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This years 2013 Winter Bash canvas based snowflake script is quite lovely.

2013-winter-bash-header

If you don't mind my asking, to whom should credits be given for that?

There must be a unicorn in there somewhere...

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  • Where abouts is live animated version of this
    – Richard Tingle
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 19:20
  • @RichardTingle It's on winterbash2013.stackexchange.com. But note that it measures canvas drawing performance and falls back to a static image if it's not satisfactory, so if you just see a picture of non-moving snowflakes, your browser or computer may just not be fast enough.
    – balpha StaffMod
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 21:02
  • @balpha it is beau_ti_ful
    – Richard Tingle
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 21:43
  • See also How to generate a random snowflake. (@balpha)
    – Arjan
    Commented Dec 25, 2013 at 10:52

1 Answer 1

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I wrote it for last year's Winter Bash, and I actually promised to open source it after some code clean-up, which to my shame I still, one year later, haven't done yet.

I made it my mission that if Stack Exchange recycles the oldest JavaScript animation that exists on the internet, it should at least be a very nice-looking version. The snowflake movement is actually based on an academic paper (and on a second one that's based on this one, but which I'm unable to find right now).

This year when working on Winter Bash, I was specifically ordered "not to spend a ridiculous amount of time on snow animation."

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  • 6
    This is amazing to hear that you have researched a paper to bring the snow flakes animation. Very nice, different shapes and sizes. Merry Christmas in advance to you :)
    – Praveen
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 8:03
  • With the larger flakes, judicious mouse-movement can keep them floating indefinitely (OK, I don't know about literally). Might it be possible theoretically to keep a snowflake stationary? I thought I got close, then there was a collision.
    – Bill Woodger
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 8:34
  • The time spent is only "ridiculous" if there is little or no ROI - a unicorn is well worth the time investment.
    – slugster
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 12:55
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    "I was specifically ordered..." - Sounds like some manager doesn't understand the true meaning of Winterbash, for shame!
    – Tim Stone
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 16:04
  • @TimStone Yeah, he even hides his pointy-haired head under a hat.
    – balpha StaffMod
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 16:15
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    Still waiting for you to release it...
    – j08691
    Commented Dec 17, 2014 at 15:39
  • 5
    Still waiting for you to release it...
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Dec 22, 2014 at 9:58
  • Any chance of this happening in the near future?
    – j08691
    Commented Jan 27, 2015 at 21:04
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    Hi @balpha, any news about your promise?
    – Cliff Burton
    Commented Mar 18, 2015 at 16:32

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