Fireplace Screensaver Simulator

Fireplace profile

{{ canvasSizeLabel }} canvas

Theme {{ themeLabel }} Flame {{ flameIntensityValue }} Embers {{ emberRateValue.toFixed(2) }}x Smoke {{ smokeAmountValue.toFixed(2) }}x Wind {{ windValue }} FPS {{ fpsTarget }}

Theme:

Options: classic fire, blue flame, sunset amber, or low embers.

Flame intensity: {{ flameIntensityValue }}

Range: 0 to 100; raise for a brighter hearth, lower for calm loops.

Ember rate: {{ emberRateValue.toFixed(2) }}x

Range: 0.00x to 3.00x; higher values make the hearth busier.

Smoke amount: {{ smokeAmountValue.toFixed(2) }}x

Range: 0.00x to 3.00x; keep low when flame edges must stay crisp.

Wind drift: {{ windValue }}

Range: Left to Right; center it for a straight calm flame.

Log style:

Choose stacked logs, crossed logs, or coal bed.

Spark rate: {{ sparkRateValue.toFixed(2) }}x

Range: 0.00x to 3.00x; keep lower for steady ambient playback.

Glow intensity: {{ glowValue }}

Range: 0 to 100; soft glow reads calm, bright glow reads warmer.

Room reflection: {{ roomReflectionValue }}

Range: 0 to 100; dim for black rooms, warm for visible wall bounce.

Flame height: {{ flameHeightValue }}%

Range: 50% to 200% of the default flame height.

Flame width: {{ flameWidthValue }}%

Range: 50% to 200% of the default flame width.

Flicker strength: {{ flickerValue }}

Range: 0 to 100; use lower values for a consistent screensaver.

Heat shimmer:

Switch on for warmer air movement; off for a sharper preview.

Ambient particles:

Switch on for subtle room depth; off for cleaner dark backgrounds.

Crackle bursts:

Switch on for natural fire rhythm; off for a calmer fireplace.

Trail fade:

Enter 4 to 36 frames; higher values make flame trails softer.

frames

Frame rate:

Choose 30, 45, or 60 FPS for the target fireplace playback.

Metric	Value	Copy
{{ row.key }}	{{ row.value }}

No chart-ready metrics are currently available.

Priority	Hearth tuning	Rationale	Copy
{{ note.priority }}	{{ note.note }}	{{ note.rationale }}

Embed:

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Include current inputs

Size

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Height

Aspect ratio

Max height

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Allow fullscreen

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A fireplace screensaver is an ambient fire illusion, not a recording of a real hearth. Flame shape, ember density, smoke, glow, and small particles combine to create warmth on a display, and the loop works best when those pieces feel alive without becoming tiring.

The main practical choice is how much movement belongs on the screen. A quiet desk loop should keep sparks, smoke, and flicker restrained. A display-wall scene can tolerate taller flames and more glow. A background used near text needs enough contrast to stay readable after the preview has been running for a while.

Fireplace scene diagram showing sparks, flame height, and glow as separate tuning ideas.

Fire animation is especially easy to overread from a still moment. One frame can look dramatic while the full loop feels restless, smoky, or choppy. The better test is a running preview at the size you intend to use, with the runtime signals checked after the flame has settled.

This simulator is visual only. It does not play audio, measure heat, estimate fuel use, or model real combustion safety. Its notes help tune a display scene for comfort, readability, and smooth playback.

How to Use This Tool:

Shape the hearth in passes: color first, flame posture next, then particle detail and performance.

Choose Theme and leave the default flame, ember, smoke, wind, and 45 FPS target in place for the first look.
Set Flame intensity, Ember rate, Smoke amount, and Wind drift. Watch the preview while changing these controls because they define the first impression of the hearth.
Open Advanced and adjust Log style, Spark rate, Glow intensity, Room reflection, Flame height, Flame width, and Flicker strength. These controls decide whether the scene feels subdued, balanced, or theatrical.
Use Heat shimmer, Ambient particles, Crackle bursts, and Trail fade for texture. Add them after the core flame looks right so you can tell whether each effect helps.
Use Start, Pause, and Reset to check the loop. Reset clears the current particles while keeping your selected settings.
Read Hearth Metrics and Hearth Notes. If Measured FPS drops or Quality scale falls, lower smoke, sparks, flame size, or the FPS target before pushing more glow.
Test Fullscreen last. Larger playback can expose smoke clutter and performance limits that are easy to miss in the smaller preview.

When an entry lands outside a supported range, the visible value is clamped. Re-check the control before deciding whether a profile is too bright, too smoky, or too slow.

Interpreting Results:

The result is a scene profile plus live runtime evidence. Target FPS is the selected cadence, Measured FPS is what the browser is delivering, and Quality scale shows whether drawing load has been reduced to keep motion stable.

Hearth Notes points to three families: flame posture, particle noise, and room mood.
Active flames, Active embers, Active smoke, and Active sparks show busyness, not realism.
Fireplace Burn Chart compares current readings and should not be read as a timeline.
Fullscreen matters because canvas size changes both visual density and rendering cost.

