Don't be discouraged! It might even be that 2D is better than 3D in this case: it's all about how it sounds, right? And if a 2D simulation can be less expensive than a 3D while sounding just as good or better, it works in your favour!
I think that's the real key to this stuff: what makes these things actually sound good?
There are a lot of advantages to 2D -- you could simulate more objects and more complex interactions with the lesser computational demands, and as other comments say, it will likely be way easier to build a better GUI. Think about how many compressor VSTs there are out there, and still people keep making them! And a 2D Anukari could be much more different from 3D Anukari than most compressors are from one another.
I think 2D is probably the better move for this thing. 3D doesn't really open many possibilities that you can't do in 2D, and it adds loads of UI awkwardness.
Don't be discouraged! It might even be that 2D is better than 3D in this case: it's all about how it sounds, right? And if a 2D simulation can be less expensive than a 3D while sounding just as good or better, it works in your favour!
I think that's the real key to this stuff: what makes these things actually sound good?
There are a lot of advantages to 2D -- you could simulate more objects and more complex interactions with the lesser computational demands, and as other comments say, it will likely be way easier to build a better GUI. Think about how many compressor VSTs there are out there, and still people keep making them! And a 2D Anukari could be much more different from 3D Anukari than most compressors are from one another.
I think 2D is probably the better move for this thing. 3D doesn't really open many possibilities that you can't do in 2D, and it adds loads of UI awkwardness.
3d is cooler, but 2d is easier to use for people, there was some research on it, though don't have it at hand
edit: a hn thread https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19961812