In 3D immersive experiences, while users can explore freely, designers often aim for specific interactions and viewpoints. This study employs eye tracking to analyse how particle systems, a motion graphics technique for forming dynamic objects, affect attention in a 360° immersive experience. While visual factors like colour, size, and luminance influence attention, the role of motion properties, especially turbulence (unpredictability in particle movements, including variations in direction, speed, and flow), remains underexplored. By keeping other variables constant, we aimed to isolate the effects of turbulence, i.e. the aspect to which the randomness of the particle motion directions retain attention. Our case study utilised a VR narrative piece, a reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Red Shoes”. We compared the effect of turbulence in two settings (low and high turbulence, where particles move coherently or incoherently), focusing on how the subtle manipulation of noise in particle trajectories impacts the spatial distribution of attention and the ability of moving particles to retain attention. Findings indicate a small advantage for the less turbulent particle clouds in retaining attention, and in general the swarm was attended to when no other object motion was visible to the viewer. Exploratory analyses showed how attention moved as the particle systems’ locations changed and how differences manifested in maintaining attention over time. Our findings and methodological approach offer valuable guidance for designing targeted VR experiences, particularly in utilising eye tracking in 3D to select different scene properties to enhance the effectiveness of attention guidance.