DotsThe more dots you use, the more intricate and complete the patterns will look, but the slower the frames will change. So to increase the frame rate and make the patterns change more smoothly, lower the number of grains. To see more detail and more color, increase the number of grains. You can also decrease the Reflections to speed up the frame rate. Up to 200,000 grains may be used, but on most systems today (circa 1998) the practical maximum is around 10,000.
ReflectionsTurn on Reflections for kaleidoscopic effects. Increase the reflections to add multi-way symmetry to the patterns. With just one reflection, and Symmetric enabled, patterns are mirrored left to right. Note that with higher numbers of reflections, the frame rate will get slower. You can try reducing the number of Dots to speed the animation back up.
SymmetricWith the Symmetric checkbox turned off, the designs have pinwheel-style reflections (like all arms twisting counter-clockwise). Turn Symmetric on to make the patterns totally symmetric.
WrapWhen enabled, dots flowing off of one side of the display will reappear on the other side. When turned off, patterns are confined more as dots bounce off the walls instead.
ActivityAt the lowest activity level, the controlling forces behind moving the dots are at their weakest. With higher viscosity levels the dots will tend to stay in one place with activity levels very low. With lower viscosity levels the dots will tend to bounce around the screen in straight lines. Also, the coloring is fainter with lower levels, so if the colors appear to dull, try increasing the coloring brightness. At higher activity levels, more action happens on the screen, and things start going every which way. With the right balance of Activity Level and Viscosity very interesting patterns can emerge.
TurbulenceHigher settings will thrash the colors around more wildly, while gentler settings produce more even and graceful motion.
ViscosityThis simulates the thickness of the imaginary liquid in which the dots live. At low levels, there is very little resistance to movement, and dots that are in motion tend to stay in motion (moving in more straight lines and faster). With a high activity level and low viscosity, the screen becomes very snowy and random. With a low activity level and very high viscosity, dots tend to gather together and not do much. The viscosity is probably the single most sensitive parameter that can change the overall look of the patterns seen.
ComplexityComplexity controls the number of influencing factors on the dot motion. Dots will move in more predictable patterns with lower complexity settings. With higher settings, there may be more groups of dots doing their own thing unrelated to the rest. Higher complexity settings will also use more CPU time, so the frame rate be lower.
Confinement Increase the Confinement if the images are going outside the display too much for your comfort. If the pattern is concentrating too much in the center, then lower this. If wrap is enabled, then confinement makes no sense and is disabled.
Influence RangeSmaller values will affect smaller more local groups of dots while larger values affect more and more until the largest will always affect all the dots.
