Create GPU particle field
create_gpu_particle_fieldCreate a high-count GPU particle field with noise, gravity, or curl forces, and optional audio or motion reactivity. The simulation runs entirely on the GPU for up to 262k particles, returning a ready-to-render network.
Instructions
Build a high-count GPU particle / point field: position and velocity are simulated entirely on the GPU in two RGBA32float feedback-TOP loops (velocity integrates forces — noise/curl/gravity; position integrates velocity), then a Geometry COMP instances a tiny dot once per texel, reading XYZ from the position texture. Creates a new baseCOMP under parent_path holding the velocity/position feedback loops, the instanced Geometry COMP, Camera, Light, and Render TOP ending in a Null output. Reaches counts (side², up to 512²≈262k) well beyond the CPU create_particle_system (use that for a simpler, lower-count CPU emitter). This is the general-purpose GPU drift field (noise/curl/gravity); pick a sibling instead for other motion: create_particle_flock for boids separation/alignment/cohesion, image_to_particles when particles should spring to the pixels of an image/video, create_pop_particle_system for TouchDesigner's native POP particle network. Exposes PointSize and Zoom knobs. Optional reactivity energises the field live: 'audio' drives it from mic/line RMS, 'motion' from camera frame-difference energy (both bound to the velocity shader's uReact uniform). Returns a summary plus a JSON block with the container path, created node paths, the particle count, the output path, exposed controls, any node errors, warnings, and an inline preview image.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| side | No | Edge of the square particle buffer; the field is side×side particles (count = side², e.g. 256 → 65 536). Each particle is one texel of the RGBA32float position/velocity buffers. | |
| forces | No | In-shader forces added to velocity each frame: 'noise' (per-particle random drift), 'gravity' (constant -Y pull), 'curl' (divergence-free swirling). | |
| point_size | No | Radius of each instanced dot (the sphere/circle SOP scale). | |
| reactivity | No | Optional external push that energises the field live, bound to the velocity shader's uReact uniform. 'none' (default) is fully self-contained. 'audio' drives it from mic/line RMS (Audio Device In → Analyze), 'motion' from camera frame-difference energy (Video Device In → mono → cache/difference → average). Either may pop a one-time macOS device-permission dialog — click Allow. | none |
| parent_path | No | Parent network where the particle-field container is created (default '/project1'). | /project1 |
| expose_controls | No | When true (default), expose live PointSize and Zoom (camera distance) knobs on the system container. |