pRender Node

pRender consumes the particle set produced by the particle chain and turns it into an image. Two output modes:

• 2D: a flat image, to connect to a classic Merge 2D.
• 3D (default): 3D geometry you can integrate into a scene (Merge 3D) with the other 3D elements (cube, camera, lights).

The render settings include the camera (in 3D), motion blur, a Z buffer for depth operations, and a grid for visual orientation while you work.

• Effects Library: Tools > Particles > pRender
• Quick add: right-click in the Node Editor → Add Tool > Particles > pRender

• Particle Input (orange) - output of a particle node only (pEmitter or the last pForce in the chain).
• Camera Input (green) - optional. A Camera 3D or Merge 3D scene to render from a specific camera view.
• Effect Mask (blue) - optional. A mask that crops the 2D image produced (2D mode only).

Simple 2D mode:
pEmitter → pTurbulence → pRender (2D Mode) → Merge 2D → MediaOut

3D mode (3D scene integration):
pEmitter → pForces → pRender (3D Mode) → Merge 3D (with Camera 3D + Shape 3D)
                                      → Renderer 3D → MediaOut

With an existing camera:
pEmitter → pRender (Camera Input = scene Camera 3D) → Merge 3D
(particles are rendered from the scene's main camera)

2D

Flat render. A 2D bitmap image as output. Fast and simple, for integration into a classic 2D composite. No interaction with 3D geometry.

3D (default)

3D geometric output. Particles can be combined with a 3D scene (Merge 3D) with other elements, lit, rendered with depth, etc. More flexible but requires a Renderer 3D downstream.

Rule: particles alone as a 2D overlay → 2D Mode. Particles integrated into a full 3D scene → 3D Mode.

Particles are a stateful system - each frame depends on the previous ones (particles that keep living, positions that evolve). The problem: when you scrub the timeline to a distant frame, Fusion does not know the state of the particles at that frame.

Automatic Pre-Roll (recommended)

Fusion automatically computes from the start of the project up to the current frame when needed. Correct rendering, but scrubbing can be slow.

Without Pre-Roll

The render can be wrong / missing particles if the current frame is far from the start. Faster but incorrect.

Rule: always enable Automatic Pre-Roll for production. Only turn it off for quick previews.

Render Tab

2D/3D Mode, render settings (quality, motion blur, samples).

Sub-Frame Calculation

Accuracy of the sub-frame particle calculation. Higher = more precise but slower. Important for fast motion and precise physical collisions.

Z Buffer Generation

Generates a Z channel for the particles - lets you apply depth-based effects downstream (DOF, fog). It adds significant render cost.

Scene Tab

Z-clipping planes to control the camera / depth interaction.

Grid Tab

A visual 2D orientation grid (not rendered in the final output, just a reference while you work).

Image Tab

Output resolution, color depth, pixel aspect - like a built-in Resize.

Motion Blur

Enables native motion blur on moving particles. Much more believable than a post-render 2D motion blur.

• The end of every particle chain - required. No specific use case, just an essential utility.
• Fast 2D overlay render - 2D Mode + Merge 2D. For particles that do not need to interact with a 3D scene.
• Integration into a 3D scene - 3D Mode + Merge 3D with cubes, lights and a shared camera. Particles react to depth and can be lit.
• DOF on particles - Z Buffer Generation on + a DOF node downstream = particles with realistic depth of field.
• Particles with motion blur - Motion Blur enabled in pRender for believable fast particles. Much better than a post-render Vector Motion Blur.
• Multi-resolution (fast preview vs final) - the Image Tab to lower the resolution while working and raise it for the final render.

• Automatic Pre-Roll on by default in production. Otherwise particles "appear" incorrectly when you scrub far.
• 3D Mode recommended to start with - more flexible. Only switch to 2D if you really need simplicity.
• Motion Blur on for fast particles - essential for a believable render. Every real VFX particle render has motion blur.
• Sub-Frame Calculation = 4-8 = a quality/performance trade-off. Raise it if particles "pass through" a pBounce at high speed.
• Z Buffer Generation is expensive - only turn it on if you need Z for depth-based effects. Otherwise it wastes render time.
• Camera Input for an existing 3D scene - if the comp already has a main Camera 3D, connecting it to pRender ensures the particles are rendered from the same perspective.
• Image Tab for fast previews - lower the resolution to 50% while working (pRender at 960×540 instead of 1920×1080), raise it for the final render.