Ever seen those sparkles on a video on firecrackers? Or the trail of stars when Cinderalla’s Godmother waves her fairy wand? Well, those are created by particle generators in 2D or 3D software or through programming.
I am really attracted to this “new kid on the Block”. Although to put it into practice is not so easy. Most particle generators do just that – emit particles, but it is pretty draining on even good computer systems, as these generators emit hundreds or thousands of geometric shapes that move across the screen in different directions. Because of the rapid emission and the sheer number of particles generated, all particle systems need a beefed-up system to deliver content. Considering their drain on system resources, the Silverlight particle generator does a reasonably good job without crashing the system. When I do create this effect, I usually bypass the OnRender for control and then subsequently simply issue drawing commands in Windows Presentation Format (WPF).
Check out a full-screen version of the demo program when possible or download the original source files. I am working on updating the program and have included directional momentum, gravity, and simulated 3D also. I am also planning to include support for multiple colors in the most recent version. If you go to the lab page, you can download the most current version there.
If you do discover something new, do let me know. Send your e-mails to [email protected]. Always a treat to know that you people are actively using this amazing particle generator.
