Perfect Walter, thanks. I guess if I want to make the appearance of depth I will have to create a layer map and adjust the scale accordingly.
Despite my attempts to avoid it…and even with CC Particle World, it appears as if Trapcode’s Particular really is the best way to generate custom particle (meaning “user created” particles) in 3D space within After Effects.
The price is a little out of my reach right now, but it appears to be worth the investment. Again, I appreciate the info!!