Spaceship Eaters

[Axaj]

Post any spaceship eaters you have constructed here.

Almost Swan eater

Code: Select all

x = 29, y = 25, rule = B3/S23
9bo$9b3o$12bo$11b2o9bo$20b3o$19bo$19b2o2$o$3o$3bo21b2o$2b2o17b2o2b2o$
21b2o$6bo10b2o$5b5o6b2o$5bo2b2o8bo7b2o$7b2obo5b2o6b3obo$16b2o3bob2o$
10bobo6b2o$15b3obo4bo$12b3o3bo4bo$13bo7bo$13bo6bo2$16bo!


I'm still working on it, updates will come soon.

[calcyman]

Here are 10 glider eaters that I have made: (These are not in Dean's collection!)

Code: Select all

x = 77, y = 74, rule = B3/S23
22bo34bo$15bo4b3o27bo4b3o$16bobbo31bobbo$7bobo4b3obobo6boo20b3obobo6b
oo$7boobo8bo7bo26bo7bo$10b3o15bo34bo$7boo4bo13boo33boo$7bob5o3boo6bo
26boo6bo$9bo7boobbooboboobo13boo7boobbooboboobo$8bo3boo7booboboboo14bo
bboo7booboboboo$7bo3bobo10bo19bobobo10bo$7boo3bo3boo3boobo18boobbo3boo
3boobo$15bobo4bobobo14bobbo5bobo4bobobo$15bobobobbobboo14boo7bobobobbo
bboo$14boobob4o26boobob4o$12bo5bo28bo5bo$12b5obobboo24b5obobboo$17bo3b
oo29bo3boo$12boobo31boobo$12booboo30booboo9$10bo18bo18bo18bo$11boboob
oo12bobooboo12bobooboo12bobooboo$9b3obboboo10b3obboboo10b3obboboo10b3o
bboboo$14bo18bo18bo18bo$3boo7bobo7boo7bobo16bobo16bobo$bbobbo6boo7bobb
o6boo9boo6boo9boo6boo$bobobbo13bobobbo16bobo16bobo$obboobo12bobboobo
18bo18bo$boo3b3o3boo6boo3b3o3boo11b3o3boo11b3o3boo$3b3o3bobboo8b3o3bo
bboo9boo3bobboo9boo3bobboo$3bobb4o12bobb4o12bobb4o12bobb4o$4boo17boo
16b3o16b3o$b3obb4o10b3obb4o15b4o15b4o$bobboo3bo3boo5bobboo3bo10b5o3bo
3boo5b5o3bo$bboobboobobobbo6boobbooboboboo5bo4boobobobbo5bo4booboboboo
$4bobbobob3o9bobboboboobo8bobbobob3o9bobboboboobo$4boobbo14boo4bo12boo
bbo14boo4bo$9b3o13b3obo17b3o13b3obo$11bo13bobbo20bo13bobbo$26boo36boo
4$14boo17boo17boo17boo$14bobo16bobo16bobo16bobo$10bo5bo12bo5bo12bo5bo
12bo5bo$11bo4boboo10bo4boboo10bo4boboo10bo4boboo$9b3oboobobo9b3oboobob
o9b3oboobobo9b3oboobobo$14bobobo14bobobo14bobobo14bobobo$14bobbo15bobb
o15bobbo15bobbo$3boo7bobo7boo7bobo16bobo16bobo$bbobbo6boo7bobbo6boo9b
oo6boo9boo6boo$bobobbo13bobobbo16bobo16bobo$obboobo12bobboobo18bo18bo$
boo3b3o3boo6boo3b3o3boo11b3o3boo11b3o3boo$3b3o3bobboo8b3o3bobboo9boo3b
obboo9boo3bobboo$3bobb4o12bobb4o12bobb4o12bobb4o$4boo17boo16b3o16b3o$b
3obb4o10b3obb4o15b4o15b4o$bobboo3bo3boo5bobboo3bo10b5o3bo3boo5b5o3bo$
bboobboobobobbo6boobbooboboboo5bo4boobobobbo5bo4booboboboo$4bobbobob3o
9bobboboboobo8bobbobob3o9bobboboboobo$4boobbo14boo4bo12boobbo14boo4bo$
9b3o13b3obo17b3o13b3obo$11bo13bobbo20bo13bobbo$26boo36boo!

They have very long stabilisation times.


I've made a weekender eater, which uses an interesting block perturbation.

