Boid Simulations

Live at boids.dev

An interactive tool that allows users to experiment with settings on a group of boids, simulating the behavior of animals in flocks or swarms.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Features
• Getting Started
• Usage
• Examples
• Technologies Used
• Inspiration
• Contributing
• License

Introduction

This project implements a boid simulation, which models the flocking behavior of birds or other animals. Boids follow simple rules that, when combined, create complex and lifelike group movements.

Features

• Real-time simulation of boid behavior
• Adjustable parameters:
  • Number of boids
  • Separation distance
  • Visual range
  • Speed limit
  • Centering factor
  • Matching factor
• Multiple color themes
• Tail visualization option
• Arrow visibility toggle
• Mouse interaction (on non-touch devices)

Getting Started

To run this project locally:

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies with npm install
3. Start the development server with npm run dev

Usage

The main simulation can be found in the App component.

Key functions controlling boid behavior include:

• keepWithinBounds: Prevents boids from leaving the screen
• flyTowardsCenter: Attracts boids to the center of nearby boids
• avoidOthers: Implements separation behavior
• matchVelocity: Aligns boid velocity with nearby boids

Users can interact with the simulation using various UI controls, including sliders and buttons.

Examples

Technologies Used

• React
• TypeScript
• Vite
• HTML Canvas

Inspiration

This project was inspired by Craig Reynolds' paper on boids: Flocks, Herds, and Schools: A Distributed Behavioral Model