Trapcode Particular installs its own presets/favorites. A preset contains parameter values, keyframes and expression for Trapcode Particular that creates a specific effect. All presets that ships with the product are collected in the Preset Gallery.
The presets were designed for use with frame sizes around 640*480 up to PAL D1 and with framerates around 20-40 fps. If your settings differ a lot from these you may need to make adjustments in parameters like particle size, velocity and motion blur's shutter angle.
Before selecting a preset it is important to make sure that the current time marker is at the beginning of the work area, like this:
To select a preset, use the menu above the plug-ins effect controls. When a preset is selected it can be previewed by clicking and holding mouse down in the Preview window:
You can also save your own presets by selecting "save as Favorite/Preset" in the menu. The presets that ship with the product are named with a prefix "t_" for Trapcode. In order to avoid confusion, please do not use that prefix for your own presets.
Read more about the Preview.
Find more presets and AE projects for Trapcode Particular at the Trapcode People website!