How do I properly use particle simulation in Unity?

Questions & Answers
1

So I’m using Unity’s simulate function to pre-render particles. So that I can already have clouds moving over head, without the player having to wait.

It seems that simulate is not quite working as to what I expect. It’s most likely a setting that I missed. But I just really cannot find the issue.

This is from inside the editor, I clicked on the particle object and just let it run
This is from inside the editor, I clicked on the particle object and just let it run. This is what I’d like.

This is after I've run the game a little bit, then hit pause
This is after I’ve run the game a little bit, then hit pause. This is what is currently happening, for some reason the particles get bigger.

Here is the script that I’ve attached.

public float initTime;
public ParticleEmitter partEmitter;
// Use this for initialization
void Start () {
    for (float i = 0.1f; i < initTime; i = i + 0.1f) {
        partEmitter.Simulate(i);
    }
}

[6820-particle+renderer.jpg|6820]
As asked, here is also a what my Particle Renderer settings looks like.

6950-clipboard01.jpg
6950-clipboard01.jpg431×695 48.3 KB

Here are more of the settings, but fully expanded

I’ve run this scene in both Unity 3.5 and in Unity 4.0. Same thing happens in both versions.I’m pretty sure that it’s something to do with the script. But I’ve tried many different pieces of code and they are all similar and do the same thing.

2

Okay, here’s that answer posted. And I also had one other thing to say: Make sure your World Velocity is set to 0 in X,Y, and Z. That’ll mean the clouds can’t get stretchy.

Javascript/Unityscript:

var emitter: ParticleEmitter;

function Update () {

// Simulate 10 seconds

for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) {

  emitter.Simulate(1.0);

}

}

I think C# would be:

ParticleEmitter emitter;

void Update () {

// Simulate 10 seconds

for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) {

  emitter.Simulate(1.0);

}

}