The Matrix in Processing.org

the_matrix.pde

class MatrixChar {
  final int STREAK_LENGTH = 100;
  final color COLOR = color(0, 255, 0);
  final PFont FONT = createFont("Monospace", 12);
  final int DEFAULT_CHAR_SIZE = 100;
  final int DEFAULT_SPEED = 5;

  int x, y;
  char chr;
  float distanceAway;
  boolean shouldReplace;
  
  public MatrixChar()
  {
    x = (int)random(width);
    y = (int)random(-height, 0);
    chr = randomChar();
    distanceAway = randomDistance();
    shouldReplace = false;
  }
  
  public void draw()
  {
    updatePosition();
  
    textFont(FONT);
    textSize(chrHeight());
    drawStreak();
    drawCurrentPosition();
  }
  
  public boolean readyToReplace()
  {
    return shouldReplace; 
  }
  
  private void updatePosition()
  {
    y += DEFAULT_SPEED / distanceAway;

    if (y > height + chrHeight()) {
      shouldReplace = true; 
    }
  }
  
  private int chrHeight()
  {
    return round(DEFAULT_CHAR_SIZE / distanceAway);
  }
  
  private void drawStreak()
  {    
    for (int i = 0; i < STREAK_LENGTH; i += 3)
    {
      int streakY = round(map(i, 0, STREAK_LENGTH, y-STREAK_LENGTH, y));
      int alpha = round(sqrt(map(i, 0, STREAK_LENGTH, 0, 255)));
      fill(COLOR, alpha / distanceAway);
      text(chr, x, streakY);
    }
  }
  
  private void drawCurrentPosition()
  {
    fill(COLOR, 512 / distanceAway);
    text(chr, x, y);
  }
  
  private char randomChar()
  {
    return (char)random('!', '~');
  }
  
  private float randomDistance()
  {
    return random(0.5, 1.5);
  }
}

ArrayList<MatrixChar> chrs;

void setup()
{
  size(800, 600);
  background(0);
  frameRate(30);
  randomSeed(4);
  
  chrs = new ArrayList<MatrixChar>();
  for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
    chrs.add(new MatrixChar()); 
  }
}

void draw()
{
  background(0);
  
  for (int i = 0; i < chrs.size(); i++) {
    MatrixChar curr = chrs.get(i);
    curr.draw();
    if (curr.readyToReplace()) {
      chrs.set(i, new MatrixChar());
    }
  }
  
  saveFrame("frames/#####.tif");
}