Particle system
A particle system is a computer animation feature that can be used to animate a large number of objects. Particle systems are used, for example, to simulate fire, smoke or explosion effects.
functionality
In a particle system, a so-called emitter emits particles whose movement can be influenced by numerous parameters . These are among others:
- Ejection speed
- lifespan
- Damping (the particle slows down over time)
- Number of particles in the overall system
- Division of particles into a certain number of further particles after a certain period of time (multiplication)
- a randomness of behavior
- Force influences on the particles
The particles are initially only logical elements (on the right in the picture) to which graphic properties must be assigned so that they become visible. For example, each particle can be replaced by a geometric object, which allows swarms , asteroid fields and the like to be displayed (center in the picture). With appropriate material assignments , particle systems can also be used to represent smoke, fog or fire (left in the picture).
Further particle systems can also react to other objects, from which they are attracted or repelled, depending on the setting, or against which they bounce (physical / event-based behavior).
By displaying the movement paths of the individual particles, hair, plush, grass surfaces and similar structures are created.
Web links
- GPU Particle System with WebGL - A particle system that can do the calculations on the GPU and CPU
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=357318.357320 WT Reeves - Particle Systems — a Technique for Modeling a Class of Fuzzy Objects, ACM Transactions on Graphics, 1983.
- ↑ a b http://www.kernelz.de/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/particlesystems-helminger.pdf Mathias Helminger, Physics - Particle Systems, tum.3D computer graphics & visualization, 2009.