Synth Grid Engine

A blueprint-driven simulation shell where geometry becomes computation.

This project is an experimental system that treats space like a filesystem and entities like autonomous executors. The world itself becomes a programmable environment.

Inspired by:

• TRON Grid Worlds
• Geometry Wars style spatial computation
• Modular OS-like simulation environments

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Core Idea

Instead of building a fixed application, the engine loads blueprints that define how the world behaves.

The system consists of three blueprint layers:

1. Shell Blueprint Defines the world geometry.

2. Module Blueprints Attach systems into the world.

3. Execution Layer Deterministic simulation loop.

Geometry = storage
Movement = computation
Entities = executors

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Math-First Simulation

The engine is math-first, not graphics-first.

The simulation runs entirely in deterministic 2D vector space, while the rendering layer projects the world to appear visually 3D.

This approach provides several advantages:

• extremely low CPU usage

• deterministic reproducible worlds

• simple debugging and validation

• portable execution on almost any hardware

Even older machines (2010–2012 era laptops) can run the simulation smoothly.

2D Core → Visually 3D

All world logic runs in 2D simulation space.

Rendering then projects that simulation into a visually 3D environment using techniques such as:

• perspective scaling

• layered sprites

• cube grid projection

• depth shading

This creates a 3D-like environment without the cost of a full 3D engine.

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Example World

The included example blueprint: blueprint_octagon.json

Builds an octagon shell structure where modules can attach.

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Controls

{
| Key | Action |
|----|----|
| WASD | Move master control |
| Mouse | Aim vector |
| C | Toggle reticle |
| ` | Toggle debug overlay |
| R | Reset |
}

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Running the Engine

1. Download the repository
2. Open index.html

in a browser.

No server required.

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Loading Blueprints

Upload blueprints into the runtime UI.

Recommended order:

1️⃣ Shell blueprint

2️⃣ Ship module

3️⃣ Scanner module

4️⃣ HUD module (optional)

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Blueprint Format

Example module blueprint

{
  "moduleType": "scanner",
  "id": "SCAN_01",
  "style": "default",
  "config": {},
  "script": ""
}

Engine Prototype

Click to view Synth Grid Engine prototype

Example simulation of the Synth Grid Engine.

The world runs on a deterministic 2D simulation core while projecting visually as a 3D sphere.

Each tile represents simulation state generated from blueprint geometry.

This prototype demonstrates:

• blueprint shell generation
• cube-grid projection mapping
• deterministic seed worlds
• modular system attachment
• spatial execution visualization

The interface allows runtime loading of:

• Shell Blueprints
• Ship Modules
• Scanner Modules
• HUD Modules

This prototype is also being used as a base for the ThingsHappening game systems.

2026-03-06 Update: Eye-Lock synth visual pass added. The master ship is now drawn as a reticle-locked synth eye/pupil at screen center, with a dark glass lens shell, magenta plasma field, expanded crosshair geometry, and scanner bloom tuned toward the supplied reference image. 2026-03-06 Update: Eye-Core pass added. The center now uses a true pupil-disc stack with slit beam, heading-reactive ship glyph, breathing plasma ellipses, stronger reticle arcs, and subtle shell/grid distortion so movement reads as the universe moving around a fixed synth eye.

[v5 Eye-Scan update]

• Added scanner sweep wedge and ping-ring runtime behavior.
• Added deterministic contact markers derived from shell seed and route shape.
• Added presentation mode toggle (P) for clean cinematic view.
• Eye core now reacts to scan ping cadence and module identity.
• Preserved center-lock / eye-pupil architecture while pushing runtime behavior toward a real synth instrument surface.

Truth-Surface v6 update:

• blueprint-derived semantic contacts (pivot, wall, door, room, anomaly)
• deterministic shell warp keyed to shell seed
• scanner contact persistence and class-aware rendering
• ship/scanner module configs now visibly alter iris/slit and sweep behavior
• expanded debug truth surface for class counts and center-lock state

Anchor-Center v7 update:

• blueprint pivots are re-centered around their canonical centroid before shell construction
• the blueprint mass now sits on the reticle-aligned anchor instead of drifting off-center
• seed compilation now includes anchor-centered normalized blueprint geometry
• HUD/debug now report anchor mode, anchor source, centroid shift, and canonical blueprint hash
• this is the first pass toward exact two-way retraceable reticle/location seeding

Pole-Compass v8 update:

• added bottom-right pole detector / compass overlay locked to world pole directions
• compass labels N/E/S/W now derive from the camera-rotated global axes instead of screen-only decoration
• pole detector reports nearest locked pole, angular offset, and alignment state
• truth/debug panels now include pole lock telemetry

v10 Authority / Proof Upgrade

• Added canonical reticle proof summaries.
• Added receipt export and survey export.
• Added lifecycle contract verification for boot/build transitions.
• Added richer receipt envelopes for auditability.