GAME — Generative Animation Matrix Engine

A shader DSL that compiles to zero-dependency Web Components.

Write this:

cinematic "golden-orb" {
  layer main {
    circle(0.3) | glow(2.0) | tint(0.83, 0.69, 0.22)
  }
}

Get a self-contained <game-golden-orb> Web Component. No npm install. No build step. No framework. Drop the .js file into any web page and it works.

Install

cargo install --path .

Quick Start

# Create a new .game file from a template
game new --template minimal --output my-first.game

# Live preview with hot reload
game dev my-first.game

# Build to Web Component
game build my-first.game -o dist/

Open http://localhost:4200 — you'll see your shader with parameter sliders, audio input, and FPS counter. Edit the .game file, save, and watch it update live.

The Language

Cinematics

A cinematic is a named visual composition. It compiles to a custom HTML element.

cinematic "name" {
  layer layer_name {
    shape() | effect() | color()
  }
}

Pipeline Syntax

Each layer contains a pipeline of stages separated by |. Data flows left to right:

Position → [SDF Primitive] → [SDF Modifier] → [SDF→Color Bridge] → [Color Effect]
            circle, ring       round, shell      glow, shade          tint, bloom
            star, box, hex     mask_arc           emissive, palette    grain
            triangle, line     ...                                     ...
            capsule, arc

SDF Primitives

circle(0.3)                      // Circle with radius 0.3
ring(0.3, 0.02)                  // Ring with radius 0.3, width 0.02
star(5, 0.3, 0.15)              // 5-pointed star, outer 0.3, inner 0.15
box(0.3, 0.2)                   // Rectangle 0.3 x 0.2
hex(0.3)                        // Hexagon with radius 0.3
triangle(0.3)                   // Equilateral triangle, size 0.3
line(x1, y1, x2, y2)           // Line segment between two points
capsule(0.3, 0.05)             // Capsule (rounded line), length 0.3, radius 0.05
arc(0.3, 3.14, 0.02)           // Arc, radius 0.3, angle 3.14, width 0.02
cross(0.3, 0.05)               // Cross shape, size 0.3, arm width 0.05
heart(0.3)                      // Heart shape, size 0.3
egg(0.3, 0.1)                  // Egg shape, radius 0.3, asymmetry 0.1
spiral(3.0, 0.02)              // Spiral, 3 turns, width 0.02
grid(0.1, 0.005)               // Grid lattice, spacing 0.1, line width 0.005

SDF Boolean Operations

Combine shapes using constructive solid geometry:

union(circle(0.3), box(0.2, 0.4))              // Union (OR)
subtract(circle(0.3), box(0.1, 0.1))           // Subtraction (A minus B)
intersect(ring(0.3, 0.05), star(5, 0.35, 0.15)) // Intersection (AND)
smooth_union(circle(0.3), circle(0.3), 0.1)     // Smooth blend, k=0.1
smooth_subtract(circle(0.3), box(0.1, 0.1), 0.05)
smooth_intersect(circle(0.3), box(0.2, 0.2), 0.08)
xor(circle(0.3), box(0.25, 0.25))              // Symmetric difference

Spatial Operations

Transform the coordinate space before shape evaluation:

repeat(0.5, 0.5) | circle(0.1) | glow(2.0)   // Infinite tiling
mirror() | star(5, 0.3, 0.15) | glow(2.0)     // Bilateral symmetry
radial(6) | box(0.3, 0.05) | glow(2.0)        // 6-fold radial symmetry

Shape Modifiers

circle(0.3) | round(0.05) | glow(2.0)          // Round corners
circle(0.3) | shell(0.02) | glow(2.0)          // Hollow out
circle(0.3) | onion(3, 0.02) | glow(2.0)       // Concentric shells

SDF → Color Bridges

glow(2.0)                       // Exponential falloff glow
shade(0.8, 0.6, 0.2)           // Direct SDF-to-color mapping
emissive(1.5)                   // Glow with alpha transparency
palette(...)                    // Cosine palette (12 params: a,b,c,d RGB)

