ASCII metaball silhouette

blob.py

import sys, time, math, random

def get_foo(x, y):
	d = 0
	for a, b, c in points:
		d += c / (1 + (x - a)**2 + (y - b)**2)
	return d


def march(a, b, c, d):
	return "   ^ |;/ ;|\\_\\/ "[a + b*2 + c*4 + d*8]

t = 10
while 1:

	t += 0.5
	points = [
		(	40 + 30 * math.sin(t * (0.07 + i*0.01)),
			24 + 24 * math.cos(t * (0.041 + (i*0.1)**2 )),
			1 + math.sin(t * (0.051 + i*0.013 ))
		) for i in range(4)
	]

	s = ""
	for y in range(0, 48, 2):
		for x in range(80):
			s += march(
				0.1 > get_foo(x, y) > 0.01,
				0.1 > get_foo(x+1, y) > 0.01,
				0.1 > get_foo(x, y+2) > 0.01,
				0.1 > get_foo(x+1, y+2) > 0.01
			)
		s += "\n"

	sys.stdout.write("\x1b[2J\x1b[1;1H" + s)
	time.sleep(0.01)