Code: Select all

x = 51, y = 38, rule = B3/S23
44boo$44bo$41boobo$36boobboboboboo$36bo3bobobobbo$37b3obobobobboo$39bo
boboboobobo$39bobobo4bobo$40boob4obbo$47boo$45boo$9boo35bo$4boo3b3o34b
obo$9boo36boo$4b3o35boo$oobboo36bobo$3oboo38bo$bboboo38boo$bbo3bo27boo
$bbo3bo27boo$bboboo38boo$3oboo38bo$oobboo36bobo$4b3o35boo$9boo36boo$4b
oo3b3o34bobo$9boo35bo$45boo$47boo$40boob4obbo$39bobobo4bobo$39bobobob
oobobo$37b3obobobobboo$36bo3bobobobbo$36boobboboboboo$41boobo$44bo$44b
oo!

The massive eaters cannot be replaced with smaller ones -- the spark would interfere.


An eater for the 2c/5 ship:

Code: Select all

x = 50, y = 35, rule = B3/S23
34bo$33bobo$34bo$$32b5o$32bo4bo$35bobbo$35boobobbo$32bo5bobobo$31bobo
4bobbo$31bobbobboo$32boo$4b3o$b3obbo$bb5o$bboo$9boo$8bobo$3bo3boobo37b
oo$obo6bo38bo$ob7o37bobo$46boo$ob7o$obo6bo$3bo3boobo$8bobo$9boo$bboo$
bb5o$b3obbo$4b3o$37boo$37bobo$39bo$39boo!

Converters are also quite useful. I completed a glider => Cordership converter a short while ago; you can read a commentary on Dave Greene's blog:

http://b3s23life.blogspot.com/2009/02/first-complete-glider-to-cordership.html


Less well-known is the reverse reaction, which transforms a Cordership back into a glider. I have built one that accepts Corderships with a 487-tick spacing:

Code: Select all

x = 215, y = 156, rule = S23/B3
37boo$33bobobbo$31b3oboo$30bo$31b3oboo$33boboo$56boo$55bobo$56bo6$64b
oo60boo$63bobo39bo20boo$64bo40b3o$108bo$107boo4$72boo60boo$71bobo60boo
$13bo58bo$13b3o$16bo$15boo26bo$42bobo$42boo$80boo$79bobo15bo$80bo16b3o
$6bo93bo$6b3o90boo$9bo41bo$8boo40bobo$30boo18boo$30boo56boo$87bobo$88b
o3$59bo$18boo38bobo$18boo38boo$4boo135bo$4boo135bo$oo139bo$oo142boo$
144boo12boo$67bo71bo3b3o11boo$66bobo71b3o15bo$66boo73bo15b3o$22boo116b
oo15b3o$21bobbo115b3o16bo$21bobo118bo14bobbo$22bo117bo16b3o5boo$142bo
15bo6boo$60bo79b3o$58b3o5bo5boo$35boo20bo6b3o5boo$36bo20boo4bo$36bobo
24boo$37boo$156boo$46boo107bobboo13b3o$46boo6boo99b5o16bo$54boo24boo
73b4o9boobbo3bo$70boo8boo65b4o9boo8boboobbo$58boo10boo61b3o10bo5boo4bo
bbo$57bobo86bo4bo10bo10boo$58bo78boo7boob4obo5boo$45boo92bo11bo3bo3boo
$45bo87b4obo16boboo$46b3o84b5o18boo$48bo9boo51bo49bo$59bo17bo6boo25bo
49bo$56b3o17bobo5boo25bo21bobo$56bo20bo36boo17bobo$114boo12boo4bo$109b
o3b3o11boo4bobo$110b3o15bo5boo$18boo73boo16bo15b3o4bo$18boo73boo15boo
15b3o$110b3o16bo$112bo14bobbo$71boo37bo16b3o$72bo39bo15bo52bo$69b3o38b
3o67bobo$35boo32bo109bo3bo$35bo144bobo$33bobo145bo14b3o$33boo160bo3bo$
181b4o10b3obbo$90boo33bobo52bo4bo9bo3bo$90bo34bobbo53bo13b3o$91b3o31bo
bbo50bo3bobbo9boo7boo$93bo31bo3bo49bob3obo19boo$115boo9bobo51b3obo$
115boo10bo$$37boo159bo$37bobo155b5o$39bo154bo$39boo169bo$10boo17boo49b
oo4boo107bo3bo9boboo$10bo18boo49boo4boo35boo71b3o12b3o$11b3o109boo77b
oo4b3o3bo$13bo171boo14bobbo4b5o$185boo3bo9bo5bo5bo$19boo60boo91bo14boo
8bobboo$19boo60boobboo86b3o13bo4bo3booboob3o$85bobo84booboo16boo3bobbo
$87bo85b3o17bobobboboo$35boo50boo85bo18boo4boo$36bo137bobo14bobo$33b3o
138b4o13b3o$33bo117bo25bo14bo$29boo119bobo$29bo119bo3bo19booboo$27bobo
49boo69bobo19bo5bo$27boo44boo4bo71bo14b3o4bo3bo$12bo60bobo4b3o82bo3bo
4bo$12b3o37boo21bo6bo68b4o10b3obbo$15bo35bobo21boo73bo4bo9bo3bo$14boo
35bo100bo13b3o$50boo97bo3bobbo9boo$149bob3obo$150b3obo$46boo$46bo$44bo
bo18boo101bo$44boo10boo7boo98b5o$57bo106bo$57bobo$52boo4boo105bo3bo$7b
oo44bo20boo90b3o$7boo44bobo18bo$54boo16bobo80boo$72boo81boo$$12boo$12b
oo$8boo$8boo$$163boo$14boo27boo118boo$14boo14boo11boo$31bo$28b3o35boo$
28bo37boobboo$70bobo$72bo$72boo!

