Matrix?

[HoudiniMan]

I'm making a little game based on "DDR". For those unfamiliar with it you hit buttons coodinated with shapes that rise towards the top of the screen and you try to time it right...

Is there a way i could use a matrix or some other type of thing so that if i had say, 3 shapes to pick from i could organize it this way:

1=there 0=not there

0,1,0
0,0,0
0,0,0
0,1,1
0,0,0
1,0,0
0,0,0
1,0,1
1,1,0


etc...
i could use a string for each... but what would be the easiest way for the npc to interact with it and to put a shape there when needed by reading it? (also, i would want it to read 1 whole set of 3 at once)