first draft of algorithm

gistfile1.py

import random

MAP_HEIGHT = 24
MAP_WIDTH = 80
CELL_WIDTH = 3
CELL_HEIGHT = 3

def initMap(Map):
	for x in xrange(MAP_WIDTH):
		for y in xrange(MAP_HEIGHT):
			Map[(x,y)] = "#"
	return Map

def printMap(Map):	
	for y in xrange(MAP_HEIGHT):
		for x in xrange(MAP_WIDTH):
			print Map[(x,y)]
		print '\n'

class Cell:
	#Represents a room
	#grows, evolves, and mutates
	
	def __init__(self,x,y):
		self.x = x
		self.y = y
		self.members = { (x,y) : '.' }

	def live(self):
		rand = random.randrange(0,1000)
		if rand < 2:
			self.mutate()
		elif rand < 500:
			self.grow()
		else:
			pass

	def grow(self):
		dx = random.randrange(-1*CELL_WIDTH,CELL_WIDTH)
		dy = random.randrange(-1*CELL_HEIGHT,CELL_HEIGHT)
	
		try:
			if Map[(self.x+dx,self.y+dy)] == ".":
				dx2 = random.choice([-1,0,1])
				dy2 = random.choice([-1,0,1])
				Map[(self.x+dx+dx2,self.y+dy+dy2)] = "."
		except:
			pass	


	def mutate(self):
		pass	

	def carve(self,Matrix):
		for x in xrange(self.x-CELL_WIDTH,self.x+CELL_WIDTH):
			for y in xrange(self.y-CELL_HEIGHT,self.y+CELL_HEIGHT):
				try:
					Matrix[(x,y)] = self.members[(x,y)]
				except:
					pass 	

		return Matrix


def initCells(cells):
	cells.append(Cell(10,5))
	cells.append(Cell(30,10))
	cells.append(Cell(50,12))
	return cells

def manage(cells,lifetimes,i):
	if i >= lifetimes:
		return cells

	for index in cells:
		index.live()
	i += 1
	manage(cells,lifetimes,i)

def carveCells(cells, Map):
	for index in cells:
		Map = index.carve(Map)
	return Map

def main():
	cells = []
	Map = {}
	
	Map = initMap(Map)
	cells = initCells(cells)
	print cells
	cells = manage(cells,15,0)
	print cells
	Map = carveCells(cells, Map)
	
	printMap(Map)

main()