The Boids Algorithm
Developed by Craig Reynolds in 1986, Boids is an artificial life program that simulates the flocking behavior of birds. The movement of the flock is the result of each individual "boid" following three simple rules:
- Separation: Boids steer to avoid crowding local flockmates, maintaining a comfortable personal space.
- Alignment: Boids steer towards the average heading of local flockmates, helping the group move in unison.
- Cohesion: Boids steer to move toward the average position (center of mass) of local flockmates, keeping the group together.
By combining these local interactions, complex and beautiful global patterns emerge—much like real-world flocks of birds, schools of fish, or swarms of insects.