Procedural crowd Simulation in Blender: A game-Changer for Real-Time NPC Dynamics
Sometimes, even work-in-progress R&D projects can outshine gameplay mechanics introduced by AAA developers in their big-budget titles. A recent showcase by Reddit user gallifreyfalls55 is a perfect example of this. Created as part of a larger city generator, the project features an impressive procedural crowd simulation with collision avoidance and seamless looping, allowing pedestrian NPCs to walk in straight lines on sidewalks without clipping through each other.
This setup is powered by Blender’s Geometry Nodes and utilizes character models from Anima and animations from Mixamo. What’s more, the system runs in real-time, and for the showcase demo, the creator baked the simulation Nodes and rendered the output, with the simulation playing in real-time within Blender’s viewport.Regarding performance, the author noted that it depends on the simulation’s scale and the hardware being used. “Calculation time on the Geometry Nodes with 15 people (as per this animation) was 3.2 ms, and the majority of that is coming from the visualization lines,” gallifreyfalls55 noted.
This innovation highlights the potential of Blender as a tool for creating dynamic, realistic environments. The use of Geometry Nodes offers a procedural method for generating batches of instances that can be edited at any time, making it a versatile solution for developers and artists alike.
For those interested in exploring this technique further, the project serves as a testament to the power of Blender in creating real-time procedural simulations.
| Key Features | Details |
|——————-|————-|
| Tool Used | Blender’s Geometry Nodes |
| Character Models | Anima |
| Animations | Mixamo |
| Performance | 3.2 ms calculation time for 15 NPCs |
| Real-Time Simulation | Yes |
This project not only demonstrates the capabilities of Blender but also sets a new benchmark for procedural crowd simulations in real-time environments.For more insights into similar projects, check out [[2]].
