So last night i was scrolling through the sample for "Processing: a programming handbook for visual designers and artists" to see what it's about and the interview with Jared Tarbell really caught my eye with his "Fractal.Invaders" and i remember trying to do something like it myself some years ago but failing badly, basically my idea was to do it all with one "big" recursive function - long story short: Stack overflow.

Anyways, so i thought "hey lets try it again, i must be able to come up with some smart way of doing it" and as it turns out i was. So i thought i'd share what i came up with:

Code:

int number;
int rectWidth;
int offset;
void setup(){
  size(800,800);
  background(255);
  fill(0);
  noStroke();
  number = 1515175624; //magic constant!
  offset = 5; //ofset from the edge of the window.. sort of
  rectWidth = height/8-offset; // width of the boxes
}

void draw(){
  background(255);
  int temp = number;
  for(int y = 0; y < 8;y++){
    for(int x = 0; x < 4;x++){
      if(temp%2 == 0){
        fill(255);
      }else{
        fill(0);
      }
      rect(offset*4+(width-height)/2+x*rectWidth,offset*4+y*rectWidth,rectWidth,rectWidth);
      rect(-(width-height)/2-offset*4+width-(x+1)*rectWidth,offset*4+y*rectWidth,rectWidth,rectWidth);
      temp = temp >>1;
    } 
  }
 //number = int(random(-(MAX_INT)))+int(random((128))); //uncomment this - shit brix
}

void mousePressed(){
  number = int(random(-(MAX_INT)))+int(random((128)));
} 

I'd like to point out that while the code is indeed mine, the idea of mirroring the random-pattern to create space invader-like creature belongs to Jared (as far as i can tell). This code is just my solution to the program he described. Also i haven't actually seen Jared's source code for it was in .fla format and im still downloading flash.
There, just wanted to point that out so no one is offended or confused :)


Usage: Click to create a new random thingy.