Starfield Screensaver Equations

For those of you who don't remember exact开发者_高级运维ly what the old windows Starfield screensaver looked like, here's a YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5AoFiVs2ME

Right now, I can generate random particles ("stars") inside in a certain radius. What I've having trouble doing is figuring out the best way the achieve the affected seen in the afore-linked video.

Question: Given that I have the coordinates (vectors) for my randomly generated particles. What is the best way and/or equation to give them a direction (vector) so that they move across the screen in a way which closely resembles that which is seen in the old screensaver?

Thanks!

They seem to move away from the center. You could try to calculate the vector from the center point of the screen to the generated particle position? Then use the same direction to move the particle and accelerate the particle until it is outside the screen.

A basic algorithm for you to work with:

1. Generate stars at random location, with a 3-D gaussian distribution (middle of screen most likely, less likely as you go farther from the screen). Note that the motion vector of the star is determined by this starting point... the motion will effectively travel along the line formed by the origin point and the starting location, outward.

2. Assign each newly generated star a distance. Note that distance is irrespective of starting location.

3. Move the star in a straight line at an exponentially increasing speed while simultaneously decreasing it's distance. You'll have to tweak these parameters yourself.

4. The star should disappear when it passes the boundary of the screen, regardless of speed.