diff --git a/cubehelper.py b/cubehelper.py
index 31403d5..af2fa43 100644
--- a/cubehelper.py
+++ b/cubehelper.py
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ def color_to_int(color):
         b = int(b * 256.0 - 0.5)
     return (r, g, b)
 
+# WARN: rounding behaviour isn't perfect, eg
+#   >>> cubehelper.color_to_float((0,0,0))
+#   (0.001953125, 0.001953125, 0.001953125)
 def color_to_float(color):
     if isinstance(color, numbers.Integral):
         r = color >> 16
@@ -111,3 +114,86 @@ def color_to_float(color):
         g = (g + 0.5) / 256.0
         b = (b + 0.5) / 256.0
     return (r, g, b)
+
+# in 3d space any floating coord lies between 8 pixels (or exactly on/between)
+# return a list of the surrounding 8 pixels with the color scaled proportionately
+# ie list of 8x ((x,y,z), (r,g,b))
+# Due to the rounding issues in color_to_float we end up with values where
+# we'd expect 0 (which would allow us to clean up black pixels)
+def interpolated_pixels_from_point(xyz, color):
+    (x, y, z) = xyz
+
+    x0 = int(x)
+    y0 = int(y)
+    z0 = int(z)
+
+    x1 = x0 + 1
+    y1 = y0 + 1
+    z1 = z0 + 1
+
+    # weightings on each axis
+    x1w = x - x0
+    y1w = y - y0
+    z1w = z - z0
+
+    x0w = 1 - x1w
+    y0w = 1 - y1w
+    z0w = 1 - z1w
+
+    # weighting for each of the pixels
+    c000w = x0w * y0w * z0w
+    c001w = x0w * y0w * z1w
+    c010w = x0w * y1w * z0w
+    c011w = x0w * y1w * z1w
+    c100w = x1w * y0w * z0w
+    c101w = x1w * y0w * z1w
+    c110w = x1w * y1w * z0w
+    c111w = x1w * y1w * z1w
+
+    black = (0,0,0)
+
+    c000 = mix_color(black, color, c000w)
+    c001 = mix_color(black, color, c001w)
+    c010 = mix_color(black, color, c010w)
+    c011 = mix_color(black, color, c011w)
+    c100 = mix_color(black, color, c100w)
+    c101 = mix_color(black, color, c101w)
+    c110 = mix_color(black, color, c110w)
+    c111 = mix_color(black, color, c111w)
+
+    return [
+      ((x0, y0, z0), c000),
+      ((x0, y0, z1), c001),
+      ((x0, y1, z0), c010),
+      ((x0, y1, z1), c011),
+      ((x1, y0, z0), c100),
+      ((x1, y0, z1), c101),
+      ((x1, y1, z0), c110),
+      ((x1, y1, z1), c111)
+    ]
+
+# This doesn't check for negative coords
+def restrict_pixels_to_cube_bounds(pixels, cube_size):
+    return [
+        pixel for pixel in pixels if (
+            pixel[0][0] < cube_size and
+            pixel[0][1] < cube_size and
+            pixel[0][2] < cube_size )
+    ]
+
+def restrict_pixels_to_non_black(pixels):
+    threshold = 0.002 # this is mostly to work round the rounding issue above
+    return [
+        pixel for pixel in pixels if (
+            pixel[1][0] > threshold and
+            pixel[1][1] > threshold and
+            pixel[1][2] > threshold )
+    ]
+
+# provide xyz as float coords, returns a list of between one and 8 pixels
+def sanitized_interpolated(xyz, color, cube_size):
+    return restrict_pixels_to_non_black(
+             restrict_pixels_to_cube_bounds(
+                interpolated_pixels_from_point(xyz, color),
+                cube_size
+           ))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/patterns/gravity.py b/patterns/gravity.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..903e5de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patterns/gravity.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# Fork of rain - pastel "snow flakes" slowly falling (interpolated)
+# Copyright (C) Paul Brook <paul@nowt.org>
+# Released under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3
+
+import random
+import math
+import cubehelper
+
+BLACK = (0,0,0)
+WHITE = (255,255,255)
+
+FRAME_RATE = 25
+FRAME_TIME = 1.0 / FRAME_RATE
+SPAWN_PROBABILITY = 5.0 / FRAME_RATE
+
+GRAVITY = 10.0
+COEFFICIENT_OF_RESTITUTION = 0.9
+
+class Drop(object):
+    def __init__(self, cube, x, y):
+        self.cube = cube
+        self.x = x
+        self.y = y
+        self.z = -10
+    def reset(self):
+        self.z = self.cube.size
+        self.speed = 0; #random.uniform(1, 2)
+        self.color = cubehelper.mix_color(cubehelper.random_color(), WHITE, 0.4)
