Particle system

QML needs a particle system
enabling further visual effects:
organic motion for groups of items,
fires and stars should not be too complex.

Single images will not be enough,
it must support animations as well,
transitions between animations too,
and color blending, done in QML.

It should also have dynamic aspects,
like particles exploding into ten,
perhaps because the user clicked on it,
or a QML binding such as 'when'.

One should be able to affect en masse,
multiple particles with same effect.
Like constant gravity across a scene
should be made very simple to connect.

It should not be limited to just sprites,
A particle could be any item.
Perhaps it's a delegate component,
or shaders like ShaderEffectItem.

The system need not own the particles,
using data sourced from models is good.
The delegates are made by other parts,
the system just makes the movements fluid.

The system is now ready to be used.
Alpha status, major changes are done.
It's ready for general use and feedback,
probably the docs are going to need a ton.

Theres work left now beneath the API,
performance and less bugs are always nice.
Plus API improvements from feedback,
but what is in there now should well suffice.

Implementation Backlog

• Fixed simulation rate in sensitive affectors
• Non-float types in Particle JS type
• TrailEmitter dynamic emission area sizing
• Sprite animation varying width/height
• Split particle group changes out of SpriteGoal
• Add speed limit to Friction
• Tests
• Benchmarks

Future Research Items

• z-sorted particles
• 3D particles
• More control over variation than just uniform randomness
• Nested ParticleSystems
• Translated Particle System clones
• Garbage collection on internal data structures