sprite based kaleidoscope in #GameMaker. uses mirrored surfaces/object pooling

// Create Event
surface_mirror = -1;
pool_size = 150; // Maximum number of particles
active_particles = 0;
particle_sprite = spr_sprite; //your sprite here

// Animation speed controls
min_speed = 0.3;  // Minimum animation speed
max_speed = 0.5;  // Maximum animation speed

// Initialize arrays for object pooling
particle_active = array_create(pool_size, false);
particle_x = array_create(pool_size, 0);
particle_y = array_create(pool_size, 0);
particle_scale = array_create(pool_size, 0);
particle_angle = array_create(pool_size, 0);
particle_frame = array_create(pool_size, 0);
particle_speed = array_create(pool_size, 0);



// Clean up Event
if (surface_exists(surface_mirror)) {
    surface_free(surface_mirror);
}

// Step Event
if (!surface_exists(surface_mirror)) {
    surface_mirror = surface_create(room_width, room_height);
}

// Spawn particles
if (mouse_check_button(mb_left)) {
    repeat(4) {
        // Find inactive particle slot
        var slot = -1;
        for (var i = 0; i < pool_size; i++) {
            if (!particle_active[i]) {
                slot = i;
                break;
            }
        }

        if (slot != -1) {
            particle_active[slot] = true;
            particle_x[slot] = mouse_x;
            particle_y[slot] = mouse_y;
            particle_scale[slot] = random_range(0.5, 0.7);
            particle_angle[slot] = random(360);
            particle_frame[slot] = 0;
            particle_speed[slot] = random_range(min_speed, max_speed);  // Using the new speed range
            active_particles++;
        }
    }
}

// Update particles
for (var i = 0; i < pool_size; i++) {
    if (particle_active[i]) {
        // Update animation frame
        particle_frame[i] += particle_speed[i];

        // Check if animation is complete (17 frames in my animation but change it to however many yours has)
        if (particle_frame[i] >= 17) {
            particle_active[i] = false;
            active_particles--;
            particle_frame[i] = 0;
        }
    }
}

// Draw Event
surface_set_target(surface_mirror);
draw_clear_alpha(c_black, 0);

// Draw all active particles
for (var i = 0; i < pool_size; i++) {
    if (particle_active[i]) {
        draw_sprite_ext(
            particle_sprite,
            floor(particle_frame[i]),
            particle_x[i],
            particle_y[i],
            particle_scale[i],
            particle_scale[i],
            particle_angle[i],
            c_white,
            1
        );
    }
}

surface_reset_target();

// Draw the mirrored surfaces
draw_surface_ext(surface_mirror, room_width, 0, -1, 1, 0, c_white, 1);
draw_surface_ext(surface_mirror, 0, room_height, 1, -1, 0, c_white, 1);
draw_surface_ext(surface_mirror, room_width, room_height, -1, -1, 0, c_white, 1);
draw_surface(surface_mirror, 0, 0);

//draw_text(10, 10, string(active_particles));