How would I create this?

[Deleted User]

Yesterday I completed a "24hr challenge" and my end result was a green lantern power battery sitting atop a column. Pretty basic. Now that its over I want to do more like having energy flow from the inside where the ring is charged.

How would I create something like the images below with max/vray? Or is this something I need after effects for? How would you do it?

My lantern: http://www.artstation.com/artwork/green-lantern-power-battery-24hr-challenge

Energy reference:

.morph3us

well, max can render glow, but its not beautifull.
so i'd use a postproduction tool nevertheless.

regarding the effect:
either draw something in ps or whatever and stick it on a plane, which rotates always to the camera
(clips with geometry)
or
use a particle system

LaurentiuN

i would make that with thinking particles or Particle flow and render with krakatoa, that would give you some nice particle effects.

Stirls

If you own After Effects, you could definitely do this with Trapcode particular, form, and some vector blur stuff. Though if you're looking to do it strictly within Max, probably a mix of pflow and box#1?

http://www.orbaz.com/products/particleflow/box1/

[Deleted User]

I do have after effects.Can you tell me more about trapcode particular, form, and vector blur? Is there a tutorial for something similar?

Adij

http://cgcookie.com/max/cgc-courses/plasma-arcs-with-pflow/