I’m currently doing some testing with using procedural 3D fields and volumes to create effects. It appears to, in cases where there are no complex transformations, be more efficient than using particles that react to each other and control objects. As well, it’s fully procedural and using a 3D material, making application in a scene easy.
However there are a couple issues with this particular effect. I’d prefer it to glow near other objects, but the AO node is only object space. As well, there are a ring of fireflies on the far right quarter of the sphere, pretty much what I’d want, but I cannot control them. I have pretty much no clue where they’re coming from.