Wyirm wrote: ↑October 8th, 2022, 12:43 pm
How does one go about compacting guns?
The main difficulty is usually finding the best initial design for the given period. If there isn't a small gun engine at a factor of the period, then the gun will probably be based on the
syringe,
sparked bandersnatch, or
speed tunnel.
If you have a gun design that involves multiple glider reflectors, you can sometimes reduce the bounding box by playing around with the glider track placement. For example, compare these three p59 guns:
Code: Select all
x = 572, y = 117, rule = B3/S23
111b2o$110bobo$104b2o4bo$102bo2bo2b2ob4o$102b2obobobobo2bo$105bobobobo
$105bobob2o$106bo2$119b2o$110b2o7bo$110b2o5bobo$117b2o3$102bo231b2o$
101bo231bobo$101b3o223b2o4bo$325bo2bo2b2ob4o$107b2o7bo208b2obobobobo2b
o$108bo6b2o211bobobobo$105b3o7bobo210bobob2o216b2o$105bo223bo219bobo$
543b2o4bo$342b2o197bo2bo2b2ob4o$333b2o7bo198b2obobobobo2bo$333b2o5bobo
201bobobobo$340b2o202bobob2o$545bo2$88bo469b2o$42b2o42b2o164b2o70bobo
135b2o85b2o7bo$42bobo42b2o163bobo69b2o136bobo84b2o5bobo$44bo4b2o203bo
4b2o64bo138bo4b2o78b2o5b2o$40b4ob2o2bo2bo77b2o118b4ob2o2bo2bo67b2o6b2o
120b4ob2o2bo2bo75b2o$40bo2bobobobob2o77bobo117bo2bobobobob2o23b2o43bo
6bobo119bo2bobobobob2o23b2o50bobo$43bobobobo80bo122bobobobo25bobo40b3o
7bo124bobobobo25bobo50bo$44b2obobo204b2obobo19b2o4bo42bo135b2obobo19b
2o4bo$48bo209bo18bo2bo2b2ob4o178bo18bo2bo2b2ob4o$277b2obobobobo2bo197b
2obobobobo2bo$34b2o112b2o94b2o34bobobobo167b2o34bobobobo49b2o$35bo7b2o
103bo96bo7b2o25bobob2o71b2o96bo7b2o25bobob2o51bo19b2o$35bobo5b2o105bo
94bobo5b2o26bo75bo97bobo5b2o26bo52b3o20bo$36b2o92b2o14b5o95b2o111bo96b
2o76bobo7bo24bo$131bo13bo148b2o43b2o14b5o144b2o28b2o13b2o14b5o$43b3o
26bo58bobo12b3o104b3o38bo15bo29bo13bo108b3o38bo30bo14bo13bo$45bo26bobo
57b2o15bo105bo28b3o5bobo14bo30bobo12b3o107bo28b3o5bobo45bobo12b3o$44bo
27b2o72b4o104bo28bo3bo4b2o15b3o29b2o15bo105bo28bo3bo4b2o47b2o15bo$136b
2o3b2o3bo3b2o130bo5bo57b2o7b4o133bo5bo57b2o7b4o$137b2o2b2o4b3o2bo129bo
5bo58b2ob2o3bo3b2o131bo5bo58b2ob2o3bo3b2o$46b2o88bo12bob2o103b2o24bo5b
o5bo51bo3b2o4b3o2bo104b2o24bo5bo57bo3b2o4b3o2bo$46bo79bo22bo106bo26bo
3bo6b3o39bo21bob2o104bo26bo3bo48bo21bob2o$47b3o7bo66b3o21b2o107b3o7bo
16b3o10bo36b3o21bo108b3o7bo16b3o47b3o21bo$49b3o6b2o63bo135b3o6b2o26b2o
35bo23b2o110b3o6b2o63bo23b2o$52bo4b2o64b2o137bo4b2o13b2o13b3o33b2o137b
o4b2o13b2o49b2o$47b4obo66b2o19b2o115b4obo20bo14b3o28b2o136b4obo20bo45b
2o$47bo2bob2o65bo20bo116bo2bob2o16b3o14b5o27bo19b2o116bo2bob2o16b3o17b
o28bo19b2o$113bo6bo4b2o14b3o136bo15b2o3b2o20bo6bo4b2o12bo140bo19b3o7bo
