Trapcode Particular light emitting particles

Ok, I've been mucking around with Trapcode's Particular plug in for after effects and I was wondering if you could somehow make the particles emit light. As in the ground plane will be black and when one particle comes close the ground it will start to light up, if you get what i mean...

 

I haven't played much with Particular, but I'm almost certain that it isn't quite that advanced. You'd have to fake the illumination with some solid layers and transfer modes.

 

And Shine. Shine could do it.

 

Shine only makes it LOOK like its emitting light. It wont actually emit light onto a 3d solid etc...

 

Correct.

In his Harry Potter-esque test, I believe Ryan used animated solid layers on the ground and a lot creative colour correction, as well as a lightsaber-like glow on the particles, to give the impression that the particles were emitting light.

 

Technically that's all you have to do, make it LOOK like it's emitting light to the viewer

 

gah, both things can easily be done in after effects. glow and lighting

 

Look at this, may lead you in the right direction, may not... either way, you should learn something.
http://ayrshire.creativecow.net/articles/kramer_andrew/nano/index.htm

 

You might try setting the emmiter as a light so that it'll be properly 3d in after effects, then a second light above your particles, then, turn light transmition on for the materials options in the particle layer, and it might cast shadows (except with color) down onto the ground plane, but the light is really coming from the second light, not the particles themselves.