We propose a method to determine the flow of large crowds of agents in a scene such
that it is filled to its capacity with a coordinated, dynamically moving crowd. Our
approach provides a focus on cooperative control across the entire crowd. This is
done with a view to providing a method which animators can use to easily populate
and fill a scene. We solve this global planning problem by first finding the topology
of the scene using a Reeb graph, which is computed from a Harmonic field of the
environment. The Maximum flow can then be calculated across this graph detailing
how the agents should move through the space. This information is converted back
from the topological level to the geometric using a route planner and the Harmonic
field. We provide evidence of the system’s effectiveness in creating dynamic motion
through comparison to a recent method. We also demonstrate how this system allows
the crowd to be controlled globally with a couple of simple intuitive controls and how
it can be useful for the purpose of designing buildings and providing control in team
sports
