The Fittest
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:43 am
Long story short:
Here's a prototype for you all to check out! It's from long ago, and I should have just released it way back when. "The Fittest," an evolution toy.
Short story long:
As I was hunting through my old folders to write this blog post, I came across my old evolution simulator. And I was amazed at how 'finished' it was. I didn't release it at the time because I was trying to figure out a way to make it into a game, rather than just a simulation that you watch. But that didn't come together. I should have learned from that and just released the damn thing as a sim; but hey, live and learn. After a while I forgot how done it really was.
Since I've been so tied up in Bond Breaker, I thought I'd reward all you cool forum goers by giving it to you to play. It's an interesting little toy, where you watch stick-creatures trying to learn how to move. Each generation, the creature that goes the furthest is cloned (but with mutations). Over time, they get faster and faster. You can experiment with different starting bodies, different terrains, and different challenges. Fight other creatures in a reverse game of tug-of-war (a game of push-of-war, perhaps?) Try to evolve a creature that can cross the dastardly pits. Grab the creature's dna and share it with others.
Play around, let me know your reactions.
Some notes on things that are definitely not clear:
-The mutation button increases the severity of the next set of mutations when you click it. The effect isn't permanent, it goes away the next generation.
-New limbs can appear through mutations. And if they shrink too small, limbs can disappear, too.
-What can change: limb length, limb #, limb positions, starting angles, and angular speed
I'm probably not going to work too much more on this little project, but I thought it was a shame to keep it hidden in the depths of my computer!
Here's a prototype for you all to check out! It's from long ago, and I should have just released it way back when. "The Fittest," an evolution toy.
Short story long:
As I was hunting through my old folders to write this blog post, I came across my old evolution simulator. And I was amazed at how 'finished' it was. I didn't release it at the time because I was trying to figure out a way to make it into a game, rather than just a simulation that you watch. But that didn't come together. I should have learned from that and just released the damn thing as a sim; but hey, live and learn. After a while I forgot how done it really was.
Since I've been so tied up in Bond Breaker, I thought I'd reward all you cool forum goers by giving it to you to play. It's an interesting little toy, where you watch stick-creatures trying to learn how to move. Each generation, the creature that goes the furthest is cloned (but with mutations). Over time, they get faster and faster. You can experiment with different starting bodies, different terrains, and different challenges. Fight other creatures in a reverse game of tug-of-war (a game of push-of-war, perhaps?) Try to evolve a creature that can cross the dastardly pits. Grab the creature's dna and share it with others.
Play around, let me know your reactions.
Some notes on things that are definitely not clear:
-The mutation button increases the severity of the next set of mutations when you click it. The effect isn't permanent, it goes away the next generation.
-New limbs can appear through mutations. And if they shrink too small, limbs can disappear, too.
-What can change: limb length, limb #, limb positions, starting angles, and angular speed
I'm probably not going to work too much more on this little project, but I thought it was a shame to keep it hidden in the depths of my computer!