Generations - 3d Conway's Game of Life Simulator

[Xerol]

I've recently released a new version of Generations: http://xerol.org/generations/

This is a traditional Game of Life simulator that operates in 2
dimensions, but keeps older generations around in 3d 'layers'. It's
far from finished, and isn't very optimized (since a lot of the
program is focused on graphics to begin with). However, it does
provide some interesting views of evolution over time, especially
moving patterns like the glider. It operates on a fixed-size toroidal
grid.

I've still got a lot of work to do on this, but I want to get this out
there sooner rather than later to get feedback and suggestions.
(Please read the "planned features" section on the website before
suggesting something.)

[Kent Paul Dolan]

Xerol wrote:

> I've recently released a new version of
> Generations:

> http://xerol.org/generations/

That's quite cute, and the video is very well done.

> This is a traditional Game of Life simulator that
> operates in 2 dimensions, but keeps older
> generations around in 3d 'layers'. It's far from
> finished, and isn't very optimized (since a lot of
> the program is focused on graphics to begin with).
> However, it does provide some interesting views of
> evolution over time, especially moving patterns
> like the glider. It operates on a fixed-size
> toroidal grid.

> I've still got a lot of work to do on this, but I
> want to get this out there sooner rather than
> later to get feedback and suggestions. (Please
> read the "planned features" section on the website
> before suggesting something.)

You might want to look at Golly, which has been
discussed here, for inspiration on how to expand to
a very much larger grid, as mentioned on your web
page:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/5s3b9a

xanthian.

By the way, it isn't necessarily possible to run
Conway's Game of Life "in reverse" as your web
page foresees you doing. Look up "Garden of Eden
configurations" to see why.

[Jean H]

> By the way, it isn't necessarily possible to run
> Conway's Game of Life "in reverse" as your web
> page foresees you doing. Look up "Garden of Eden
> configurations" to see why.

since the state of each cell is recorded from the beginning, it is easy
to play backward through time!... but only between Tcurrent and Tzero,
not before...

Jean