Uploaded August 2012 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
LightWave 11.5 - Flocking
for more VFX and CG related news check sinefx.com
Flocking is a specialized particle system that allows items to move in very organic ways. The intelligent algorithms within the LightWave flocking system simulate natural motion to create effects such as flocks of birds, insect swarms, or even a herd of creatures. This allows for very complex looking animation with very intricate natural motion that can be used to create anything from crowd scenes to aerial airplane dogfights. Enhancements added in 11.5 are:
Predator / Prey Behavior
With this new feature, it becomes possible to have flocks chase other flocks, rather than all flocks seeking out goals. By default every flock is set to prey mode. If one of the flocks is a predator, those flock agents will seek out and chase the closest prey flocks in the scene. The prey will turn and run away, trying to obey the other directors in the scene. Neutral flocks do not chase or get chased, but still affect other agents for collision avoidance and similar situations.
Plane Director
A director that prevents any agents from moving through it, which is useful for things like avoiding ground penetration. When grouped together, it can be used to make simulations such as an X-Wing trench run!
Pursuit Director
The Pursuit Director behaves similar to the Goal Director, except the flock agents look beyond the Director for more natural end-behavior when they finally arrive.
Arrive Director
The agent slows down as it approaches the director, stopping when it reaches the resting point. The default Arrive behavior is to pick a spot on a sphere or disk and if attached to a mesh, the vertices are used.
Node Control
With the addition of new node controls, it is now possible to control flock agent behaviors such as banking, locking agents to an object or have agents corkscrew along their trajectory.
LightWave 11.5 - Flocking
for more VFX and CG related news check sinefx.com
Flocking is a specialized particle system that allows items to move in very organic ways. The intelligent algorithms within the LightWave flocking system simulate natural motion to create effects such as flocks of birds, insect swarms, or even a herd of creatures. This allows for very complex looking animation with very intricate natural motion that can be used to create anything from crowd scenes to aerial airplane dogfights. Enhancements added in 11.5 are:
Predator / Prey Behavior
With this new feature, it becomes possible to have flocks chase other flocks, rather than all flocks seeking out goals. By default every flock is set to prey mode. If one of the flocks is a predator, those flock agents will seek out and chase the closest prey flocks in the scene. The prey will turn and run away, trying to obey the other directors in the scene. Neutral flocks do not chase or get chased, but still affect other agents for collision avoidance and similar situations.
Plane Director
A director that prevents any agents from moving through it, which is useful for things like avoiding ground penetration. When grouped together, it can be used to make simulations such as an X-Wing trench run!
Pursuit Director
The Pursuit Director behaves similar to the Goal Director, except the flock agents look beyond the Director for more natural end-behavior when they finally arrive.
Arrive Director
The agent slows down as it approaches the director, stopping when it reaches the resting point. The default Arrive behavior is to pick a spot on a sphere or disk and if attached to a mesh, the vertices are used.
Node Control
With the addition of new node controls, it is now possible to control flock agent behaviors such as banking, locking agents to an object or have agents corkscrew along their trajectory.
