I'm currently writting a 3D implementation of the boids algorithm in P5.js but I'm having trouble orienting my boids according to their direction (velocity). Rotations are limited to RotateX(), RotateY() and RotateZ(). The simplest solution that I feel should work goes along these lines :
push();
translate(this.pos);
rotateZ(createVector(this.vel.x, this.vel.y).heading());
rotateY(createVector(this.vel.x, this.vel.z).heading());
beginShape();
// Draw Boid Vertices..
endShape();
pop();
But it doesn't.
I've written a much smaller version of the program which contains only the orientation for randomly generated particles that go in a single direction. It is available here directly on the p5js website : https://editor.p5js.org/itsKaspar/sketches/JvypSPGGh There is a default orbit control so you can zoom and drag the mouse to check the orientation of the particles.
Thanks so much, I've been stuck on this for half a day now
From your demo, the z component is flipped, and you can test this from only trying one of the rotations at a time. Second, chaining rotations in 3D this way will usually not do what you want, as rotating will change the "up" or "right" vector of the coordinate system attached to a certain object. For example, rotating about the up (-y for p5) vector, or the yaw angle, will rotate the right vector. The second rotation then needs to be about the rotated right vector (now pitch), so you can't just use rotateX/Y/Z as they are still in world space instead of object space. Note that I'm completely ignoring roll in this solution, but if you look at the boids from the front and top angles, it should be aligned with the velocities
var right = p5.Vector(this.vel.x, 0, this.vel.z);
rotate(atan(this.vel.y/ this.vel.x), right);
rotateY(atan2(-this.vel.z, this.vel.x));