Random Seed
Sets the random seed so a procedural variation can be reproduced.
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ParticlesAdvanced
pFlock
Boids-style flock behavior
Creates flocking behavior with follow, attraction, repulsion and spacing controls so particles move like a coordinated group.
pFlock
DaVinci Resolve · Fusion
pFlock is designed for swarm and boids-like motion where each particle reacts to its neighbors instead of moving independently.
Overview
What pFlock does
pFlock is designed for swarm and boids-like motion where each particle reacts to its neighbors instead of moving independently.
Mental model
Think of a school of fish: particles try to remain part of the group while also respecting attraction, repulsion and spacing rules.
Common uses
Create swarms and flocking motion
Build organic groups of moving particles
Simulate coordinated digital creatures/dots
Add neighbor-aware motion to a particle field
Flow anatomy
Inputs & outputs
The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.
Particles
Incoming particle stream from pEmitter, pImageEmitter, pMerge or another particle node.
Region
Optional region or mask that limits where the operation affects particles.
pFlock
Fusion node
Particles
Processed particle stream for additional particle tools or pRender.
Inspector
Important parameters
Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.
Reseed
Sets the random seed so a procedural variation can be reproduced.
Time Lock
Locks procedural randomness to time so the same frame evaluates consistently.
Flock Number
Controls flock grouping/behavior configuration.
Follow Strength
Controls how strongly particles align with the group direction.
Attract Strength
Pulls particles toward nearby group members.
Repel Strength
Pushes particles away when they become too close.
Space Minimum / Maximum
Defines preferred neighbor spacing.
Tip: Tune spacing before pushing attraction/repulsion to extremes.
Use Sets for Calculation
Uses particle sets to define flock membership.
Limit to Specified Sets
Sets a limit for the working range.
Set 1–32
Chooses which particle sets are affected by this operation.
Probability
Sets the probability that this particle operation is applied.
Age Start / End
Sets the particle-age range affected by this operation.
Particle age is measured over the particle lifetime; use the start and end values to limit where the behavior becomes active.
Set Mode
Selects the Set Mode used by pFlock.
Region Mode
Restricts flocking to a spatial area.
Region
Selects the particle region type.
Chooses the geometric region used by the particle operation.
Practical setup
A reliable workflow
- 1
Start with a sparse emitter.
- 2
Add pFlock before pRender.
- 3
Tune preferred spacing.
- 4
Balance Follow, Attract and Repel strengths.
- 5
Increase particle count only after the flock is stable.
Typical node chain
Particles→
pFlock→
pRender
Examples
Where this node fits in real work
Digital swarm
Dots move as a coordinated cloud with controlled spacing.
pEmitterpFlockpTurbulencepRender
Two flock groups
Particle sets create separate flocking behavior inside one system.
pEmitterpFlockpRender
Troubleshooting
Common mistakes
Starting with thousands of particles and making flock calculations expensive.
Using high attraction without enough repulsion and collapsing the swarm.
Using high repulsion and blowing the flock apart.
Ignoring preferred spacing.
Production notes
Practical tips
Tune with a small particle count first.
Add light pTurbulence after the flock works to remove mechanical regularity.
Use Sets when multiple independent swarms share one particle graph.
Related nodes