Color Effects

tint(0.83, 0.69, 0.22)         // Multiply by RGB color
bloom(0.3, 2.0)                // High-pass bloom, threshold + strength
grain(0.05)                    // Film grain noise
outline(0.5, 0.8, 1.0, 0.02)  // Edge outline, RGB + width

Transforms

rotate(1.0) | circle(0.3) | glow(2.0)         // Time-driven rotation
translate(0.2, 0.1) | circle(0.3) | glow(2.0) // Offset position
scale(2.0) | circle(0.3) | glow(2.0)          // Scale up 2x

Procedural Noise

fbm(3.0, 4, 0.5, 2.0)         // Fractional Brownian motion
simplex(5.0)                   // Simplex noise
voronoi(5.0)                   // Voronoi cells
warp(3.0, 4, 0.5, 2.0, 0.3)   // Domain warping (fbm-based)
distort(3.0, 1.0, 0.2)        // Sinusoidal distortion
polar()                        // Polar coordinate transform

Parameters & Uniforms

Declare named parameters that become GPU uniforms:

cinematic "reactive-orb" {
  layer config {
    intensity: 1.0
    radius: 0.3
    hue: 0.5
  }

  layer orb {
    circle(radius) | glow(intensity) | tint(hue, 0.7, 0.3)
  }
}

Access from JavaScript: element.intensity = 0.8 or <game-reactive-orb intensity="0.8">.

Temporal Operators

Modulate parameters with smooth time-domain processing:

layer config {
  bass: 0.5 ~ audio.bass <> 50ms >> 200ms .. [0.0, 1.0]
}

| Operator | Meaning | Example | |----------|---------|---------| | ~ | Modulate by signal | value ~ audio.bass | | <> | Smooth (EMA filter) | <> 50ms | | >> | Delay (ring buffer) | >> 200ms | | !! | Trigger (edge detect) | !! 300ms | | .. | Range clamp | .. [0.0, 1.0] |

Multi-Layer Composition

cinematic "layered" {
  layer background blend screen {
    fbm(2.0, 4, 0.5, 2.0) | glow(1.0) | tint(0.1, 0.1, 0.3)
  }

  layer foreground blend add {
    circle(0.3) | glow(2.0) | tint(0.83, 0.69, 0.22)
  }
}

Blend modes: add (default), screen, multiply, overlay.

Scene Composition

Sequence cinematics with timed transitions:

cinematic "dawn" { ... }
cinematic "noon" { ... }
cinematic "dusk" { ... }

scene "day-cycle" {
  play "dawn" for 10s
  transition dissolve over 2s
  play "noon" for 15s
  transition fade over 3s
  play "dusk" for 10s
}

Compiles to a <game-scene-day-cycle> Web Component that creates child cinematic elements and crossfades between them via CSS opacity transitions.

User-Defined Functions

fn neon_dot(r, g, b) {
  circle(0.1) | glow(4.0) | tint(r, g, b)
}

cinematic "dots" {
  layer main {
    neon_dot(1.0, 0.3, 0.8)
  }
}

Standard Library

Import reusable functions from the stdlib:

import "std:shapes"    // dot, petal, gear, bullseye, halo, badge, blob, pill
import "std:palettes"  // ocean, fire, forest, neon, sunset, aurora, cyber
import "std:patterns"  // checker, dots, stripes
import "std:effects"   // neon_dot, ember_orb, ice_orb, gold_ring, soft_star, warped_noise
import "std:motion"    // orbit, pulse_ring, spin, wobble

Conditionals

layer main {
  if energy > 0.5 {
    star(5, 0.3, 0.15) | glow(3.0) | tint(1.0, 0.5, 0.1)
  } else {
    circle(0.2) | glow(2.0) | tint(0.3, 0.5, 1.0)
  }
}

Memory (Visual Persistence)

Layers with memory retain a fraction of the previous frame:

layer trails memory: 0.95 {
  circle(0.2) | glow(3.0) | tint(1.0, 0.5, 0.2)
}

Animation Curves (Arc)

arc {
  scale: 0.1 -> 1.0 over 3s ease_in_out
  brightness: 0.0 -> 1.0 over 2s ease_out
}