12bo6bo4b2o12bo$51b3o57b4o12bo15bo117b3o31b3o3b3o17b4o12bo12b3o118b3o
39bo5bo11b4o12bo12b3o$29bo20bo2bo56bob4obo2b2o5bo6b2o103bo20bo2bo32b2o
3b2o17bob4obo2b2o5bo6b2o6bo96bo20bo2bo38b2o5b3o8bob4obo2b2o5bo6b2o6bo$
29b2o19b2o5bobo6b2obo34b2o3b2o7bo7b2o4bo2bo103b2o19b2o5bobo6b2obo17b5o
4b2o6b2o3b2o7bo7b2o4bo2bo103b2o19b2o5bobo6b2obo16b2o16b2o3b2o7bo7b2o4b
o2bo$28bobo26b2o7b2ob3o32b2o4b3obo3bobo11b3o103bobo26b2o7b2ob3o16b3o5b
obo5b2o4b3obo3bobo11b3o103bobo26b2o7b2ob3o13b2o17b2o4b3obo3bobo11b3o$
58bo13bo38b2o2bobo2bo4bo142bo13bo16bo8bo12b2o2bobo2bo4bo142bo13bo14bo
23b2o2bobo2bo4bo$66b2ob3o50b2o8b2obob2o137b2ob3o26b2o22b2o8b2obob2o
137b2ob3o50b2o8b2obob2o$67bobo63bob2obo138bobo63bob2obo138bobo63bob2ob
o$57b2o8bobo63bo133b2o8bobo15bo47bo133b2o8bobo63bo$57b2o9bo63b2o133b2o
9bo15bobob2o42b2o133b2o9bo33b2o28b2o$294bobobobo214b2o5bobob2o$105b2o
184b2obobobobo2bo11b2o198b2o7bobo$106bo2b2o180bo2bo2b2ob4o12bo2b2o203b
obo2b2o$106bobobo182b2o4bo16bobobo202b2obobobo$66bo40bo16b2o150bo22bob
o15bo16b2o150bo24bo15bo16b2o$64b3o47b3o7bo149b3o23b2o22b3o7bo149b3o23b
obob2o18b3o7bo$3b2o58bo45bo4bobo8b3o85b2o58bo45bo4bobo8b3o85b2o58bo26b
obobobo12bo4bobo8b3o$4bo9b2o46bobo43bobo3bo2bo9bo86bo9b2o46bobo43bobo
3bo2bo9bo86bo9b2o46bobo22b2obobobobo2bo8bobo3bo2bo9bo$2bo10bobo29b2o9b
2o5bo45bo5b3o94bo10bobo29b2o9b2o5bo45bo5b3o94bo10bobo29b2o9b2o5bo23bo
2bo2b2ob4o9bo5b3o$2b5o8bo5b2o23bo8b3o48b3o6b3o94b5o8bo5b2o23bo8b3o48b
3o6b3o94b5o8bo5b2o23bo8b3o31b2o4bo10b3o6b3o$7bo13bo24bobo6bo2bo6bo40bo
6bo2bo100bo13bo24bobo6bo2bo6bo40bo6bo2bo100bo13bo24bobo6bo2bo6bo29bobo
8bo6bo2bo$4b3o12bobo25b2o7b3o3bobobo49bo97b3o12bobo25b2o7b3o3bobobo49b
o97b3o12bobo25b2o7b3o3bobobo29b2o18bo$3bo15b2o35b3o3b2o2bo46bo99bo15b
2o35b3o3b2o2bo46bo99bo15b2o35b3o3b2o2bo46bo$3bob2o59b2o145bob2o59b2o
145bob2o59b2o$b2o3bo3b2o199b2o3bo3b2o199b2o3bo3b2o$o2b3o5bo198bo2b3o5b
o198bo2b3o5bo$2obo206b2obo206b2obo$3bo40b2o71b2o94bo40b2o71b2o94bo40b
2o71b2o$3b2o40bo167b2o40bo167b2o40bo$45bobo16bo190bobo16bo190bobo16bo$
46b2o14b3o191b2o14b3o191b2o14b3o$11b2o9b2o37bo53bobo103b2o9b2o37bo53bo
bo103b2o9b2o37bo53bobo$12bo8b2o29b2o7b2o53bo105bo8b2o29b2o7b2o53bo105b
o8b2o29b2o7b2o53bo$9b3o11bo27b3o63bo101b3o11bo27b3o63bo101b3o11bo27b3o
63bo$9bo40b2o7bo53bo9bob2o92bo40b2o7bo53bo9bob2o92bo40b2o7bo53bo9bob2o
$49b2o7b3o52bo9b2obo132b2o7b3o52bo9b2obo132b2o7b3o52bo9b2obo$50b2o8bo
31bo167b2o8bo31bo167b2o8bo31bo$36bo22b3o21b2o5b3o153bo22b3o21b2o5b3o
153bo22b3o21b2o5b3o$36b3o17b2o2b2o22bo4bo24b3o129b3o17b2o2b2o22bo4bo
24b3o129b3o17b2o2b2o22bo4bo24b3o$39bo17bo3bo22bobo3bo7b2o14bo2bo131bo
17bo3bo22bobo3bo7b2o14bo2bo131bo17bo3bo22bobo3bo7b2o14bo2bo$38b2o17bo
