Adobe After Effects CS4 - Manual (Page 586)

580 USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Effects and animation presets
Last updated 12/21/2009
The alpha channel determines whether a shattered piece exists. A white alpha channel value results in a shattered piece,
and a black alpha channel value results in no piece. Using an alpha channel, you can make a tile map with holes in it
or generate simple 3D models like extruded text.
Note: The custom shatter map determines the shapes of the pieces a layer shatters into, but not when the pieces shatter.
The timing is determined by the Force controls and can be further controlled by a gradient layer.
The Toolfarm website provides a tutorial that shows how to create a custom shatter map for some real-world bricks.
Wave World effect
Use this effect to create a grayscale displacement map for use with other effects such as Caustics or Colorama. This
effect creates waves based on a simulation of the physics of liquids. Waves emanate from an effect point, interact with
each other, and realistically reflect off their environment. Use Wave World to create a top-down view of a logo, with
waves reflecting off the logo and the sides of the layer.
Eran Stern provides a video tutorial on the Creative COW website in which he demonstrates how to use the Caustics
effect with the Wave World effect.
This effect works with 8-bpc color.
Wireframe view (upper-left), Height Map view (lower-left), and resulting image (lower-right). Result is used as Water Surface source for
Caustics effect example.
Wireframe view (left), Height Map view (center), and resulting image (right). Result is used as Input Phase for Colorama effect example.