Sunset Experiment by Dr. Rami Zarife

An interactive 3D sunset experience with day-night cycle, weather effects, and dynamic elements using advanced shaders and physics. This project is a work in progress and will be updated with new features and improvements in the future.

3D Models - most models modified & optimized by me

• Flamingos/Birds: Strongly modified, based on Three.js GPGPU Birds example by xeolabs
• Boat Model: Optimized for performance and added custom animations and cloth shader for sail - Bought through Blender-Kit Pro - model: Small Sailboat by Mauro Casalino
• Island Environment, Rocks, Wood, Palm Trees:Added shaders and optimized. Based on "Tropical Island" by Elin licensed under CC Attribution
• Lighthouse: Optimized for performance and added light shader / cone. Based on "LightHouse" (https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/lighthouse-0c58bdf80b5b4f1cb858dd12fad416c3) by DoobiDooba (https://sketchfab.com/DoobiDooba) licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Libraries & Components

• Three.js: JavaScript 3D library - https://threejs.org/
• SPE (Shader Particle Engine) - Modified & optimized Used for particle effects such as clouds, stars, and weather - based on https://github.com/squarefeet/ShaderParticleEngine
• Sky & Water: Based on Three.js Ocean example - Modified & optimized. Based on https://threejs.org/examples/?q=ocean#webgl_shaders_ocean
• Custom Boat Navigation: Custom-built (own) path animation system for boat movement with Bezier curve interpolation
• Fish School Simulation: Custom GPU-based implementation using WebGL shaders, following the same principles as the bird flocking system but optimized for underwater movement and behavior
• Rainbow Effect: Custom shader implementation with dynamic color blending and atmospheric scattering simulation

Weather & Effects

• Constellation System: Custom own implementation based on real star constellations with dynamic visibility and shader effects
• Lightning & Storm Effects: Strongly optimized. Based on Three.js Lightning Strike example
• Day/Night Cycle: Custom own implementation with realistic sun position calculations and time-based events
• Moon Texture: NASA Visible Earth - Blue Marble Project
• Skybox Textures: Modified from ESO/S. Brunier - ESO Milky Way Panorama

Performance

• Adaptive Performance: Custom own system to optimize rendering based on device capabilities
• Display Detection: Costom enhanced visibility on modern displays

Special Thanks

Thanks to all the open source contributors who make projects like this possible, especially the Three.js community for their excellent examples and documentation.