Mastery — "The Conversation"

"Your cursor isn't just following anymore. It's responding. When you hover a button, it should know. When you click, it should react. Your cursor is learning your language."

By the end of this stage, your cursor will have state awareness, easing animations, and real-time interaction feedback.

Est. time: 45–60 minutes · Intermediate with state machine concepts

🎯 New to State Machines?

Don't worry—we'll walk through the idle → hovering → active flow visually. It's simpler than it sounds!

⚡ Have React Experience?

Perfect! You'll recognize useState and useEffect patterns. Focus on the animation loop and event delegation.

The Narrative

In Stage 1, you built a companion—a simple follower. But real companions don't just follow. They respond. They anticipate. They communicate.

Think about how you interact with a friend. When you lean in, they lean in. When you're excited, they match your energy. This is what we're building: a cursor that has a conversation with your interface.

State machines are the language of this conversation. Easing is the tone. By the end of this stage, your cursor will feel alive.

The State Machine

Your cursor now has three "moods"—states that change based on what's happening:

// State Machine Visualization
┌─────────────┐
│    IDLE     │ ◄────── No interaction
└──────┬──────┘
       │ (mouseover interactive element)
       ▼
┌─────────────┐
│   HOVERING  │ ◄────── "I see something clickable"
└──────┬──────┘
       │ (mousedown)
       ▼
┌─────────────┐
│   ACTIVE    │ ◄────── "I'm being clicked"
└──────┬──────┘
       │ (mouseup)
       ▼
┌─────────────┐
│    IDLE     │
└─────────────┘

Emotional Arc

Initial

Overwhelm

"State machines? Easing? What?"

Building

Gradual Mastery

Multiple states working.

Discovery

Delight

Smooth, intentional behavior emerging.

Completion

Pride

"I built this interaction."

What's Next?

You've mastered state machines and easing! Ready for the final challenge?

Stage 3: Transcendence - "The Architect"

Build a complete particle system with Canvas API and physics (90–120 min)

Explore Other Tracks

Check out the Story and Art tracks for different AI learning paths

The final stage awaits! In Stage 3, you'll build a Canvas-based particle system with velocity-based emission and physics. This is where your cursor becomes art.

Stage 2 of 3

Mastery Complete?