Then click the Add Layer button. Make it a gradient layer again, but on the input parameter setting change it to Local Density and put in the following parameters.

Bar 1 Red = 246 Green = 226 Blue = 173 - Alpha = 100% - Parameter = 0%
Bar 2 Red = 215 Green = 094 Blue = 021 - Alpha = 100% - Parameter = 16.14%

To get this:

Then click on the button "Use Texture" so that we can then move on to luminosity.

Set Luminosity to 100% then click on the T button to the right of the colour swatch. We want a gradient again and the layer opacity should be 100%. Now set the input parameter type to Local Density and input the following settings.

Bar 1 Value = 150% - Alpha = 100% - Parameter = 0%
Bar 2 Value = 59% - Alpha = 100% - Parameter = 13.68 %

You should get this:

Now we move to the Opacity button. The opacity will change over time, so click on the E (envelope) button, and input the following information.

Frame 0 = Value 80% Tension 0
Frame 3 = Value 28% Tension 0.58
Frame 8 = Value 34.85% Tension 0.285
Frame 12 = Value 78.07% Tension -.13
Frame 30 = Value 100% Tension 1

It should look something like this:

Close the envelope for Opacity and let's fill in the last details.

Density 120%
Thickness 80%
Smoothness 10%

Once those are done, move on to the advanced tab and set the render quality to medium, make sure that volumetric shadows and texture shadows are not highlighted. Illumination should be set to Beer, with the use all lights option on. Then move on to HyperTexture and use the following settings:

Now run a preview using Viper. Make sure you set the preview options to scene preview. Hopefully now you have a very basic explosion, we now need to add another smoky null to help give the illusion of the explosion being smothered by the water. This layer is particularly important to the effect, and subsequently needs care in setting up.

Third Null

Add another null and activate it in the Hypervoxels window. Once again change the object type to Volume. We need to add a Dissolve envelope, so click that button (E). Now input the following parameters.

Frame 4 = Value 100% Tension 0
Frame 8 = Value 40% Tension 1
Frame 15 = Value 40% Tension 1
Frame 38 = Value 60% Tension —1
Frame 200 = Value 100% Tension 1

Under the Geometry tab we need to add an envelope for particle size, so yes you guessed it… click that E button and add the following settings.

Frame 4 = Value 0m Tension 0
Frame 10 = Value 850mm Tension 0
Frame 30 = Value 1.1m Tension 1
Frame 200 = Value 1.5m Tension 1

It should look like this:

Close that window and move on to the Shading > Basic tab. Now input the following settings:

Now move on to the advanced tab. Add the following settings:

Now move on to the HyperTexture tab and input the following settings.

Once again, make a preview using Viper just to check it's all going as expected. Later we will attach this part of the explosion to a slow vertical moving null, that will give the effect of the explosion moving up in the water. But for now, just add two nulls for use later. Name the first null "Texture Movement" then add another and call it "Null Mover", we will animate these later.