Can I use something similar to the ParticleInfo Node but for meta objects? In cycles you can control the color of a Particle-(dupli)Object with the ParticleInfo Node. You can, for example, divide Particle Age by Lifetime and use the result as factor for a mix shader.

I wonder if and how it is possible to do the same with a metaball (instead of a cube)?



I have a particle system and i'm using a object (in this case a sphere) as dupli object.

In the picture you can see that the material color is affected by the age of the particle. If i change the dupli object from the sphere to a meatball the age of the particle has no influence. The material is same material that i used for the sphere


My example Material
Sphere as dupli object
Metaball as dupli object
You could color your Metaballs easily with the Point Density Texture/Map. I recently found it works also great on surface coloring just like the volume coloring. You could set the Radius in the Point Density settings high enough to reach the surface of the Metaballs and it should work properly.

EDIT:

I just tried it myself and it actually works. When you use the Point Density in the Material of the Metaball you have to select the Object with the Particle System on it and make the Radius high enough. You can also select if you want to know the speed or the age of the Particle. Also Cubic Interpolation is much more beautiful in my opinion so select that.