Learning UE5’s Niagara particle system opened up a floodgate of creative ideas for dynamic, interactive art. As I dove deeper into the technology, more and more ideas kept popping up...Creating architecture, space, audio visualizations. This tool, designed to create high quality vfx for games, became a vessel for visually pleasing interactive art pieces. Below is a collection of different experiments I’ve created along my journey learning Niagara.
Fractal Geometry
Using bespoke geometry as particles, I created ever evolving forms with a unique phase relationship that never lands in the same place twice. In the first example I’ve tied in the driving parameters to a song, adding even more life to the movement.
Recursive Algorithms
I created a custom Niagara script that plotted particle paths based a simple recursive algorithm, and exposed the driving variables of that equation to the user. As the algorithm repeats itself, the values that drive it are changed slightly with every loop. The result is an organic repeating form that changes slowly over time.
Interactive
The following videos are screen recordings of a variety of particle systems programmed to interact with the cursor in unique ways. Each setup is built purely Niagara particle systems, and parameters driven by cursor position via a parent blueprint.