[screensavers] / hacks / WolframAutomata / improvements.md

Future ideas for WolframAutomata:

  - Expand options for scrolling the viewport window around. For example, add
    modes for both horizontal scrolling (in addition to the existing vertical
    scrolling) as well as 'panning' where the viewport moves diagonally over a
    simulation grid large enough to support visually interesting movement in
    both horizontal and vertical axis.

  - If I use something other than a Pixmap as my storage backend, I could
    simulate much wider universes, or simulate them for longer time periods.

  - Add flag enabling an informational screen overlay like this:
    
        HACKNAME v.VERSION
        Rule number
    
    For example:
    
        WolframAutomata v42
        Rule: 110
    
    Also add a debug flag that expands this OSD to include things like cell
    size, num_generations, delay, colors, seed conditions, etc.

    XScreensaver already prints errors messages in the screen as overlaid
    yellow text. Does it provide a function via which I can print my own
    messages? Could I use that for the overlay?

  - Add CLI options allowing the user to set foreground and background colors
    directly.
Commit	Line	Data
ee72ab22 AT	1	Future ideas for WolframAutomata:
	2
	3	- Expand options for scrolling the viewport window around. For example, add
	4	modes for both horizontal scrolling (in addition to the existing vertical
	5	scrolling) as well as 'panning' where the viewport moves diagonally over a
	6	simulation grid large enough to support visually interesting movement in
	7	both horizontal and vertical axis.
	8
	9	- If I use something other than a Pixmap as my storage backend, I could
	10	simulate much wider universes, or simulate them for longer time periods.
	11
	12	- Add flag enabling an informational screen overlay like this:
	13
	14	HACKNAME v.VERSION
	15	Rule number
	16
	17	For example:
	18
	19	WolframAutomata v42
	20	Rule: 110
	21
	22	Also add a debug flag that expands this OSD to include things like cell
	23	size, num_generations, delay, colors, seed conditions, etc.
	24
96834d98 AT	25	XScreensaver already prints errors messages in the screen as overlaid
	26	yellow text. Does it provide a function via which I can print my own
	27	messages? Could I use that for the overlay?
ee72ab22 AT	28
	29	- Add CLI options allowing the user to set foreground and background colors
	30	directly.