Update:
Started to work with OpenCL and managed to achieve the infamous 1 million particles in realtime, framerates are around 120 fps but fall when you add more complexity to the particles, collisions etc…
Previously:
Got inspired by Memo Atken‘s Gold Dust.
Little fun project made in C++ and OpenGL with the wonderful: OpenFrameworks.cc, OpenCV, OfxSimpleGUIToo, and many others…
Stitched together and given life in not too much time and produces a consistent 40fps, with 2^15 particles, sized smallish, on a fairly top shelf one GPU system from two years ago.