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Structure Synth

Build an intricate structure from a short set of rules, then let color and rotation reveal its repeating forms. The saved program is NablaSystem.

Structure Synth creates the mesh on the CPU. The resulting geometry is sent to native Model Display (not Qt Quick 3D) with a changing gradient texture; an LFO rotates it slowly. Editing the grammar or requesting Regenerate changes the structure itself, whereas the texture and rotation can keep changing during playback without rebuilding the mesh.

Changing the structure

A rule can repeat a shape while translating, rotating and shrinking each successive copy:

rule R1 {
  { x 1 rz 5 s 0.99 } R1
  box
}

This fragment describes a spiral of boxes when invoked. A runnable program also needs a bounded recursion setting and a call to R1; see the complete program in Structure Synth. Keep recursion bounded: generation runs on the CPU and can take time.

Try it

Start playback and change the LFO speed to see how rotation reveals the structure. Edit the color automation to change its palette without changing its geometry. Then modify the saved grammar and request Regenerate: only this step changes the shape itself.

The program and shaders are embedded; no external model is needed.

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