Auragen docs
Auragen docs

Getting Started

OverviewInterfaceNode GraphParameters and Controls

Operators

Surfaces
Particles

System

Particle System

Emitters

EmitterMesh EmitterImage Emitter

Effectors

Curl Noise EffectorTurbulence EffectorQuantized Motion EffectorGravity / Wind EffectorWind EffectorDrag EffectorAttractor EffectorPoints EffectorVortex EffectorTwist EffectorSpring EffectorMesh Attract EffectorImage Form EffectorField Flow EffectorFluid EffectorExplode EffectorShockwave EffectorSoft Collision EffectorPrimitive Collision EffectorKill Box EffectorColorize Effector

Renderers

Point RendererSprite RendererMesh RendererPoint Geometry RendererConnection RendererTrail Renderer

Other

Hologram
3D PreviewperformMODE
3D & SimulationParticles

Trail Renderer

Draws each particle's position history as a ribbon, flat or as a lit tube mesh.

The Trail Renderer keeps a history of positions per particle and draws it as a ribbon with thickness, taper, fade, and dashes. Mesh Output turns the ribbons into lit tubes.

Trail Renderer

  • Trail Length, Thickness, Taper, Fade, Dash
  • Mesh Output with a Material port
  • Found in the node graph under Particles → Renderers
Example patch — drag onto the app to load

The image on the right is the example patch itself. Drag and drop it onto the app, or load it with File → Load, to open the full graph. A sphere emitter with a curl effector drawn as default trails.

Inputs and outputs

Trail Renderer node

PortTypePurpose
MaterialSurfaceA Material for the tube mesh when Mesh Output is on.
RendererRendererWire it into the Particle System's Renderer port.

Parameters

Trail Renderer parameters
  • Opacity (0–1, default 1), Additive (default off).
  • Mesh Output (default off) with Radial Segments (3–16, default 6) and Mesh Thickness (0.001–4, default 0.05). Off, Thickness (0.5–16, default 3) sets the flat ribbon width.
  • Trail Length (2–400, default 48) — frames of history.
  • Width Random (0–1, default 0), Taper (0–1, default 1), Fade (0–1, default 1).
  • Dash (default off) with Dash Length (0.5–40, default 4).
  • Particle Use Amount (0–1, default 1).
  • Color Mode, Color, Gradient By, Gradient Cycles, Echo, Shadows, Shadow Mode.

Every slider has a per-parameter animation bar, so it can be animated, audio driven, or MIDI mapped.

Examples

Light streaks — Trail Length 120, Taper 1, Additive on.

Cables — Mesh Output on, a metal Material, a Quantized Motion Effector.

Troubleshooting

Trails are short — Trail Length counts frames; fast particles need more.

Related

Point Renderer

Its Echo is a cheaper smear.

Connection Renderer

Draws distance-faded lines between neighbouring particles.

Hologram

A self-contained instanced-sphere hologram of a wired mesh, with its own camera, lights, and material.

On this page

Inputs and outputsParametersExamplesTroubleshootingRelated