What this is
Forma is a real-time cellular automata canvas for both desktop wallpaper mode and controls mode. You can paint directly with cursor movement, tune rules, then return to a clean wallpaper view with no on-screen controls.
Desktop workflow
Wallpaper mode: no visible UI, reactive cursor painting, low-overhead behavior when the desktop is not visible.
Controls mode: full editor panels for rules, speed, brush, and visual theme adjustments.
Use the system tray to toggle wallpaper state, open controls, and adjust desktop settings instantly.
Modes
Conway: classic life-like automata using birth and survival masks such as B3/S23.
Generations: living cells age through multiple states, leaving structured trails and pulses.
Ambient: a calmer viewing mode with a curated seed, slow speed, hidden UI, and gentle camera drift.
Controls
Left drag: paint
Right drag: erase
Middle drag: pan
Wheel: zoom
Touch: one finger paints, two fingers pan and pinch to zoom
Zoom buttons: step in, out, or reset
Shortcuts
A: toggle ambient mode
D: cycle theme
F: toggle presentation mode
Space: play/pause simulation
R: cycle resolution mode (auto, 512, 1024)
+ / -: zoom in or out
0: reset zoom
?: open About
Esc: close About