A lightweight, real-time Boids simulation. Relaxing, interactive, and performance-friendly.

[Screenshots]

[Settings GUI]

This wallpaper runs a procedural flocking simulation based on Craig Reynolds’ Boids algorithm (1987), which models lifelike group motion using simple local rules like separation, alignment, and cohesion. The name “Boids” comes from “bird-oid”.

It’s built with QML and an HTML5 Canvas renderer for smooth real-time animation.

The simulation monitors your system's stress level in real-time.

• System Monitoring: Choose to track CPU, GPU, Both or custom sensor ID. As the load increases, the fish gradually turn red and start trembling nervously.
• Cursor Evasion: The school (group of fish) perceives your mouse cursor as a foreign object. If you move the pointer too close, the fish will scatter and flee to avoid it.
• Control: You can fine-tune the reaction sensitivity and cursor panic using the Response Intensity slider in settings GUI.

• The Algorithm: Fish follow three simple bird-oid vectors: Separation (don't crash!), Alignment (swim together), and Cohesion (stay close).
• Life Cycle: Left-click to spawn worms. Breeding is a group effort: whenever the school collectively consumes 10 worms, a new baby fish is born, yay!
• Predators: Orcas and Anglerfish roam the screen. If the school gets too close, they simply chase the fish, causing them to scatter.

Requirements: KDE Plasma 6 + kpackagetool6

Desktop and Wallpaper -> Get New Plugins... -> search Boids

# 1. Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/arcanorca/boids-in-the-blue.git
cd boids-in-the-blue

# 2. Run install script
./install.sh

# OR manual install (now supported from root):
# kpackagetool6 --type Plasma/Wallpaper --install .

A lightweight port for Gnome Desktop users is included in the boids-gnome-port folder.

• Tested On: Fedora 43 (Other distributions are likely compatible but unverified).
• Install: Copy boids-gnome-port to ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/boids-gnome-port@arcanorca and restart session. Configuration: No GUI yet. You can manually tweak visual parameters (count, speed, colors) by editing the constants in extension.js.

A standalone HTML5 version is available in the boids-web folder.

• Usage: Simply open boids-web/index.html in any modern web browser.
• Configuration: You can customize the simulation behavior by modifying the variables directly inside the index.html file.

Mouse Interactions:

• Left-click: Drop food (Worms).
• Left-click hold: Cursor interaction fallback (fish flee + bubbles).

Settings Menu:

• Input Source: Choose between CPU, GPU, Hybrid or custom ID for sensors.
• Response Intensity: Set how hard the flock reacts to system load (25% to 200%).
• Cursor Fear: Zen, Zen+, Strong, Panic, it controls how dramatically fish react to your cursor.
• Day/Night Cycle: Syncs water gradient to your local time of day, can be toggle on/off.
• Predator Speed/Aggression: Fine-tune orca and angler behavior.

• Major Optimization: Cached config per-step, removed redundant repaints. CPU thread usage reduced 80% compare to v1.0.
• Day/Night Cycle: Added a real-time Day/Night cycle with sunrise/sunset gradients and surface glimmer.
• UI Polish: Refreshed the Settings GUI and added a "Reset to Defaults" button.
• Web Port Sync: Day/night cycle, cursor interaction, predator AI ported to HTML5 version.
• Orca Cursor Chase: Orcas pursue your cursor.
• Smooth U-Turn: Fish arc away from walls instead of bouncing.

• Developer: arcanorca
• License: GPLv3
• Stack: QML / JavaScript / HTML5 Canvas Context

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