And, because I can't find anywhere else to post this, a conduit to transform a Herschel into an eater:

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......*................
.....*.*...............
.....*.*...............
......*................
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*..................**..
*.*................*.*.
***..................*.
..*..................**
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........**.............
.......*.*.............
.......*...............
......**...............

[Axaj]

56p6h1v0 to 2 B-heptos and a block.

Code: Select all

x = 34, y = 22, rule = B3/S23
2o30b2o$bo30bo$bobo26bobo$2b2o26b2o7$9b3o10b3o$4b3obo7b2o7bob3o$8bo3bo
2bo2bo2bo3bo$8bo5bo4bo5bo$14b2o2b2o$11bo3bo2bo3bo$11bobo6bobo$12b10o$
14bo4bo$12bo8bo$11bo10bo$12bo8bo!


Spider + Block shifts block and makes J-heptoplet:

Code: Select all

x = 31, y = 15, rule = B3/S23
25b2o$25b2o7$6bo3b3o5b3o3bo$3b2ob5ob2o3b2ob5ob2o$bob2obo5bobobobo5bob
2obo$o3bobo3b5ob5o3bobo3bo$4b3o5b2o3b2o5b3o$bo2bob3o13b3obo2bo$3bo23bo
!


[Extrementhusiast]

Better swan eater?

Code: Select all

x = 29, y = 23, rule = B3/S23
5b2o$6bo$6bobo$7b2o3$o$3o21b2o$3bo20b2o$2b2o2$6bo10b2o$5b5o6b2o$5bo2b
2o8bo7b2o$7b2obo5b2o6b3obo$16b2o3bob2o$10bobo6b2o$15b3obo4bo$12b3o3bo
4bo$13bo7bo$13bo6bo2$16bo!


[knightlife]

Swan eater:

Code: Select all

x = 30, y = 21, rule = B3/S23
14bo$13bobo$13bobo$o10b3ob2o$3o7bo$3bo7b3ob2o$2b2o9bob2o$27b2o$27b2o$
7bo10b2o$6b5o6b2o$6bo2b2o8bo7b2o$8b2obo5b2o6b3obo$17b2o3bob2o$11bobo6b
2o$16b3obo4bo$13b3o3bo4bo$14bo7bo$14bo6bo2$17bo!


EDIT:
The eater is clean enough to stop boat stretching without interference:

Code: Select all

x = 41, y = 35, rule = B3/S23
14bo$13bobo$13bobo$o10b3ob2o$3o7bo$3bo7b3ob2o$2b2o9bob2o$27b2o$27b2o
12$29b2o$17b3o9bobo$17bo2b3o6bo9bo$18bobo16b2obo$23bo4b2o2bo3b2o2bo$
21bo6b2o2bob2o2bo$23bob2obo3b5o$32b2o$24bo2b6o$25b7o$27b3o2$30bo$29bob
o$30b2o!


[calcyman]

Of course, an eater1 in a slightly different location can replace the eater2, reducing the bounding box, population count and construction difficulty:

Code: Select all

x = 41, y = 32, rule = B3/S23
o$3o9boo$3bo9bo$bboo9bobo$14boo11boo$27boo12$29boo$17b3o9bobo$17bobb3o
6bo9bo$18bobo16boobo$23bo4boobbo3boobbo$21bo6boobboboobbo$23boboobo3b
5o$32boo$24bobb6o$25b7o$27b3o$$30bo$29bobo$30boo!

