Lattice methods for fluid animation in games

Abstract

In this work, we focus on fluid modeling and animation via lattice methods for computer games. We consider two approaches in this area: a Lattice Gas Cellular Automata (LGCA) technique and the Lattice Boltzmann (LBM) Method. LGCAs are discrete models based on point particles that move on a lattice according to suitable and simple rules in order to mimic a fully molecular dynamics. The LBM method is based on the fundamental idea of constructing simplified kinetic models, which incorporates the essential physics of microscopic processes so that the macroscopic averaged properties satisfy macroscopic equations. In this article, we present two animating frameworks based on the above-mentioned lattice methods. Both frameworks are composed of two models: (a) a 3D fluid animation technique; and (b) a GPU surface flow animation over terrain models. In the first framework, item (a) is performed through a LGCA, while in the second one we applied the LBM. In this work we highlight the advantages of these approaches for computer game applications. In the experimental results, we emphasize the simplicity and power of the presented models when combined with efficient techniques for rendering, and compare them in terms of efficiency.