Taste Engine
collect → extract → map → mutate → critique
A system for discovering, measuring, and evolving a visual language.
Archive
The evidence. Every decision traces back to one of these references.
Origin Form
First triangulated composition — raw geometry with warm palette
Terrain Study II
Second iteration — exploring depth and color range
Warm Spectrum
Orange-dominant composition with triangulation overlay
Particle Emergence
First particle system integration with geometric base
Deep Gradient
Multi-layer depth with gradient transitions
Pink Shift
Hot pink introduction into the warm palette
Wireframe Layer
Delaunay wireframe overlay on gradient field
Scale Study
Large-scale terrain with micro-particle detail
Coral Bloom
Bloom post-processing on warm coral geometry
Night Field
Dark field with accent lighting on sparse elements
Connected Network
Node network with proximity-based connections
Motion Capture
Mid-transition state between two geometric forms
Crystal Terrain I
Warm-cool gradient on triangulated mesh surface
Particle Field
Dense floating particles with proximity connections
Terrain Morph Mid
Captured mid-transition between two terrain seeds
Hybrid Composition
Terrain + particles + light rays in balanced layers
Edge Detail
Close crop showing per-face color variation
Full Scene Hero
Complete scene with all visual layers active
DNA Channels
Nine measurable dimensions. Each channel has a value, a recipe, and source evidence.
Layout
72Spatial organization. Center-weighted terrain with asymmetric particle drift.
Motion
85Animation velocity and easing. Slow morphs, 12-20s cycles, cubic easing.
Palette
65Orange → Coral → Pink → Magenta gradient axis on dark backgrounds.
Density
58Element count per viewport. 200 nodes, 400 ambient, 25 rays. Not more.
Interaction
40Response to user input. Mouse parallax only. No click explosions.
Composition
78Layer stacking order. Background shader → terrain → rays → nodes → ambient.
Texture
90Surface quality. Flat-shaded triangles, no smooth normals, per-face color.
Type Hierarchy
55Visual weight distribution. Terrain dominant, particles subordinate, rays accent.
Emotional Pressure
82Tension between stillness and movement. Calm surface, restless particles.
Measurement
Every reference scored against every channel. Hover a cell to see the value.
| Layo | Moti | Pale | Dens | Inte | Comp | Text | Type | Emot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 75 | 60 | 70 | 50 | 30 | 65 | 90 | 60 | 65 |
| #3 | 65 | 55 | 95 | 45 | 25 | 60 | 80 | 50 | 70 |
| #6 | 70 | 65 | 90 | 50 | 30 | 70 | 75 | 55 | 80 |
| #7 | 60 | 40 | 60 | 65 | 20 | 55 | 100 | 45 | 50 |
| #10 | 55 | 60 | 40 | 15 | 20 | 50 | 30 | 35 | 90 |
| #12 | 70 | 95 | 65 | 50 | 30 | 75 | 80 | 55 | 95 |
| #18 | 80 | 70 | 60 | 50 | 30 | 75 | 95 | 60 | 70 |
| #20 | 60 | 85 | 55 | 95 | 40 | 65 | 40 | 40 | 80 |
| #25 | 70 | 95 | 65 | 50 | 30 | 75 | 80 | 55 | 95 |
| #31 | 90 | 80 | 70 | 65 | 40 | 95 | 80 | 85 | 80 |
| #32 | 50 | 40 | 60 | 70 | 20 | 45 | 100 | 40 | 50 |
| #33 | 90 | 85 | 75 | 70 | 45 | 90 | 85 | 80 | 85 |
Thesis
The Araptus visual language is built on the tension between crystalline rigidity and organic drift — geometry that breathes.
Every surface is triangulated and flat-shaded. Smooth normals are rejected. The faceted quality is the identity.
Evidence: #18, #32Color lives on the orange→pink→magenta axis. This gradient IS the brand. It never touches blue except as a distant accent.
Evidence: #3, #6Motion is slow and inevitable. 12-second morphs, not snaps. The in-between state is the aesthetic, not a transition to hide.
Evidence: #12, #25Particles provide atmospheric tension. They drift while the terrain holds. This contrast between stillness and movement creates the emotional charge.
Evidence: #4, #10Composition is layered and transparent. Five distinct visual layers, each visible through the others. Nothing is opaque except the background.
Evidence: #31, #33Constraints
What the system must never do. These are load-bearing walls.
No smooth shading
Flat-shaded triangles define the identity. Smooth normals destroy the crystalline read.
No pure white (#fff)
Maximum brightness is the warm accent palette. White washes out the depth.
No instant transitions
Everything morphs over seconds, not frames. Snapping breaks the meditative quality.
No click-reactive explosions
Interaction is mouse parallax only. The scene observes the user, not obeys them.
No flat gradient backgrounds
Every surface must show geometric structure or particle texture. Gradients alone are empty.
No particle counts above 600
Density has a ceiling. More particles is not more beauty — it is noise.
No linear easing
All motion uses cubic or sinusoidal easing. Linear movement looks mechanical, not organic.
No isolated elements
Every visual layer must relate to at least one other. Particles connect. Terrain supports. Rays bridge.
Live Terrain
Crystalline geometry morphing in real-time. The visual language, breathing.
Mutation & Critique
Mutate the DNA. Critique with specifics, not "make it cooler."
Critique Log
Lineage
Where each decision came from. Click a node to trace the source.
