Devlog #2: Changed the UI to allow more user interaction with the celestial bodies. This made the entire project much more interactive. Interactions include starting position (x, y, z), mass, and a time-step to speed up simulations. Added a tab in the top left that allows for presets of other common simulations. So far, I’ve only implemented the 3-body simulation but a simulation of our Earth-Moon-Sun and a sim of our solar system will be added soon!
Devlog #1: Building the Sandbox
I started this project inside CodeSandbox, but ran into a roadblock: it didn’t support Hackatime for tracking my hours. I moved everything over to a local setup in VS Code to make sure my hours were logged properly.
The Physics & Current State
My project uses Newtonian physics to calculate gravity, mass, and acceleration in real time in order to replicate cool space orbits in 3-D. Right now, Phase 1 is complete: a sandbox that models the three-body problem.
You can use the control panel to change the mass and starting X-coordinates of three stars (Yellow, Blue, and Red) to see how small tweaks completely destabilize an orbit into total chaos.
What’s Next
Now that the core mechanics work, I want to add particle trail effects so you can actually see the geometric paths the stars leave behind. I’m also planning to add initial velocity controls and presets for other famous stable orbits.
Controls:
Left Click + Drag: Rotate camera
Right Click + Drag: Pan screen
Scroll Wheel: Zoom in/out
