Conway's Game of Life is a 'cellular automaton' invented by mathematician John Horton Conway in 1970. The game is a zero-player game, meaning that its evolution is determined by its initial state, requiring no further input. It's a classic example of emergent behavior; complex patterns emerge from the simple rules applied to the grid.
The game is played on an infinite two-dimensional orthogonal grid of square cells, each of which is in one of two possible states: alive or dead. Every cell interacts with its eight neighbors, which are the cells that are horizontally, vertically, or diagonally adjacent.
The rules of the game are simple and can be summarized as follows:
- Birth: A dead cell with exactly three live neighbors becomes a live cell (reproduction).
- Death by Isolation: A live cell with fewer than two live neighbors dies (underpopulation).
- Survival: A live cell with two or three live neighbors lives on to the next generation.
- Death by Overcrowding: A live cell with more than three live neighbors dies (overpopulation).
The simulator provides a variety of features that allow users to interact with the Game of Life in real-time:
- Play/Pause: Start or pause the simulation at any time to observe the patterns.
- Step by Step: Move through the generations one step at a time for a detailed examination of the cell evolution.
- Speed Control: Increase or decrease the animation speed to view the evolution at your own pace.
Users can also choose from a set of pre-defined shapes to place on the grid, which includes:
- Oscillators: Shapes that return to their initial state after a certain number of generations.
- Still Lifes: Shapes that do not change from one generation to the next.
- Gliders: Shapes that travel across the board over time.
For those who want to save or share their Game of Life configurations, the simulator allows you to download the current state of the board as a text file.
Here are some additional resources and links related to the Game of Life:
Enjoy exploring the complexities of Conway's Game of Life through this interactive simulator!