My final project places plants, seeds, and a flock of birds together in a digital meadow influenced by user interactions and variations governed by physics laws.
In this scene, “grass” blades sway in the “wind”, seeds fall to the ground and sprout into new plants, and birds navigate the environment following flocking rules. As a viewer, you influence wind direction, create rain to accelerate plant growth, and steer the bird flock with your mouse. The goal was to create a piece that feels organic and alive.
Seeds drift down into the scene and, once landed, germinate over time. Grass blades grow taller, especially when nourished by “rain” created by the user. Wind vectors influence the direction and sway of grass blades. Seeds fall under gravity. Birds respond to flocking forces—separation, alignment, cohesion. Instead of scripting each bird, I use the Boids algorithm to define local rules.
User Interaction
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- Wind Control: Arrow keys change wind direction, subtly shifting the meadow’s behavior.
- Rain Creation: Clicking and dragging creates raindrops, accelerating the growth of plants.
- Bird Guidance: Moving your mouse influences the flock’s position, inviting them to avoid or explore your cursor’s location
Future Directions
- Adding seasonal shifts or migration patterns for birds would add further complexity and opportunities for interaction.
- More biodiversity could make the scene richer—different plant species, insects, or small mammals.
- Dynamic sounds (birds chirping, wind rustling) could evolve based on user inputs and environmental states.