27bobo3bo7bo12bo3b2o130b2o17bo27bobo3bo7bo12bo3b2o130b2o17bo27bobo3bo
7bo12bo3b2o$57bo2bo25bo3b2o7bobo10b3o152bo2bo25bo3b2o7bobo10b3o152bo2b
o25bo3b2o7bobo10b3o$44b2o9bo2b2o40b2o11bo7bo132b2o9bo2b2o40b2o11bo7bo
132b2o9bo2b2o40b2o11bo7bo$40b3o11bo3bo61bobo127b3o11bo3bo61bobo127b3o
11bo3bo61bobo$36bob2o2bo4bo7bobo13b4o28b2o6bo9b2o123bob2o2bo4bo7bobo
13b4o28b2o6bo9b2o123bob2o2bo4bo7bobo13b4o28b2o6bo9b2o$35b5o4bo11bo14b
2ob2o11b2o13bo2bo4b6o129b5o4bo11bo14b2ob2o11b2o13bo2bo4b6o129b5o4bo11b
o14b2ob2o11b2o13bo2bo4b6o$35b2ob4o2bo24bo2bo2b2o10bobo13bobo3bo7bo127b
2ob4o2bo24bo2bo2b2o10bobo13bobo3bo7bo127b2ob4o2bo24bo2bo2b2o10bobo13bo
bo3bo7bo$37b2o5b2o3bo19b3o3bo11bo5bo10bo5bo6bo129b2o5b2o3bo19b3o3bo11b
o5bo10bo5bo6bo129b2o5b2o3bo19b3o3bo11bo5bo10bo5bo6bo$39b2ob2o3b2obo17b
o2bo2bo17bo2b2o13bo138b2ob2o3b2obo17bo2bo2bo17bo2b2o13bo138b2ob2o3b2ob
o17bo2bo2bo17bo2b2o13bo$39bobobo6bo17bobo20bo5bo13bobo135bobobo6bo17bo
bo20bo5bo13bobo135bobobo6bo17bobo20bo5bo13bobo$50b2o17b2o23b2ob2o161b
2o17b2o23b2ob2o161b2o17b2o23b2ob2o$40b3o17bo29bo3b4o152b3o17bo29bo3b4o
152b3o17bo29bo3b4o$37bo2b2o17bobo29bo4bo150bo2b2o17bobo29bo4bo150bo2b
2o17bobo29bo4bo$36bobob2o17b2o31b3o151bobob2o17b2o31b3o151bobob2o17b2o
31b3o$36bobobobo25b2o24bo151bobobobo25b2o24bo151bobobobo25b2o24bo$33b
2obobobobo2bo22bo20b2o152b2obobobobo2bo22bo20b2o152b2obobobobo2bo22bo
20b2o$33bo2bo2b2ob4o23bo20bo7b2o143bo2bo2b2ob4o23bo20bo7b2o143bo2bo2b
2ob4o23bo20bo7b2o$35b2o4bo26b2o17b3o9bo10bo134b2o4bo26b2o17b3o9bo10bo
134b2o4bo26b2o17b3o9bo10bo$41bobo43bo8b3o12bo139bobo43bo8b3o12bo139bob
o43bo8b3o12bo$42b2o52bo12b3o140b2o52bo12b3o140b2o52bo12b3o!
The left-most gun is the most basic (and largest) design. The middle gun has an extra corner with a suboptimal placement. The right-most gun has an extra corner with the optimal placement. Notice also that the right-most gun forces an extra catalyst
weld between the H-to-G and a nearby snark. Knowing when two catalysts can be welded is helpful in optimizing guns. I see that your example gun already includes a weld between the speed tunnel and a snark.
As the period increases, the best known gun designs are a bit more tricky and involve
crossing the streams. For example, see the
p997 gun.
When optimizing a gun, you should also consider catalyst variants. For example, consider the following H-to-G conduit using the a standard
BTS catalyst (left) and an optimized BTS variant (right):
Code: Select all
x = 64, y = 38, rule = LifeHistory
20.2A$20.A$21.A37.2A$16.2A2.2A31.A.2A.A.3A$16.A.A34.2A.A.A4.A$2A16.A.
