The Pickover Attractor is a fascinating mathematical object discovered by Clifford Pickover in 1986. It's created by iterating a simple set of equations that generate complex, beautiful patterns.

I vibe-coded this application with Cursor, an AI Code Editor, the Rust language and the Macroquad Game Engine. The result is an interactive, meditative visual experience.

The attractor is defined by just four numbers a,b,c,d and these two equations:

x_n+1 = sin(b·y_n) - c·sin(b·x_n)
y_n+1 = sin(a·x_n) + d·cos(a·y_n)

Each point in the visualization represents a single iteration of these equations. The colors indicate how many times each pixel has been visited - brighter areas show where the attractor spends more time.

Try different modes:
• Monochrome: Classic grayscale visualization
• RGB: Independent red, green, and blue channels
• Correlated: Related parameters create harmonious patterns

Explore symmetry patterns:
• 4-fold: Mandala-like geometric designs
• 6-fold: Snowflake-like crystalline structures
• 8-fold: Complex kaleidoscopic patterns

Switch themes:
• Day Mode: Dark background with bright colors
• Night Mode: Light background with dark colors

The patterns you see emerge from the chaotic dynamics of these simple equations, demonstrating how complex beauty can arise from simple mathematical rules.

Controls:
• I key: Toggle day/night mode
• M key: Cycle through color modes
• S key: Cycle through symmetry modes
• R/G/B keys: Toggle individual color channels
• Space: Generate new attractor patterns

I built this application largely vibe coding with Cursor an AI Code Editor , the Rust language and the Macroquad Game Engine

Created by David Maynard
View open source code on GitHub