---
title: "Getting Started with Chaos Studies"
source: https://fieldbw.com/docs/chaos-studies/getting-started
---

# Getting Started with Chaos Studies

## What is Chaos Studies?

[Chaos Studies](/chaos-studies) is a real-time 3D visualization of chaotic dynamical systems — strange attractors rendered as animated point clouds. Nine mathematical systems, each with unique visual character, come to life through interactive controls, spatial audio, and smooth animation.

Available on [iOS, macOS, and Playdate](https://fieldbw.com/chaos-studies).

## The Attractors

Each attractor is a set of differential equations that produce deterministic but unpredictable motion. Points trace the attractor's shape in real time, building up a cloud that reveals the underlying structure.

1. **Lorenz** — The classic butterfly. Two lobes connected by a narrow bridge, the system that started chaos theory.
2. **Rossler** — A single-wing spiral that folds back on itself.
3. **Aizawa** — Complex intertwined loops with a dense, layered structure.
4. **Burke-Shaw** — Compact and tightly wound, with intricate internal detail.
5. **Halvorsen** — Three symmetric wings radiating from the center.
6. **Chen** — A Lorenz-like system with wider, more distinct lobes.
7. **Nose-Hoover** — The default. Smooth orbital paths with deceptive complexity.
8. **Sprott B** — Energetic, spray-like motion in a tight pattern.
9. **Dadras** — Fast-moving, multi-layered, with a flowing character.

## iOS and macOS

### Controls

- **Drag** to orbit around the attractor
- **Pinch** to zoom in and out
- **Tap** to trigger an explosion — the points scatter and reform
- **Tilt** the device for parallax depth (iOS only)

Release a drag to see momentum carry the rotation forward.

### Settings

The menu screen has buttons in the top right for music/speed settings, help, and a dark mode toggle. On iOS, shaking the device opens additional settings:

- **Dark Mode** — white points on black, or black on white
- **Show Grid** — toggle the geodesic wireframe overlay
- **Haptics** — tactile feedback on interactions

### Music

Chaos Studies features seven spatial audio stems positioned around the listener. As you rotate the camera, the mix shifts — stems pan and attenuate based on their position relative to the view.

Five presets control the mix:

- **Calm** — Tings, pad, drone, cello. Ambient and relaxing.
- **Crisp** — Tings, pad, percussion. Brighter and rhythmic.
- **Cine** — Tings and cello only. Cinematic minimalism.
- **Driven** — All stems active. Full immersive mix.
- **None** — Silence. Pick your own stems from the settings.

Each stem can also be toggled individually.

## Playdate

On Playdate, the same nine attractors are rendered in strict 1-bit graphics — thousands of points on a 400x240 screen.

### Controls

**Menu screen:**
- **Up/Down** — select attractor
- **A Button** — launch visualization
- **Left/Right** — add spin
- **B Button** — open instructions

**Visualization:**
- **Crank** — rotate vertically around the attractor
- **Up/Down** — zoom in and out
- **Left/Right** — add horizontal spin with momentum
- **A Button** — restart with explosion animation
- **B Button** — back to menu
- **Tilt** — subtle parallax depth effect

### Settings

Access via the Playdate system menu:

- **Dark Mode** — toggle inverted colors
- **Crank Hint** — show or hide the crank indicator when docked
- **Music** — choose Calm, Crisp, or None

## The Explosion

Tapping (iOS/macOS) or pressing A (Playdate) triggers a multi-phase animation: points implode toward the center, a ripple wave scatters outward, then the attractor explodes into a starfield before reforming. The whole sequence takes about 1.2 seconds.

Use it to reset the visualization, or just because it looks good.

## Next Steps

- [The Attractors](/docs/chaos-studies/attractors) — what each of the nine systems looks like and where it comes from
- [Chaos Primer](/docs/chaos-studies/chaos-primer) — an introduction to chaos theory, dynamical systems, and the mathematics behind the app