[knightlife]

A smaller and faster eater for the 2c/5 spaceship:

Code: Select all

x = 40, y = 33, rule = B3/S23
35bo$34bobo$34bobo$33b2ob3o$39bo$33b2ob3o$33b2obo$4b3o$b3o2bo$2b5o$2b
2o$9b2o$8bobo$3bo3b2obo$obo6bo$ob7o2$ob7o$obo6bo$3bo3b2obo$8bobo$9b2o$
2b2o$2b5o$b3o2bo$4b3o$33b2obo$33b2ob3o$39bo$33b2ob3o$34bobo$34bobo$35b
o!


It can handle a p52 stream in a unique way (by eating pairs of spaceships as well as singles), or p53 and higher in the normal way.

[knightlife]

A simpler weekender eater:

Code: Select all

x = 43, y = 18, rule = B3/S23
7bo$5b2obo$4bo4bo$4b2o2bo$2bobob2o31b2o$o2bo35bobo$o40bo$obo38b2o$b2ob
2o$b2ob2o$obo38b2o$o40bo$o2bo35bobo$2bobob2o31b2o$4b2o2bo$4bo4bo$5b2ob
o$7bo!


[knightlife]

Canada goose eater:

Code: Select all

x = 24, y = 24, rule = B3/S23
o$3o$3bo$2b2o11b2o$15b2o8$11b3o$11bo9b2o$12bo6b3obo$14b2o2b2o$15bo$19b
o$15b2o3bo$14bobob2o$14bobo2bob2o$13bo4b2o$13b2o$13b2o!


That was easy compared to finding one for 114p6h1v0 (impossible?)

A glider blasts through leaving only still life patterns behind:

Code: Select all

x = 18, y = 39, rule = B3/S23
o$b2o$2o2$8b2o$6bo4bo$5bo6bo$4bo8bo$4b2ob4ob2o3$6b2o2b2o$6b2o2b2o2$8b
2o$7b4o$6b2o2b2o$6bo4bo$8b2o$6bo4bo$6bo4bo$bo14bo$obo4bo2bo4bobo$3bo3b
4o3bo$o16bo$2b2o10b2o$b3o10b3o$6bo4bo$4b2obo2bob2o$4b2o2b2o2b2o$4b2o6b
2o$5b2ob2ob2o$5b2ob2ob2o3$3b3o6b3o$2bo3bo4bo3bo$5bo6bo$2b2o10b2o!


[dvgrn]

That was easy compared to finding one for 114p6h1v0 (impossible?)

Not impossible, certainly... at least with a liberal definition of "eater". For example, you could hook up the two Herschel outputs in the following pattern to the seven asynchronous LWSS and glider inputs, and you'd have a stable 114p6h1v0-eating pattern:

Code: Select all

#C unfinished sample eater for 114p6h1v0
x = 154, y = 130, rule = B3/S23
73bobo$76bo$76bo$73bo2bo$74b3o4$78bobo$77bo$77bo$77bo2bo$77b3o7$78bobo
$77bo$77bo$77bo2bo$77b3o20$67b2o16b2o$68bo16bo$68bobo12bobo$69b2o5b2o
5b2o$76b2o3$72b2o6b2o$72b2o6b2o2$64bo24bo$64b3o20b3o$67bo18bo$35bo30b
2o18b2o30bo$35b3o78b3o$38bo76bo$37b2o76b2o$50bo52bo$48b3o52b3o$47bo58b
o$47b2o56b2o3$21bo11b2o26bo30bo26b2o11bo$19b3o11b2o24b3o12b2o2b2o12b3o
24b2o11b3o$18bo39bo15b2o2b2o15bo39bo$18b2o38b2o34b2o38b2o7$28b2o94b2o$
28b2o26b2o13b2o8b2o13b2o26b2o$bo54b2o13b2o8b2o13b2o54bo$obo148bobo$obo
148bobo$bo150bo2$31b2o88b2o$32bo88bo$31bo90bo$31b2o29b3o24b3o29b2o$64b
o24bo$63bo26bo$53b3o42b3o$55bo42bo$54bo44bo4$76b2o$74bo4bo$73bo6bo$72b
o8bo$72b2ob4ob2o3$74b2o2b2o$74b2o2b2o2$76b2o$75b4o$74b2o2b2o$74bo4bo$
76b2o$74bo4bo$74bo4bo$69bo14bo$68bobo4bo2bo4bobo$71bo3b4o3bo$68bo16bo$
70b2o10b2o$69b3o10b3o$74bo4bo$72b2obo2bob2o$72b2o2b2o2b2o$72b2o6b2o$
73b2ob2ob2o$73b2ob2ob2o3$71b3o6b3o$70bo3bo4bo3bo$73bo6bo$70b2o10b2o!