The common false confidence is a beautiful still frame with poor motion health. Let the loop run, check measured performance, then decide whether the scene remains comfortable at the intended size.

Technical Details:

Fireplace motion is built from short-lived visual particles. Flame shapes rise from the log area, embers drift upward, smoke fades more slowly, and sparks create quick bright accents. Glow, room reflection, heat shimmer, ambient particles, and trail fade change how much warmth and persistence remains between frames.

The controls affect different parts of the fire. Flame intensity changes how much main flame activity appears. Ember rate, spark rate, and crackle bursts increase smaller bright particles. Smoke amount adds soft haze that can reduce edge contrast. Wind drift bends flame, smoke, embers, and sparks sideways, while flame height and width set the main flame envelope.

Formula Core:

The Hearth Notes are based on three derived signals that summarize the visible profile.

\begin{array}{lcl} structure load & = & \frac{flame height + flame width}{2} \\ combustion load & = & flame intensity + flicker strength + | wind drift | \times 0.45 \\ particle load & = & spark rate + ember rate + crackle burst value \end{array}

Fireplace note thresholds
Note family	Condition	Likely response
Flame posture	Structure load above 150, or combustion load above 182	Reduce height, width, flicker, wind, or intensity for long-session comfort.
Flame posture	Structure load below 85 and flame intensity below 40	Raise intensity or flame height so the hearth does not feel weak.
Particle noise	Particle load above 3.4, or Smoke amount above 1.90x	Lower sparks, embers, crackle bursts, or smoke to protect readability.
Particle noise	Particle load below 1.2 and Smoke amount below 0.50x	Add ember or spark detail if the fire looks too sparse.
Room mood	Room reflection above 72 and Glow intensity above 70	Lower one of them to avoid a washed-out hearth.
Room mood	Heat shimmer off and Room reflection below 30	Add heat shimmer or reflection for a warmer room cue.

Fireplace runtime interpretation fields
Output	Meaning	Use it for
Measured FPS	Actual delivered frame rate from the current preview.	Finding choppy profiles before fullscreen use.
Quality scale	Adaptive drawing percentage.	Spotting when a smoky or spark-heavy scene is too costly.
Trail fade	Frames of visual persistence.	Balancing smooth flame trails against muddy afterimages.
Hearth Notes	Three priority rows with rationale.	Choosing whether to adjust flame shape, particles, or mood first.

The visible pause control is important for a long-running moving scene. It lets the viewer stop motion without leaving the page, which aligns with accessibility guidance for nonessential moving content.

Worked Examples:

Quiet workspace hearth. Use Classic fire, Flame intensity 50, Ember rate 0.60x, Smoke amount 0.40x, Wind drift 0, Spark rate 0.30x, Glow intensity 45, Room reflection 30, Flame height 95%, Flame width 90%, Flicker strength 40, Heat shimmer on, and 45 FPS. Hearth Notes should stay close to Maintain flame posture, Keep ember cadence, and a stable room mood note.

Showcase hearth that needs limits. Choose Sunset amber, Flame intensity 85, Ember rate 1.80x, Smoke amount 1.60x, Spark rate 1.50x, Glow intensity 75, Room reflection 78, Flame height 160%, Flame width 150%, Flicker strength 70, and Crackle bursts on. The notes should warn about flame posture, particle noise, and room bounce. That can fit a short visual moment, but it is likely too active for a long background.

Choppy preview recovery. If 60 FPS plus high smoke, sparks, embers, and ambient particles pushes Measured FPS below target and lowers Quality scale, reduce smoke and spark rate first. If the problem remains, lower flame size or switch the target to 45 FPS, then reset before judging the cleaned-up loop.

FAQ:

Does the fireplace include sound?

No. The scene is visual only. Crackle bursts add extra spark particles, not audio.

Why does the frame rate change after fullscreen?

Fullscreen changes the canvas size. A larger drawing area can make smoke, sparks, glow, and trails more expensive to render, so Measured FPS and Quality scale may change.

What does a low Quality scale mean?

It means the preview has reduced drawing load to protect motion. The scene can still be usable, but it is close to the device's comfort limit.

Will this protect a display from image retention?

Moving imagery is different from a fixed high-contrast image, but this scene is not a display-care guarantee. Use the device's sleep and panel-care settings for unattended sessions.

Are my fireplace settings uploaded?

Scene generation, metrics, chart data, and JSON output are produced in the browser. The simulator does not upload your selected hearth settings for processing.

Glossary:

Flame posture: The combined shape and strength of the main flame.
Particle load: The combined spark, ember, and crackle pressure used by the note logic.
Trail fade: How many recent frames remain visible as flame motion blur.
Quality scale: The adaptive drawing percentage used when the preview needs to protect frame rate.
Room reflection: A glow cue that suggests warm light spilling around the hearth.

References:

Canvas API, MDN Web Docs, Jul 17, 2025.
Window: requestAnimationFrame() method, MDN Web Docs, Dec 26, 2025.
Fullscreen API, MDN Web Docs, Mar 26, 2026.
Understanding Success Criterion 2.2.2: Pause, Stop, Hide, W3C Web Accessibility Initiative.