How can I keep particle trails visually consistent when emitter speed changes?
I’m working in NixieFX (https://nixiefx.com/) on a stylized VFX setup where a moving object emits particles that form a trail behind it.
The problem I’m running into is that the trail looks fine when the emitter moves at a constant speed, but when the object accelerates or slows down, the particle spacing changes noticeably. At high speeds the particles become too spread out, while at lower speeds they start bunching together.
Right now I’m spawning particles based mainly on time, so I assume that is part of the problem.
What is the usual approach for keeping the visual density of a particle trail consistent regardless of emitter velocity?
Would it be better to spawn particles based on distance traveled instead of time, dynamically change the emission rate based on velocity, or interpolate additional spawn positions between frames?
I’m especially interested in approaches that stay stable when the emitter changes direction quickly or when the frame rate fluctuates.