Here is another crowd test. Four different object sequences (basically the same model) with different accessories. Two different walking loops. Several populations with offset loops.
The flags and the fire mesh are preanimated. For the torches' fire I created two planes masked with an image (opacity-) map for the basic fire shape plus an animated power fractal for additional masking. Bloom and starburst are on.
It's barely visible, but the grass is animated too.