Variables: Vectors

Vectors contain a trio of values – these values can be integers or floats. Many of RealFlow's parameters are stored as vector, e.g. position, velocity, rotation, scale, forces, and even RGB colours.

The default notation for introducing a new vector variable is vector = Vector.new(float x, float y, float z)

Vector Calculations

With vectors it is possible to perform standard algebraic operations like addition or subtraction

• vectorA + vectorB = vectorC
• vectorA - vectorB = vectorC

Be careful with vector multiplication, because it does not return another vector, but a floating number:

• vectorA * vectorB = xA * xB + yA * yB + zA * zB = float

Special Calculations

With vectors you are able to perform specific operations like

• Cross product: vectorA.cross(vectorB) = vectorC
• Scaling/multiplication with a factor: vectorA.scale(float) = vectorC
• Length: vectorA.module() = float
• Distance: vectorA.distance(vectorB) = float

Getting Vector Components

In many case it is necessary to treat a vector's components individually:

• x value = vector.getX()
• y value = vector.getY()
• z value = vector.getZ()

These values can be used in further calculations, e.g. to modify velocity or a force, and then reassembled to a new vector:

• newVector = Vector.new(x new, y new, z new)