This would probably be more of a converter than an eater, I suppose, since you could get any number of signals out of the thing during the cleanup stage. The pattern would take thousands of ticks to recover, but I'm not in any particular hurry -- at least until someone shows me a 114p6h1v0-gun. We still seem to be a long way from finding a construction recipe for anything that big.

Should really fire up gencols or ptbsearch to look for better base reactions in cases like this, I suppose -- but it's too much fun drawing in various catalysts by hand and then, usually, watching everything blow up.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was possible to place, say, a sacrificial block or beehive in the path of the spaceship, and add various catalysts to get a fairly clean glider or Herschel out of the resulting mess, and route that signal around to rebuild the "bait" still life and maybe shoot down one or two leftover pieces of junk. Here's a sample where you'd have to rebuild a beehive and clean up three other objects:

Code: Select all

#C 114p6h1v0 + beehive -> 2 R-pentominoes, 2 beehives and a boat
x = 20, y = 41, rule = B3/S23
14bo$13bobo$13bobo$14bo3$2o8b2o$2o6bo4bo$7bo6bo$6bo8bo$6b2ob4ob2o3$8b
2o2b2o$8b2o2b2o2$10b2o$9b4o$8b2o2b2o$8bo4bo$10b2o$8bo4bo$8bo4bo$3bo14b
o$2bobo4bo2bo4bobo$5bo3b4o3bo$2bo16bo$4b2o10b2o$3b3o10b3o$8bo4bo$6b2ob
o2bob2o$6b2o2b2o2b2o$6b2o6b2o$7b2ob2ob2o$7b2ob2ob2o3$5b3o6b3o$4bo3bo4b
o3bo$7bo6bo$4b2o10b2o!


Still might not be worth finishing a construction along these lines, but it'd be a big improvement over the LWSS cleanups in the blueprint above.

[knightlife]

Not impossible, certainly... at least with a liberal definition of "eater".

I had a feeling a positive result would show up, that's why I added the question mark. I know it inspires me when I am told something is impossible or can't be done.

If the definition is "eater = eat it in n tics or less" then eating a 114p6h1v0 is truly impossible for sufficiently small n. My idea of n in this case was around 100 or even 200, but I didn't specify. I like your solution.

My next question is:
How few blocks does it take to create a "one-time eater" or vanish reaction for the 114p6h1v0?

4?

Code: Select all

x = 25, y = 85, rule = B3/S23
13b2o$13b2o19$23b2o$23b2o$5b2o$5b2o5$2o$2o21$13b2o$11bo4bo$10bo6bo$9bo
8bo$9b2ob4ob2o3$11b2o2b2o$11b2o2b2o2$13b2o$12b4o$11b2o2b2o$11bo4bo$13b
2o$11bo4bo$11bo4bo$6bo14bo$5bobo4bo2bo4bobo$8bo3b4o3bo$5bo16bo$7b2o10b
2o$6b3o10b3o$11bo4bo$9b2obo2bob2o$9b2o2b2o2b2o$9b2o6b2o$10b2ob2ob2o$
10b2ob2ob2o3$8b3o6b3o$7bo3bo4bo3bo$10bo6bo$7b2o10b2o!


no...3?

Code: Select all

x = 24, y = 45, rule = B3/S23
9b2o$9b2o9$11b2o$9bo4bo$8bo6bo$7bo8bo$7b2ob4ob2o3$9b2o2b2o$9b2o2b2o2$
11b2o$10b4o$9b2o2b2o$2o7bo4bo7b2o$2o9b2o9b2o$9bo4bo$9bo4bo$4bo14bo$3bo
bo4bo2bo4bobo$6bo3b4o3bo$3bo16bo$5b2o10b2o$4b3o10b3o$9bo4bo$7b2obo2bob
2o$7b2o2b2o2b2o$7b2o6b2o$8b2ob2ob2o$8b2ob2ob2o3$6b3o6b3o$5bo3bo4bo3bo$
8bo6bo$5b2o10b2o!


