Particle Illusion is a great tool. On the less expensive (and less manipulatable) side is the Ulead Cool 3D Production Studio. We had a guy in here last week to do a training DVD and dang, I learned a lot that I don't know about this app. The particles are actually incredibly powerful. I had no idea. But...shading the smoke in there is a little tricky, and their keyframer, while it contains everything you need, is slightly challenging to maneuver through. It's very similar to a Flash keyframer.

Woah... I'm looking at this app right now on their site (P.Illusion) and it really seems to rock the place...
I'm going to see if I need it in more than just this film I want to make though since it's 400 bucks and I don't use 3D in my clips very often. I may also get hooked!
I'll look at this other app too Spot.
And, while you're there, I read the review concerning the 650 Matrox card. If I get more into 3D in the future, is Parhelia a good choice, I mean, is this a good card *compared to other companies* to actually make 3D? I ask 'cause I got this G450 and I'm *very* satisfied with it. I got an ATI on my laptop (Vaio) and I'd rather go again with Matrox for my next computer...

Mmmm... there's a "light" edition too. I'll check it out.
But so far, I haven't found any manual...
Thanks guys!

They had a light edition (SE it was called) that appeared last fall in a UK magazine as a CD-ROM insert. I don't know whether that version is still available anywhere else, either for download or as a bundle with something else. I tried to get it here (in California), but Borders was sold out by the time I got there.

See http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=264669
Particle Illusion 2.0 was on the CD that came with Digit Magazine, August 2003. Vol 64. As far I know it is avalable directly from Digit. That is where I got mine.

http://www.digitmag.co.uk/backissues/

Go to http://www.wondertouch.com/default.asp

Click on "downloads" in left hand menu listing. PI3.0 demo and PI-SE demo are both available there. The SE is the light version, but still very powerful. Darryl

I gotta agree, ParticleIllusion SE 2.0 from the Digit magazine disk should do the trick. You want to use the Deflectors to the make the smoke bounce back and forth off of objects as you suggested. Deflectors will allow it to collect in one place like over a table. While PE 3.0 has way more capabilities, the SE version of PE 2.0 might just do what you want and its less than $20 if you buy the back issue of Digit.

~jr

You could use Wax even without a 3D card. It has an in built software renderer which does the render if hardware accel cannot be used. Especially for your kind of smoke effects, it would be useful - checkout the particles.veg sample to see a sample 'cloud' rendered, which can be easily tweaked to get smoke.

Just remember PI is only 2D. I have it myself (the version from Digit) and for what it is it's very capable. However from your original post I kind of got the idea that to create the illusion of smoke flowing through holes and around objects in a very real and lifelike fashion it'd either be one hell of a lot of work with a 2D app like PI or you'd really need a full blown 3D program.

If the shot is static then I'd get much easier of course but I'd imagine with say a shot moving through a room this could become a pretty complex exercise. I'd start by building a 3D model of the room and contents so the smoke 'knows' where it can move into and then motion track the 'smoke' back into the real room.

I'd add that smoke, fire, water and flesh are the holy grails of CGI. Of course there is one other obvious solution, real 'smoke'. I've seen stage shows that use smoke that they can make do amazing tricks with by careful control of air currents.

Thanks for feedback everybody! PI really looks great!
Now I gotta choose how I'll do it... : /