+    def tick(self):
+        self.speed += GRAVITY * FRAME_TIME
+        self.z -= (self.speed) * FRAME_TIME
+        # apply bounce
+        # make sure there's still enough energy left not to sit on bottom
+        # if there's not gravity will suck them down to be cleaned up
+        if self.z < 0 and self.speed > GRAVITY:
+            self.speed = -self.speed * COEFFICIENT_OF_RESTITUTION
+
+        position_float = (self.x,self.y,self.z)
+        pixels = cubehelper.sanitized_interpolated(position_float, self.color, self.cube.size)
+        self.cube.set_pixels(pixels)
+
+class Pattern(object):
+    def init(self):
+        self.double_buffer = True
+        self.drops = []
+        self.unused = []
+        for x in range(0, self.cube.size):
+            for y in range(0, self.cube.size):
+                self.unused.append(Drop(self.cube, x, y))
+        return FRAME_TIME
+    def spawn(self):
+        try:
+            d = self.unused.pop(random.randrange(len(self.unused)))
+            d.reset()
+            self.drops.append(d)
+        except ValueError:
+            pass
+    def tick(self):
+        if random.random() < SPAWN_PROBABILITY:
+            self.spawn()
+        drops = self.drops;
+        self.drops = []
+        self.cube.clear()
+        for d in drops:
+            d.tick()
+            if d.z < -5:
+                self.unused.append(d)
+            else:
+                self.drops.append(d)
diff --git a/patterns/snow.py b/patterns/snow.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9187a49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patterns/snow.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# Fork of rain - pastel "snow flakes" slowly falling (interpolated)
+# Copyright (C) Paul Brook <paul@nowt.org>
+# Released under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3
+
+import random
+import math
+import cubehelper
+
+BLACK = (0,0,0)
+WHITE = (255,255,255)
+
+FRAME_RATE = 25
+FRAME_TIME = 1.0 / FRAME_RATE
+SPAWN_PROBABILITY = 5.0 / FRAME_RATE
+
+class Drop(object):
+    def __init__(self, cube, x, y):
+        self.cube = cube
+        self.x = x
+        self.y = y
+        self.z = -1
+    def reset(self):
+        self.z = self.cube.size
+        self.speed = random.uniform(1, 2)
+        self.color = cubehelper.mix_color(cubehelper.random_color(), WHITE, 0.7)
+    def tick(self):
+        self.z -= self.speed * FRAME_TIME
+        if self.z >= 0:
+            position_float = (self.x,self.y,self.z)
+            pixels = cubehelper.sanitized_interpolated(position_float, self.color, self.cube.size)
+            self.cube.set_pixels(pixels)
+
+class Pattern(object):
+    def init(self):
+        self.double_buffer = True
+        self.drops = []
+        self.unused = []
+        for x in range(0, self.cube.size):
+            for y in range(0, self.cube.size):
+                self.unused.append(Drop(self.cube, x, y))
+        return FRAME_TIME
+    def spawn(self):
+        d = self.unused.pop(random.randrange(len(self.unused)))
+        d.reset()
+        self.drops.append(d)
+    def tick(self):
+        if random.random() < SPAWN_PROBABILITY:
+            self.spawn()
+        drops = self.drops;
+        self.drops = []
+        self.cube.clear()
+        for d in drops:
+            d.tick()
+            if d.z < 0:
+                self.unused.append(d)
+            else:
+                self.drops.append(d)
diff --git a/serialcube.py b/serialcube.py
index e750cad..d4e86fd 100644
--- a/serialcube.py
+++ b/serialcube.py
@@ -172,6 +172,15 @@ def set_pixel(self, xyz, rgb):
             self.select_board(board)
         self.do_cmd(offset, r, g, b)
 
+    # This doesn't do anything smart if the same pixel is specified multiple
+    # times
+    def set_pixels(self, pixels):
+        # Potential optimisation: sort the pixels by y
+        # (minimises board switches)
+        for pixel in pixels:
+            (xyz, rgb) = pixel
+            self.set_pixel(xyz, rgb)
+
     def render(self):
         self.bus_reset()
         self._flush_data()