Pixelife Java

A Pixel simulator written with Java's Graphics2D libraries

• Pixels are representated by objects called Pix
• There are different kinds of Pix objects, each with their own attributes
• Pix objects interact with each other, growing and shrinking in their environment

The basic Pix object follows these rules:

• Each Pix object has red, green, and blue values ranging from 0 to 255. These values are called channels
• Usually, Pix objects are generated with three random channels such that no two channels are the same
• When it is a Pix object's turn to move, it chooses a random direction: north, south, east, or west
• If the space is empty, the Pix is duplicated to this location
• If the space occupied, the two objects interact
• If two Pixels have the same highest channel, then they are said to have the same dominant channel
• If two Pixels have the same dominant channel and they interact, both increase that channel by 2 points and both decrease each of the non-dominant channels by 1
• If two Pixels interact, but do not have the same dominant channel, they both remain unchanged

To observe different Pix objects and their interactions, add a Spawner or modify the default in the Pixelife class:

spawner = new Spawner(AgingPix.class, myGrid);
spawner.spawn(100);

To compile and run:

javac *.java && java Pixelife

Or simply:

make life

A few of the more notable classes:

• RainbowPix - Generates a rainbow pattern
• PulsePix - Pulses from the center
• AgingPix - Pixels "grow old" and become white
• SpiralPix - Forms a spiral pattern
• WallPix - Multiple form a maze pattern which contains Pix growth
• ScaredPix - Recedes away from other Pix
• ConformingPix - Change to the color of the Pix around them (causes blurring)
• AvgPix - Change to the color of the average of the current color and the color of the interacting Pix