4A16.2A16.A.3A$.A15.2A.A2.A17.A15.2A.A$.A.AB9.7B20.A.AB9.7B$2.2AB.3B
4.4B.2B22.2AB.3B4.4B.2B$4.7B.7B25.7B.7B$4.16B24.16B$5.15B25.15B$4.15B
25.15B$2.17B23.17B$.18B22.18B$.BC15B23.BC15B$.BCBC4B.8B23.BCBC4B.8B$.
B3C4B.8B23.B3C4B.8B$.3BC13B23.3BC13B$.17B23.17B$9.9B31.9B$9.9B.B29.9B
.B$9.10B2A28.10B2A$10.9B2A29.9B2A$8.9B.2B28.9B.2B$8.9B31.9B$8.10B30.
10B$6.2AB.7B29.2AB.7B$5.A.AB.6B29.A.AB.6B$5.A5.4B30.A5.4B$4.2A6.4B28.
2A6.4B$13.4B36.4B$14.4B36.4B$15.4B36.4B$16.4B36.4B$17.3BD36.3BD$18.DB
D37.DBD$19.2D38.2D!
This stator variant reduces the size of the
p61 gun. Another common trick when the period is a multiple of 3 is to replace eaters at the edge of the gun with
33P3.1 or its variants. See the
p67 gun for a stable fishhook variant that can sometimes (although rarely) be used in the same way.
Wyirm wrote: ↑October 8th, 2022, 12:43 pm
As an example, how would this p494 (or 247) be optimized?
There doesn't appear to be enough room to add an extra corner to the glider track. However, an alternate catalyst (highlighted in yellow) can be used in the speed tunnel to reduce the bounding box slightly:
Code: Select all
x = 85, y = 69, rule = LifeHistory
44.2A$43.A.A$37.2A4.A$35.A2.A2.2A.4A$35.2A.A.A.A.A2.A$38.A.ABABAB$38.
A.AB2AB$39.AB.2B$42.3B$42.4B6.2A$40.3B2AB6.A$40.3B2AB3.BA.A$38.10B.B
2A$37.13B$36.14B$35.15B$34.4B2.8B$33.4B5.6B$32.4B4.9B$31.4B5.2A4.4B$
30.4B7.A5.4B$29.4B5.3A7.4B$28.4B6.A10.4B$27.4B19.4B$26.4B21.4B$25.4B
23.4B$24.4B25.4B$9.A13.4B27.4B$9.3A10.4B29.4B$12.A8.4B31.4B$11.2A7.4B
33.4B$11.5B3.4B35.4B$13.3B2.4B37.4B$3.2A7.9B39.4B$3.A8.8B41.4B$2A.A.B
3.10B43.4B$A2.3AB.2B2A7B44.2B2D$.2A2.BA3B2A7B45.2D2B$3.4A12B10.2A.2A
31.BD2B$3.A.2B3.7B.B2A9.A.A33.4B$4.3AB2.7B.BA.A3.2A.A5.A.2A29.4B$7.A
4.4B5.A2.A.A.2A3.2A.A.A9.A19.4B$2.5A5.2BDB5.A.A2.B2.BA.AB2.B2.A8.3A
12.B.3B.4B$2.A10.2B2D3.2A.7AB.B7A11.A10.9B3A6B$4.A9.2D2B9.3B.B.3B14.
2A3.B5.2B2A6BA4BD4B$3.2A10.4B6.3AB.3B.B3A12.8B3.2B2A7BAB3D4B$16.4B4.A
.BA3BA3BAB.A13.8B.13BDBD4B$17.4B3.2A3.BABAB3.2A13.22BD2BA3B$18.4B7.BA
BAB17.15B.2B2.6BA4B.B$19.4B6.2BA2B.B13.17B8.4BA4B2A$20.4B6.B.B.5B3.2B
2.19B11.7B2A$21.4B2.22BD15B12.2BA4B$22.27BDBD4B.7B13.BABA3B$23.15B2A
9B3D13B12.BABAB$24.14B2A11BD14B10.2BAB$25.40B12.BA2B$26.9B2.B2.3B.4B
6.11B12.BA2BA$27.9B8.3B6.4B2.5B15.2A$20.2E5.9B6.4B6.4B3.6B$20.E.E4.9B
6.2A7.4B3.7B.2B$22.E4.2B2A3B.B2A5.A6.4B4.B2A6B2A$22.3E.2BA2BA2B.BA.A.
3A6.4B4.BA2BA3B.B2A$20.2E2.BE3BABAB5.A.A7.4B5.BA2BAB4.B$19.E2.4E4BA4B
3.2A7.4B8.2AB$19.2E.E.4B5.2A11.4B10.2B$22.E.2E7.A11.4B$22.E.E9.3A7.A
3B$21.2E.E.E9.A6.A3B$25.2E15.B3A!