Particle Systems

Description

• A means for of modeling fuzzy objects, such as fire, clouds, smoke, water, etc.

  • Don’t have smooth well-defined surfaces
  • non-rigid objects

• Term coined by William Reeves who first used particle systems in “Star Trek II”

Modeling

• An object is not represented by a set of primitive surface elements, but as clouds of primitive particles that define its volume.

• A particle system is not a static entity, its particles change form and move.

• An object represented by a particle system is not deterministic, its shape and form is not completely specified. Stochastic!

Advantages

• Complex systems can be created with little human effort.
• The level of detail can be easily adjusted.

Basic Model

• New particles are generated
• Each new particle is assigned its own set of attributes
• Any particles that have existed for a predetermined time are destroyed
• The remaining particles are transformed and moved according to their dynamic attributes
• An image of the remaining particles is rendered

Demo

If gif not viewable, please checkout the YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/eslsMUzghZ4

Extras

Collision of particles with a static wall

If gif not viewable, please checkout the YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/8bdWzFA6IQ4