https://github.com/steven-tbd/touchdesigner-generative-particle-system

A TouchDesigner project that evolves a static GLSL vertex displacement shader into a dynamic, animated particle system with procedural motion and feedback loops.
https://github.com/steven-tbd/touchdesigner-generative-particle-system

animation creative-coding feedback-loop generative-art glsl particles real-time-graphics shaders touchdesigner

Last synced: 9 days ago
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A TouchDesigner project that evolves a static GLSL vertex displacement shader into a dynamic, animated particle system with procedural motion and feedback loops.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/steven-tbd/touchdesigner-generative-particle-system
• Owner: steven-tbd
• Created: 2025-07-23T05:13:39.000Z (11 months ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2026-05-20T00:20:54.000Z (24 days ago)
• Last Synced: 2026-05-20T03:21:14.009Z (23 days ago)
• Topics: animation, creative-coding, feedback-loop, generative-art, glsl, particles, real-time-graphics, shaders, touchdesigner
• Homepage: https://stevenmbenton.com/generative-particle-system/
• Size: 16.2 MB
• Stars: 4
• Watchers: 0
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md

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README

          
# TouchDesigner Generative Particle System

A TouchDesigner project that extends the [GLSL Vertex Displacement](https://github.com/steven-tbd/Touchdesigner-GLSL-vertex-displacement) shader into an animated particle system driven by texture feedback and procedural motion.

This work was reposted by the official TouchDesigner Instagram account.

![TouchDesigner Particle System Animation](particle-animation.gif)

## How It Works

The system uses the same GLSL MAT from the GLSL Vertex Displacement project. The sphere geometry is converted into a particle system via a `Convert SOP`, replacing solid geometry with individual points that the shader displaces.

Before reaching the shader, the source texture passes through a switchable effects module inside `container_fx`. The module includes a feedback loop, a radial blur, and a light tunnel effect. Because the feedback loop feeds the texture's previous state back into itself, the texture's history continuously shapes the particle positions.

An LFO drives the `dispScale` uniform, creating a pulsing animation without keyframes. A second feedback loop on the final rendered output adds temporal blurring and visual echoes.

## Usage

Open the `.toe` file in TouchDesigner. The animation runs automatically. Swap the source image using the `Movie File In TOP` inside `media_input`. Switch between pre-processing effects inside the `container_fx` component.

![TouchDesigner Network](touchdesigner-network.png)

## Links

- [Project Write-up](https://stevenmbenton.com/generative-particle-system/)