Output
As of Cinema 4D 2025.1, it is also possible to attach custom properties to the particles, which can then be queried again in Conditions, in Math or Data Mapper modifiers, for example, or offset against other properties of the particles. The Predator Prey Modifier offers ten properties for storage.
To use the corresponding storage, activate the option to the right of its name. A new custom property whose data type is compatible with the output value is automatically created and entered. These automatically generated custom properties are stored within the Scene Settings and their Particle Simulation settings in the group for Automatic Custom Properties section.
However, you can also go to the group for Manual Custom Properties and manually create custom properties there by yourself. You will find an arrow button behind the respective name field of the Output properties, which can be used to open a selection list of the available custom properties. These lists are automatically filtered to display only the custom properties of the simulation scene whose data types are compatible with the Output value.
You can find out more about the manual creation of custom properties for saving and processing particle properties in the section on Particle Simulation Settings within the Scene Settings.
This integer value indicates the number of neighboring particles that are within the radius of influence of the Predator particles. Activating this option automatically creates a custom property with a suitable Integer data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created custom properties that also uses this data type.
In this context, please note the setting for the Neighbour Search, which controls the procedure and the accuracy of this calculation.
This integer value indicates the number of neighboring particles that are within the influence radius of the Prey particles. Activating this option automatically creates a custom property with a suitable Integer data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created custom properties that also uses this data type.
In this context, please note the setting for the Neighbour Search, which controls the procedure and the accuracy of this calculation.
Boole values are output here. For the simulation frame in which a Predator particle chases after a prey, true is output here for the Predator particle. Accordingly, false is issued for the predator particles that are not currently reacting to prey. Activating the Chasing option automatically creates a user property with a suitable Bool data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created custom properties that also uses this data type.
This output only affects the Predator particles and outputs the index of the closest Prey particle for them. If there is no Prey particle within the search radius, -1 is output instead. Activating the Chasing Particle ID option automatically generates a custom property with a suitable Index data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created user properties that also uses this data type.
This output only affects the Predator particles and shows the distance to the nearest Prey particle that is being tracked by this Predator. Therefore, no distance can be determined for predators who are not chasing prey. That's why you should also check the additional output available for Chasing. If you receive true there, a distance can also be output here at the same time.
Activating the Prey Distance option automatically creates a custom property with a matching Float - Meter data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created custom properties that also uses this data type.
Boole values are output here. For the simulation image in which a Prey particle is captured by a Hunter, true is output here for the Predator particle. This is automatically switched back to the default value false for subsequent images. Activating the Caught Prey option automatically creates a custom property with a matching Event Bool data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created user properties that also uses this data type.
Boole values are output here. For the simulation frame in which a Prey particle is pursued by a Predator, true is output here for the Prey particle. Accordingly, false is issued for the prey particles that are not currently being hunted. Activating the Fleeing automatically creates a custom property with a suitable Bool data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created custom properties that also uses this data type.
This output only affects Prey particles and outputs the index of the closest Predator particle for these. If there is no Predator particle within the search radius, -1 is output instead. Activating the Fleeing From Particle ID option automatically generates a custom property with a suitable Index data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created user properties that also uses this data type.
This output only affects the Prey particles and shows the distance to the nearest Predator particle from which the Prey is fleeing. Therefore, no distance can be determined for Prey that is not being hunted. That's why you should check the additional output available for Fleeing as well. If you receive true there, a distance can also be output here at the same time.
Activating the Predator Distance option automatically generates a custom property with a suitable Float - Meter data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created custom properties that also uses this data type.
In the simulation image in which a Prey particle is captured by a Predator, true is output for the Prey particle. In the subsequent simulation screens, this value is automatically reset to the default value false. Activating the Was Caught option automatically creates a custom property with a matching Event Bool data type. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow button next to the name field to select one of your manually created user properties that also uses this data type.