Parameter Coupling (Resonate)

resonate {
  bass -> core.scale * 0.3
  pulse -> ring.brightness * 0.5
}

Audio Analysis (Listen)

listen {
  onset: attack(threshold: 0.7, decay: 300ms)
  melody: pitch(min: 200, max: 4000)
  rhythm: phase(subdivide: 16)
  delta: delta(window: 2.0, direction: "negative")
}

Audio Synthesis (Voice)

voice {
  osc: sine(freq: 440)
  filter: lowpass(cutoff: 2000, q: 1.5)
  gain: gain(level: 0.5)
  reverb: reverb(room: 0.4)
}

Musical Timeline (Score)

score tempo(120) {
  motif rise { scale: 0.5 -> 2.0 over 4bars }
  motif fall { scale: 2.0 -> 0.5 over 2bars }
  phrase build = rise | fall
  section verse = build
  arrange: verse verse verse
}

Compute Shaders

N-Body Gravity

gravity {
  force_law: 1.0 / (distance * distance)
  damping: 0.995
  bounds: wrap
}

Reaction-Diffusion

react {
  feed: 0.055
  kill: 0.062
  diffuse_a: 1.0
  diffuse_b: 0.5
  seed: center(0.1)
}

Physarum Stigmergy

swarm {
  agents: 500000
  sensor_angle: 45
  sensor_dist: 9.0
  turn_angle: 45
  step: 1.0
  deposit: 5.0
  decay: 0.95
  diffuse: 1
  bounds: wrap
}

Vector Field Flow

flow {
  type: curl
  scale: 3.0
  speed: 0.5
  octaves: 4
  strength: 1.5
}

Genetic Composition (Breed)

breed "child" from "fire" + "ice" {
  inherit layers: mix(0.6)
  inherit params: pick(0.5)
  mutate scale: 0.3
  mutate speed: 0.1
}

Projection Mapping

project dome(theta: 0.5) {
  source: "my-cinematic"
}

Modes: flat, dome, cube, led.

External Imports

import "shadertoy://XsXXDn" as shader
import "midi://channel/1" as midi
import "osc://localhost:9000/params" as osc
import "camera://0" as webcam

Output

Web Component (.js)

game build input.game -o dist/

Produces dist/name.js — a self-registering custom element:

<script src="name.js"></script>
<game-name intensity="0.8"></game-name>

Standalone HTML

game build input.game -o dist/ -f html

Produces a complete HTML page with embedded shaders.

Shader Files

Every build also produces name.wgsl and name.frag (GLSL ES 3.0) alongside the component.

Using Components

HTML

<script type="module" src="./golden-orb.js"></script>
<game-golden-orb style="width:200px;height:200px"></game-golden-orb>

React/TypeScript

import './lib/game-components/golden-orb.js';

function App() {
  const ref = useRef<HTMLElement>(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    if (ref.current) {
      (ref.current as any).intensity = 0.8;
    }
  }, []);

  return <game-golden-orb ref={ref} />;
}

JavaScript API

const el = document.querySelector('game-golden-orb');
el.intensity = 0.8;           // Property setter
el.setParam('radius', 0.3);   // Generic setter
el.setAudioData({ bass: 0.5, mid: 0.3, treble: 0.1, energy: 0.3, beat: 0 });

Architecture

.game source → Lexer (logos) → Parser (recursive descent) → AST
  → Validate (pipeline state machine with typed stages)
  → Codegen (WGSL + GLSL + JS modules)
  → Runtime (Web Component wrapper)
  → Output (.js + .wgsl + .frag + .html)

• WebGPU primary renderer (90%+ modern browser support)
• WebGL2 automatic fallback (older browsers)
• ResizeObserver for responsive canvas
• Shaders use periodic time fract(t/120)*120 to avoid float precision issues
• Pipeline state machine: Position → Sdf → Color with typed transitions
• "Did you mean?" error suggestions for typos and missing bridge stages
• ~19,700 lines of Rust, 47 builtins, 400 tests

Examples

See the examples/ directory for 43 reference .game files covering every feature.

License

MIT