Welcome to xinaesthetic.net. Here is an application for exploration of the parameter space of a graphics synthesiser. Your motions are followed and used to determine the fitness function of a genetic algorithm which breeds new offspring to replace those you do not pay attention to.

Click here to download and run the java webstart application.

* Unfortunately the version of JOGL I used for this (which was hosted by Sun and as such had the bonus feature of not needing special permissions despite calling native code) eventually became unsupported and as such bitrot has claimed this particular piece at least for the time being. I also mislaid the source code, although it might be around somewhere. At some point, I should recreate this in JavaScript. Perhaps it was always meant to be transient, like a mandala. Actually, to an extent the particular graphics generated were genuinely meant to be transient, but I might have hoped that the piece itself would survive a few more years. Preservation is an issue that needs care and attention in digital art.

Instructions

Move the mouse over different parts of the grid to register interest in particular configurations.
The borders fade from green to red, depending on the amount of attention they are given. When they go far enough into the red, they are replaced with new offspring based on the others that are currently around. Influencing the evolution of the population in this way is the main mode of interaction.

Additionally, moving the mouse over the large view to the left causes the evolution process to pause, such that the form may be examined without the pressure of the current population changing. Holding the control key while moving the mouse holds the currently focussed specimen, so that you don’t have to carefully dodge with the mouse if you don’t want the large view to change.

Each individual view can also be manipulated by dragging the mouse:

• Left click & drag for rotation.
• Right click & drag for translation.
• Middle click & drag to scale.
• Hold left & right buttons and drag to rotate about z.
• Alt & click to reset view.

There are no alternatives for mice with less buttons for now; sorry. All comments are appreciated.