Thank you for purchasing thinkingParticles 7 for 3ds Max. thinkingParticles 7 is the ultimate rule based particle system for 3ds max, offering unparalleled power to the user. thinkingParticles 7 is a completely new class of rule-based particle systems for 3ds Max. When this type of particle system is compared to an event-based particle system, (which works on triggers and time dependent events) you'll find many unique advantages within thinkingParticles 7's rule-based logic, which is free from normal time-based constraints and instead applies simple behaviors. These behaviors govern all aspects of a particle’s motion, life, death, and collisions in a true non-linear fashion. We hope you find that by using thinkingParticles 7, you can create all the incredible effects you were hoping for, but have been limited previously by existing technologies.

thinkingParticles is under constant development and we need your help to improve it. We love to hear from our customers and will always answer your email. It doesn't matter if it’s a new idea, a bug, or you just want to give us your opinion. Tell us what you think and what you would like to see in upcoming releases.

thinkingParticles 7 may seem a bit daunting to new users as the particle system is radically different from other ones available. However, this difference is the source of its greatest benefit - thinkingParticles 7 lets you build your particle systems so they are not event-based - rather, they are based on rules and conditions and not tied to other time-based factors. So it is highly recommended that you go through the Introduction, work through the tutorials and watch the training videos so that the ideas behind thinkingParticles 7's design and use become clearer to you. Be aware that thinkingParticles 7 is an exceptionally powerful tool that offers many new concepts that you might not have seen before. Stick with this manual and try to work through it in easy stages - don't make the mistake of trying to learn everything at once. The more you experiment with thinkingParticles 7, the more obvious its operation will become.  

• For new users of thinkingParticles 7, the best place to begin is the Introduction. Here you'll get a good background look at how this sophisticated particle system works and the thought processes you must go through when working with this complex plug-in. It is divided into multiple sections to accommodate all of the various important aspects of the thinkingParticles 7 particle system. It is strongly recommended that you go through these sections prior to doing the main tutorials.
• For specific information about thinkingParticles 7's various controls, operators and settings, you should go to the Reference Section. This section will give you detailed explanations of what each component within the thinkingParticles 7 user interface does, and how each one relates to each other and the entire system.
• Finally, within this document is a complete set of Tutorials, sample files and video training material. 

And for those users looking for quick links within this document, here is a list of common topics you will regularly reference when using thinkingParticles 7. Several of the more common plug-in components that make up thinkingParticles 6 can be accessed in the following locations:  

• The thinkingParticles 7 Interface
• Particle Group Tree View
• DynamicSet Tree View
• Wire Setup View
• Create Rollout
• Parameter Rollouts
• Dynamic Simulation Concepts
• Initiators
• Keyboard Shortcuts