects of the Air Turbulence around your system to affect particle Position and Orientation/Spin.

• Physics: Particle Properties – Particular now includes more intuitive control of how particles respond to their environment by making Mass and Air Resistance properties of the particles themselves.

• Fast Physics – A new Fast Physics section includes the tools that can affect physics quickly without much of a hit to render times, such as Turbulence Field and Spherical Fields. New Drift controls push particles directly when real-world physics aren’t needed. A new Affect Opacity option is now available with Turbulence Field.

• Behaviors: Flocking/Swarming – Particular’s powerful new Flocking simulation tools include automatic behaviors that take particle animation to a new level. Use Attract and Separate tools to define how much the particles want to be near each other. The Align tool lets you control how much particles flock in the same direction

• Behaviors: Predator/Prey – Set up Predator/Prey relationships between particle systems. When a system is set up as Prey, you can use the Evade parameter to control how much they want to avoid a Predator. If a system is set as a Predator, the Pursue control decides how hungry it is. Control the maximum speed of your particles, how far they can see each other, and their field of view for even more realistic and varied behavior.

• Behaviors: Meander – The new Meander behavior allows individual particles to wander about like people in a shopping mall or to have variances in speed like cars in different lanes of traffic. Meander’s influence over your animation is affected by the Mass of particles and can be used to add some nice individual movement to each particle. Meander can also be used to create complex group motion when combined with other features and behaviors, such as Flocking.

• Velocity Over Life – For the first time ever, particles can be set to change their speed several times during a simulation using a Velocity Over Life curve. Start particles off slow so they stick to their emission point before speeding away, or have them start off fast, slow down and speed up again over the course of their lifetime. Great for use with Text and 3D Object-based emitters.

• New Presets – Particular 4 includes over 75 new presets that show off powerful features like fluid dynamics, behaviors and more. Explore the library of over 430 presets to find beautifully designed effects for creating fluids, text, fire, spaceflight, fireworks, muzzle flashes, explosions, smoke and more. Save your own presets, and share them across your facility.

• Cinema 4D File Import – Thanks to Cineware, use .c4d file 3D geometry as emitters. Supported Geometry properties include: animation and transformations (rotation, position/translation and scaling).