*Update - 18.03.2010* Dailyappshow made a video demo/review of Particle Art, check it out here. Also here's the Youtube version:
Welcome to the offical website of Particle Art. This page was created in order to provide assistance with the application, but also as a communications hub where you can find ways of contacting me in order to submit new ideas for which you think would add to the general enjoyment of the application.
If you're here for the first time, perhaps you should visit the iTunes page to read more on what's this application about. It's one click away.
Reviews, free promocode locations and opinions of some people that have tried out the app will be allocated here.
If you like the app, consider becoming a fan on Facebook. This is the easiest way to keep in touch with me and submit new ideas or just chill around with other people who like the app and receive updates as the app evolves!
Let's dissect the application in a friendly manner, shall we?
The main menu features a neat custom user interface which features three straightforward buttons: "Create!", "Load preset" and "Help".
The "Create!" button drops you into Preview Mode. The Preview Mode is the place where you can play around with your creations, kick them around by pushing around with your finger, pinch the screen to change particle velocity, destroy it or revert to the default particle emitter and other.
When you first access the Preview Mode, if you're coming through the "Create!" button, you'll notice there's nothing on the screen! Just doubletap the screen and you get the most amazing default particle emitter ever. Or not. You probably want to change it, but let's take it slow. Try wiggling the emitter by moving your finger around on the screen. Done? Now try pinching the screen to change the velocity of the particles. Done? It's nice, isn't it?
Off to the side you have a couple of buttons. The first one in the top right corner is the main menu button (depicted by the turn on/off sign). Just beneath it is the random button, which will randomize the particle emitter data and give you something nice right off the bat. Moving forwards, there's a button depicted by a curved arrow pointing back, it reverts everything back to the default particle emitter (The Logo Fountain).
The next batch of buttons is signed as "Tools". The "C" button is used to center the particle emitter on the center of the screen (240, 160). The E button takes you to the land of wonders, the reason you had to give 99 cents. We'll talk about that in a second.
The "X" looking button is used to destroy the particle emitter and clear the Preview Mode. It is still stored in the app's runtime, so if you think destroying it was a mistake, just doubletap the screen and it's back. Right there where you left it. Also, if you feel that you have to jump to the help section for some reason, simply press the "Turn off" button and come back later. The app will contain all the data for you, so when you get back full of knowledge you can take your art to the next level.
So, you've finally found the magic "E" button. Welcome to the editor, the heart of this application. First of all, you're encouraged to just get in there and start pushing buttons and switches around and if you need more details, just come back here and read through.
Particle Life - This control manages how long the particles life, push it and see the results in realtime.
Max Particles - The number of particles on the screen, manipulating this control alters their number. Also, it has a low-limit and a high-limit. Performance-wise precaution, will increase with future content updates.
Particle Size - The size of the particles, if your particles are too small or too big, simply play around with this control until you get the satisfactory size.
Angle - This control adjusts the direction at which the particles are shot out of point-zero.
Angle variance - Changing this control manipulates the angular spread in which the particles get shot out relative to the direction chosen with the Angle control. This probably sounds nerdy and is much simpler in reality, play around with the default particle emitter to get the idea of what it does.
Particle chooser - The biggest UI element in the Editor is the particle chooser, where you can change the particle design to stars, hearts, circular-thingies and things alike. There's a lot of combinations for you to choose from, and if that ain't enough we'll constantly increase the number of designs for you to use. You can even submit your own to us, through the email in the Contact section. 64x64 in size, transparent background. If it's awesome, you'll be credited for it and it'll end up in one of the next content updates.
Color - The "COLOR" button enables you to change the color of the particles, specifically the initial and final RGB values. It's simple, RGB stands for Red Green Blue. You manipulate the influence of each of these colors to get the color somewhere in between. (1.0, 0.0, 0.0) is pure red for example. As you know, mixing red with green gives yellow: (1.0, 1.0, 0.0). Just play with it and you'll get the hang of it.
Gravity - this button enables you to change the forces applied on the particle emitter in the x and y directions. You can create effects of gravity, wind or just something crazy and strange.
Mode - This button enables you to change the active mode. Tapping it shows the effect, it shifts the colors from dark to vivid and vice-versa. Technically, it enables/disables additive blending... But you really don't want/need to know the story behind it, do you?
And that's it for the Preview Mode/Editor!
The other two main menu buttons are "Load preset" and "Help". They do pretty much what you expect from them. "Load preset" shows you a screen with a small number of particle emitters to get your feet wet, just before you jump into the awesome sea of particles, of course... "Help" shows you some useful information about the application and prepares you for it's basic usage.
As you can see, it isn't hard to create some awesome stuff and just sink your teeth in. Play nice, have fun and email us suggestions if you have any.
SCREENSHOTS
