hi,
we have an issue here which might be a bug:
Krakatoa 2.3.0.54180 (max 2012 and max 2014) doesn’t render the particles, when a deformer modifier is applied. The rendered image is just black. We tested a noise, path deform and an FFD modifier, so it seems that none of the deformers work. The scene renders fine with version 2.2.051807.
I attached the max 2012 scene file. Any ideas/help is greatly appreciated.
cheers,
Holger
krakatoa_deformer_bug_v001.max (428 KB)
Hi Holger,
Thank you very much for your bug report!
I was able to reproduce the problem under specific circumstances, and I am logging it for the developer to take a look. Unfortunately, it might take until next week before we have a solution.
From my tests it appears that the problem is related to having Age and LifeSpan channels in the sequence. PRT files (both 1.0 and 1.1) that do not contain Age+LifeSpan do not seem to exhibit this problem.
Until this is solved, please consider using an earlier build.
Thank you for your patience and sorry for the inconvenience!
UPDATE: There seems to be more going on than I thought.
*Your scene clearly does not work with deformers.
*If I start a new scene, create PFlow particles from scratch, with or without Age and LifeSpan, and load and render with 2.3, deformations work.
*If I load the same working particles into your scene, they don’t work with deformers.
*If I merge your PRT Loader into a new scene, it does not work with deformers.
*If I create a new PRT Loader in this same scene, it does not work while the merged PRT Loader is in the scene.
*If I delete your PRT Loader, the newly created PRT Loader works again!
*Instancing the .baseobject of the new PRT Loader to the merged PRT Loader’s .baseobject does not fix anything.
*If I copy all modifiers from your PRT Loader onto the new PRT Loader and delete the merged PRT Loader, my new loader deforms correctly with both FFD and Noise (and anything else).
*If I create a new PRT Loader in your scene, align to the existing one and copy all settings and all modifiers from your PRT Loader and then delete your PRT Loader, my new one works!
So right now it looks like there is something really wrong with your scene and the PRT Loader object in particular.
I will have to run some more tests to figure out what it is…
wow! 
i will pass this on to the artist who set up the scene and will have him check this.
good to know that there actually is a solution and how to deal with things like this in case this happens again.
i’ll let you know about the result.
do you have any idea what might have corrupted the PRT Loader? any hints on that from your research?
thanks and cheers,
Holger
It is total mystery right now, I have never seen anything like that. It is obviously not a problem with the actual PRT Loader base object itself, but something with its node. I will try to go through all node properties and figure out what is wrong with it. Was it created with an older version of Krakatoa? Was the scene ever saved back to a previous Max version?
hi Bobo,
No
No
we just tried the following
we did this on two different machines, both 3ds max 2012 and Krakatoa 2.3. then we did the exact same steps on a third machine on max 2012 but Krakatoa 2.2. there it works.
i attached the PRT to this post as a zip file, maybe this will help.
cheers,
Holger
P.S.: the forum software only tells me that attaching PRTs is not allowed AFTER the upload of the file. maybe there’s a chance to tell the BB software to check this before uploading?
Thanks!
I reproduced the problem, logged as bug and passed on to the developer.
hi Bobo,
thanks! looking forward to a solution
FWIW, our workaround was not to use an earlier build but to write (the deformed) PRTs and then render those.
cheers,
Holger