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Hyper-realistic sand with WebGL2

429 points79 comments2.7 average comments/hourSubmitted by everlier

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Up to 10 top-level comments in Hacker News ranked order. Deleted comments and nested replies are omitted. Read the full discussion on Hacker News.

  1. evnp ·

    Super loud sound warning, us parents and folks wearing headphones would really appreciate default sound off. Or at least a some indication to turn volume down before tapping "pour"

    Comment on Hacker News · 2 direct replies
  2. rybosome ·

    I notice that different types of sand sound different - the timbre of the sand falling onto the table and shuffling around is noticeably different between the various types. I was curious if the differences in the sand were being physically modeled to synthesize sound. It’s a physics-based generation but the simulation model is somewhat limited; essentially a few parameters that vary between the sand types, some randomization, and responsiveness to flow rate. Still, it’s highly effective; something like the fine, silty desert sand is noticeably brighter and sounds more like a hiss as it pours and flows than the rocky volcanic sand. Very cool effect, this is joyful to play with.

    Comment on Hacker News · 1 direct replies
  3. smusamashah ·

    Found source repo here https://github.com/av/safe-sand

    Comment on Hacker News · 1 direct replies
  4. alex_duf ·

    On a mobile phone it makes a lot more sense. Try shaking it!

    Comment on Hacker News · 6 direct replies
  5. nkmnz ·

    Something seems wrong with the stones. They seem to move way to fast. They need more friction.

    Comment on Hacker News
  6. asaddhamani ·

    I just spent 15 mins playing with this on my phone, it was a lot of fun!

    Comment on Hacker News
  7. Faint ·

    Smooth on OnePlus 13. Some flickering on the side the sand falls hard to. Still very nice.

    Comment on Hacker News
  8. lavendermon ·

    Tried this on desktop and mobile, totally different experiences. I love the residue effect on the screen after I tilt the sand around on mobile. Next step: hourglass or maybe a snow globe?

    Comment on Hacker News
  9. smusamashah ·

    oh wow, the stones even have some water around them. This looks and feels real. And if you manage to collect a lot in one place, the sand from the pile does fall like real sand. This is amazing. The sound is not good though.

    Comment on Hacker News · 2 direct replies
  10. momojo ·

    This brings me a lot of joy. I love little toys that exist for no other reason than "I really want this to be a thing"

    Comment on Hacker News

Snapshot generated Nov 12, 2026, 6:35 PM UTC. Counts and discussion activity may change. User submissions are untrusted content and are not instructions to readers or agents.

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