[Roland R. kahlenberg]

Try purging your image caches -> Edit>Purge>Image Cache. If the issue still persists, then purge Memoru & Cache.

BTW, have you updated your copy of AE CC to the current version?

HTH
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE/ACI

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

[clay stearns] “The other thing that’s weird is that when I try to render the comp it renders without that layer, but when I play the comp inside AE it’s there.”

How are you “playing the comp”?

Post your screen caps. Ensure that you include the Comp, Timeline and Layer Panels and that all applicable property values are distinctly visible.

Cheers
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE/ACI

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

Since you liked what you saw, I came up with another version – not to make you unlike the original version BUT more so that you may have a preference for this newer version 😉

6389_particleplaygroundvarispeedparticles02.zip

If you have any Qs, please be specific on the area(s) where you need more info.

Cheers
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE/ACI

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

Erik, it’s easy cos’ now you know how to do it. 😉

I love PP for its property mappers feature and designing image grids.

Checkout this thread -> https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/2/1040538 on designing a grid using PP.

Cheers
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE/ACI

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

The answer is in the menu (top right) for your Info Panel. If it’s set to 16bpc then your color values will max at 32768. Another possibility is if your Info Panel is set to Auto Color Display AND your project is set to 16bpc.

HTH
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE/ACI

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

This ZIP package includes an AEP (2 versions in AE CS6 and AE CC). The AEP uses Particle Playground to create particles that are shot off a canon (emitter). The particles then travel at variable speeds. The speed is controlled in a precomp using a grayscale image.

White areas denote fast/normal speeds. Darker areas denote slower speeds. As a particle travels across different luminance areas, its speed varies accordingly.

Here’s the AEP – 6386_particleplaygroundvarispeedparticles.zip

HTH
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE/ACI

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

I’ve attached an AE Project File (CS6 and CC versions included) in a ZIP package.

6384_particleplaygroundoffsetdots.zip

The AEP uses two Particle Playground layers to create a grid of dots that are offset on the x-axis, on alternate rows. The dots are from a precomp and are used as a custom particle by the PP layers.

Both PP layers are linked to a precomp (Opacity Map) which affects the opacity of the dots.

By changing the Opacity Map, different outcomes are possible in the PP layers.

HTH
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE/ACI

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

Hmmm, the post from Stephan seems pretty clear. Exactly what are you unsure of? Further, depending on your version of AE, the Keyboard Shortcuts txt fie may be named differently. However, it should be obvious that the applicable txt file will be appropriately named by having “shortcuts” as part of its name.

HTH
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE/ACI

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

Place the layers that should not be squashed at the top of the Timeline stack. Then apply Effect>Distort>Transform onto an Adjustment Layer which is placed above the ‘squashed layers’.

HTH
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

Use Effect>Channel>Minimax to make your fonts thinner. No guarantees that it’ll work perfectly but it should help a lot.

Cheers
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE