Houdini 20.5 Nodes VOP nodes

Karma Pyro Smoke Color VOP node

Creates a color value used to control the scattering and absorption component of volume shading.

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Overview

This node reads in the density volume (given by Density Volume), which is then processed and output as scattering and absorption to be used with the Karma Volume node.

Creating the expected absorption and scattering inputs for the Karma Volume can be rather advanced. This node offers a quick and easy solution, while also providing the familiar Smoke Color, Absorption Color, and Shadow Color interface to set the look of the smoke.

Parameters

Density

Density Scale

Controls the overall density of the smoke. Increasing this value will give the smoke a thicker appearance. Reducing it will make the smoke less opaque. To remap the thickness of the smoke, change the menu on the right side of this parameter from Constant to Use Ramp.

Density Range

Specifies the horizontal extent of the Density Ramp, which is evaluated to get the transformed smoke density.

This parameter is available when the menu next to Density Scale is set to Use Ramp.

Density Ramp

Controls how the smoke’s density values are remapped. The horizontal axis of this ramp spans Density Range.

This parameter is available when the menu next to Density Scale is set to Use Ramp.

Scale by Control Volume

When turned on, smoke densities are affected by the Density Control Volume. In particular, the control volume’s value is mapped from Control Range to Scale Scale, which is then multiplied by smoke’s density.

With the default settings, the densities are unchanged where temperature volume is 0. As the temperature values rise towards 1, the densities will increase. If the temperature value equals or exceeds 1, the smoke will be twice as dense. This is useful to bring out more details when using emission masking.

Control Range

The values of Density Control Volume are remapped from this range to Scale Range before the result is multiplied by density values.

Scale Range

Controls the range of multipliers that can be applied to density by the control volume. Set the menu on the right to Use Ramp if you want to control the mapping. When this menu is set to Constant, mapping is linear.

Control Ramp

Determines how the control volume values are mapped to density scales. The horizontal and vertical axes of this ramp span Control Range and Scale Range, respectively.

This parameter is available when the menu next to Scale Range is set to Use Ramp.

Color

Smoke Brightness

Controls the overall smoke brightness. This value acts as a multiplier on top of the smoke color. Increase this value to get brighter smoke.

Smoke Color

Controls the overall color of the smoke. To get more natural looking smoke, change the menu on the right side of this parameter from Constant to Use Ramp. This will allow you to vary the smoke’s color with its density.

Source Range

The minimum and maximum values (given by Smoke Color Source Volume) to map to the left and right endpoints of the Density Color Ramp.

Shadow Color Ramp

Controls how the values (given by Smoke Color Source Volume) are mapped to its smoke color. The horizontal axis of this ramp spans the Source Range.

Absorption Color

The color that is absorbed as light travels through the volume.

Source Range

The minimum and maximum values (given by Absorption Color Source Volume) to map to the left and right endpoints of the Absorption Color Ramp.

Absorption Color Ramp

Controls how the values (given by Absorption Color Source Volume) are mapped to its absorption color. The horizontal axis of this ramp spans the Source Range.

Shadow Color

The color of shadows cast by the volume. Change the menu on the right side of this parameter from Constant to Use Ramp to change the color of the shadow based on smoke density.

Source Range

The minimum and maximum values (given by Shadow Color Source Volume) to map to the left and right endpoints of the Shadow Color Ramp.

Shadow Color Ramp

Controls how the values (given by Shadow Color Source Volume) are mapped to its shadow color. The horizontal axis of this ramp spans the Source Range.

Shadow Density

This multiplier applies on top of Density Scale when the volumes are lit. Increasing this value will result in less light penetrating the volume, without affecting the smoke’s opacity to the viewer. Decreasing this value reduces the light’s absorption, without changing how opaque the smoke appears.

Tint Smoke Color with Cd

When turned on, the smoke color set by the Smoke Color parameter is multiplied by Cd color volume (given by Cd Volume) if it exists to obtain the final smoke color.

Mix Smoke Color with Cd using Alpha

When turned on, the Alpha volume is used to blend between the Smoke Color and the Cd volume (given by Cd Volume) instead. Where alpha has a value of 1, it will use the color from the Cd volume and where Alpha is 0, it will use the color set by Smoke Color. When this checkbox is turned off, the smoke color is the product of these two values instead.

Bindings

Density Volume

The name of the volume to be used as smoke. Usually you should leave this as density.

Density Control Volume

The control volume used to modify smoke density values. This volume is used if Scale by Control Volume is turned on. Use tempearture or flame for fire effects, where you want the density scaled according to your emissive volume.

Smoke Color Source Volume

Selects the volume that is used for mapping the smoke color. Setting this to Smoke Density will use the modified smoke density by the shader. Otherwise, Geometry Volume will use the specified incoming volume from the geometry.

Custom Volume

The volume that is used for mapping the smoke color.

Absorption Color Source Volume

Selects the volume that is used for mapping the absorption color. Setting this to Smoke Density will use the modified smoke density by the shader. Otherwise, Geometry Volume will use the specified incoming volume from the geometry.

Custom Volume

The volume that is used for mapping the absorption color.

Shadow Color Source Volume

Selects the volume that is used for mapping the shadow color. Setting this to Smoke Density will use the modified smoke density by the shader. Otherwise, Geometry Volume will use the specified incoming volume from the geometry.

Custom Volume

The volume that is used for mapping the shadow color.

Cd Volume

The name of the volume to be used as the color volume. Usually you should leave this as Cd.

Alpha Volume

The name of the volume to be used as the alpha volume. Usually you should leave this as Alpha.

See also

VOP nodes