Effects of wind on virtual plants in animation

  • Authors:
  • Tina L. M. Derzaph;Howard J. Hamilton

  • Affiliations:
  • Department of Computer Science, University of Regina, Regina, Canada;Department of Computer Science, University of Regina, Regina, Canada

  • Venue:
  • International Journal of Computer Games Technology
  • Year:
  • 2013

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Abstract

This paper presents the Growth-Flow method for animating the effect of wind on the motion and growth of virtual plant branches and leaves. The method incorporates changes to the growth rate when a plant is exposed to winds with speeds higher than a threshold. In particular, growth rate is reduced in branch elongation, increased in the branch radius, reduced in leaf length, and increased in leaf thickness. In addition, when a plant is exposed to wind for long time periods, the branch growth angle is changed to align more closely with the wind vector. The Growth-Flow method incorporates all these effects on growth and motion due to wind in one algorithm.