Plasma Flow

Flowing rainbow plasma from a sum of sine waves — a demoscene classic in one formula.

Generative Art · a single painted seed plus one Phlux rule, simulated live · 96×96 grid

The rule that makes it move

This is the whole thing. Phluxel runs it on every cell, every step — the animation is what happens when you repeat it.

PARAM _zoom = 1; LET _t = TICK * 0.15; LET _v = {SIN, X*0.20*_zoom + _t} + {SIN, Y*0.24*_zoom - _t} + {SIN, (X+Y)*0.14*_zoom + _t*0.7} + {SIN, {DIST, X, Y, GW*0.5, GH*0.5}*0.22*_zoom - _t*1.3}; R = {WAVE255, _v*1.3}; G = {WAVE255, _v*1.3 + 2.1}; B = {WAVE255, _v*1.3 + 4.2}

Paste it into the Rule Editor, or pick Plasma Flow from the template list and skip the typing.

Make it yourself

1. Open Phluxel and start a new field, or click Plasma Flow in the starter gallery to get this exact setup.
2. Leave Wrap edges off — this one is meant to have real borders.
3. Press play. Change colours or numbers while it runs; you never have to stop and restart.
4. Export a seamless loop as GIF, APNG, MP4, a PNG sequence, or a sprite sheet.