# Is it not possible to move a ParticleEmitterManager with physics?

**URL:** <https://phaser.discourse.group/t/is-it-not-possible-to-move-a-particleemittermanager-with-physics/12592>\
**Category:** Phaser 3\
**Created:** [November 25, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://phaser.discourse.group/t/is-it-not-possible-to-move-a-particleemittermanager-with-physics/12592 "2022-11-25T14:10:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MickeyKnox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MickeyKnox](https://phaser.discourse.group/u/MickeyKnox)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://phaser.discourse.group/t/is-it-not-possible-to-move-a-particleemittermanager-with-physics/12592/1 "2022-11-25T14:10:18Z")

</div>

```javascript
function fireRocket(gameObject, target) {
    let particles = getScene().add.particles('effects', 0)
        .setPosition(gameObject.x, gameObject.y)
        .setDepth(depthFor('effects'));
    particles.createEmitter({
        speed: 2,
        scale: { start: 1, end: 2 },
        alpha: { start: 1, end: 0 },
        quantity: 5,
        lifespan: 1500
    });

    getScene().physics.add.existing(particles);
    getScene().physics.moveTo(particles, target.x, target.y, 20);
}

```

When I comment the last two lines (getScene().physics.\*) I can see particles being emitted at the position of the gameObject. But with these two lines there are no particles visible.

Is there something wrong with my code, or is it simply not possible to move the ParticleEmitterManager this way?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![samme](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/phaser.discourse.group/samme/32/5275_2.png) [@samme](https://phaser.discourse.group/u/samme)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 5:14pm UTC](https://phaser.discourse.group/t/is-it-not-possible-to-move-a-particleemittermanager-with-physics/12592/2 "2022-11-27T17:14:38Z")

</div>

You can’t add a physics body to a particle emitter or use `moveTo()` on it.

You could make a physics-enabled Zone or invisible sprite and have the emitter follow that.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MickeyKnox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MickeyKnox](https://phaser.discourse.group/u/MickeyKnox)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 1:29pm UTC](https://phaser.discourse.group/t/is-it-not-possible-to-move-a-particleemittermanager-with-physics/12592/3 "2022-11-28T13:29:11Z")

</div>

Why does the ParticleEmitterManager have a `body` property then?

How can I make one game object follow another? By updating its position in `update` manually? Or does Phaser offer functions for that?

I’m also looking into PathFollowers and Tweens right now. Are these things better suited for what I want to achieve?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MickeyKnox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MickeyKnox](https://phaser.discourse.group/u/MickeyKnox)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://phaser.discourse.group/t/is-it-not-possible-to-move-a-particleemittermanager-with-physics/12592/4 "2022-11-28T14:14:42Z")

</div>

Hm… I’ve managed to move the ParticleEmitterManager with a Tween.

I’ve noticed however, that this moves the particles as well. This is not the effect I want to create.

For my rocket effect I want the position from where particles are emitted to move. However, the particles already emitted should not follow the movement of the ParticleEmitterManager.

How can I achieve that?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![samme](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/phaser.discourse.group/samme/32/5275_2.png) [@samme](https://phaser.discourse.group/u/samme)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 5:30pm UTC](https://phaser.discourse.group/t/is-it-not-possible-to-move-a-particleemittermanager-with-physics/12592/5 "2022-11-28T17:30:47Z")

</div>

I was looking at the particle emitter but I guess you’re right, you could enable the particle manager for physics.

Nonetheless I think you can do this by having the [emitter follow](https://labs.phaser.io/edit.html?src=src/game%20objects/particle%20emitter/emitter%20follow%20sprite.js) an invisible physics-enabled sprite. You would use `moveTo()` on that sprite.
