The ParticleSystem room focus on usage as an Object and does not show fancy explosion or anything (I'll leave that for the Asset ShowRoom); everywhere use the same simple ParticleNetwork created this way:
The room shows the way to use all type of ParticleSystems; Template provides granularity and randomness on a Particle Level for the connected ParticleNetwork Asset.
Instance find the first ParticleSystem connected to a certain ParticleNetwork update it then re-use the result for all other subsequent request of the ParticleSystem type Instance. In other words, image a corridor filled-in with a lot torches, each of them are of the type Instance. The first torch that is found gets updated all the others simply re-use the same result computed. They all get processed and get draw much faster but doesn't provides you granularity or randomness
on a per ParticleSystem Object basis.
Discrete creates a copy of the ParticleNetwork that gets connected to the ParticleSystem Object; then the user can operate of the ParticleModifiers themselves without having to contaminate the master ParticleNetwork. The shot below simply demonstrate that the color have been modified procedurally at runtime but does not affect the other ParticleSystem connected to that same ParticleNetork. Granularity and randomness on a Particle level is also provided as each and
every Discrete ParticleSystem are 100% independent.
The last room is the EnergyField rooms, EnergyFields are basically on Objects (including PhysicObjects and SoftBodies) and of course Particles. They offer a way to either influence a simulation or to create a simulation or when combined create other type of simulation. Based on the type of EnergyField you select everything in its radius will be affected; for regular Object/PhysicObject only their base transformation will be affected. For SoftBodies the impact will be on a Node level, and finally for Particles well, on a Particle level.
Here's a few shots of the current pre-built EnergyField types that are available:
Of course all this could also be done manually in code but; EnergyField provides a quick way to add some cool effect to any ongoing simulation. If you want new type of EnergyFields just let me know the kind of behavior that you want.