like many beginners learning processing, i m starting to play with perlin noise to simulate flocking...

but the end result looks like the balls r just bouncing...

heres the vid cap of the code:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy0hr5ftRoA

heres the main code that does the bounce:

**************************************
//flip the direction if ball position hits bound box
if(abs(pos.x)>840) flipX = flipX*-1;
if(abs(pos.y)>840) flipY = flipY*-1;
if(abs(pos.z)>840) flipZ = flipZ*-1;

//get noise val at current position
float origin = noise(pos.x,pos.y,pos.z);

//calulate delta in x,y,z direction using noise value around
//the current position, then cos interpolate
float deltaX = interpolate(noise(pos.x+.1,pos.y,pos.z),origin, .5);
float deltaY = interpolate(noise(pos.x,pos.y+.1,pos.z),origin, .5);
float deltaZ = interpolate(noise(pos.x,pos.y,pos.z+.1),origin, .5);

//create the delta vector
Vec3D change = new Vec3D(deltaX*flipX*10, deltaY*flipY*10, deltaZ*flipZ*10);

//add it to the current position
pos.addSelf(change);

***********************************

any ideas on how to get the natural flocking effect in many posted vids such as this one?
http://vimeo.com/653177

thanks in advance

Hi,

I'm the author of the Firefly video you linked. If you like, I can email you some source on how I created it, specifically the Perlin noise code I wrote.
Drop me an email on:

secretdark (at) g mail (dot) com

and I'll reply with some code.

Ryan