[knightlife]

I wouldn't be surprised if it was possible to place, say, a sacrificial block or beehive in the path of the spaceship, and add various catalysts to get a fairly clean glider or Herschel out of the resulting mess, and route that signal around to rebuild the "bait" still life and maybe shoot down one or two leftover pieces of junk

This sacrificial loaf does a very good job even without catalysts...

Code: Select all

x = 18, y = 46, rule = B3/S23
8bo$7bobo$7bo2bo$8b2o8$8b2o$6bo4bo$5bo6bo$4bo8bo$4b2ob4ob2o3$6b2o2b2o$
6b2o2b2o2$8b2o$7b4o$6b2o2b2o$6bo4bo$8b2o$6bo4bo$6bo4bo$bo14bo$obo4bo2b
o4bobo$3bo3b4o3bo$o16bo$2b2o10b2o$b3o10b3o$6bo4bo$4b2obo2bob2o$4b2o2b
2o2b2o$4b2o6b2o$5b2ob2ob2o$5b2ob2ob2o3$3b3o6b3o$2bo3bo4bo3bo$5bo6bo$2b
2o10b2o!


[David]

30P5H2V0 eater.

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 25, rule = B3/S23
8bo$7bobo$8bo2$6b5o$5bo4bo$4bo2bo$bo2bob2o$obobo5bo$bo2bo4bobo$4b2o2bo
2bo$9b2o3b2ob2o$13bo$12b2ob2o$b2o10bo3bo$2bo13bo$2bobo7bo$3b2o5bo$9b2o
b3o$8b2o$9b2obo$3b2o5bo$2bobo7b3o$2bo10b2o$b2o!


[David]

I made wickender with tagalong eater, but not complete.

Code: Select all

x = 51, y = 88, rule = B3/S23
4bo41bo$3bobo39bobo$3bobo39bobo$b3ob2o37b2ob3o$o49bo$b3ob2o37b2ob3o$3b
ob2o37b2obo10$2b2o43b2o$bobo43bobo$bo47bo$2o47b2o9$8bo12bo7bo12bo$8bo
12bo7bo12bo$7bobo10bobo5bobo10bobo$8bo12bo7bo12bo$8bo12bo7bo12bo$9bo3b
4o3bo9bo3b4o3bo$13b4o8bo8b4o$9b4o4b4o2b5o2b4o4b4o$22bobobobo$11bo6bo
13bo6bo$12b2o2b2o6bobo6b2o2b2o$21bo2bobo2bo$21bo2bobo2bo$21bobo3bobo3$
21b2o5b2o$21b2o5b2o2$23b2ob2o$22bobobobo$22bobobobo$24bobo$22b2o3b2o
13$8bo12bo7bo12bo$8bo12bo7bo12bo$7bobo10bobo5bobo10bobo$8bo12bo7bo12bo
$8bo12bo7bo12bo$9bo3b4o3bo9bo3b4o3bo$13b4o8bo8b4o$9b4o4b4o2b5o2b4o4b4o
$22bobobobo$11bo6bo13bo6bo$12b2o2b2o6bobo6b2o2b2o$21bo2bobo2bo$21bo2bo
bo2bo$21bobo3bobo3$21b2o5b2o$21b2o5b2o2$23b2ob2o$22bobobobo$22bobobobo
$24bobo$22b2o3b2o!


[Axaj]

I made wickender with tagalong eater, but not complete.

Code: Select all

x = 51, y = 88, rule = B3/S23
4bo41bo$3bobo39bobo$3bobo39bobo$b3ob2o37b2ob3o$o49bo$b3ob2o37b2ob3o$3b
ob2o37b2obo10$2b2o43b2o$bobo43bobo$bo47bo$2o47b2o9$8bo12bo7bo12bo$8bo
12bo7bo12bo$7bobo10bobo5bobo10bobo$8bo12bo7bo12bo$8bo12bo7bo12bo$9bo3b
4o3bo9bo3b4o3bo$13b4o8bo8b4o$9b4o4b4o2b5o2b4o4b4o$22bobobobo$11bo6bo
13bo6bo$12b2o2b2o6bobo6b2o2b2o$21bo2bobo2bo$21bo2bobo2bo$21bobo3bobo3$
21b2o5b2o$21b2o5b2o2$23b2ob2o$22bobobobo$22bobobobo$24bobo$22b2o3b2o
13$8bo12bo7bo12bo$8bo12bo7bo12bo$7bobo10bobo5bobo10bobo$8bo12bo7bo12bo
$8bo12bo7bo12bo$9bo3b4o3bo9bo3b4o3bo$13b4o8bo8b4o$9b4o4b4o2b5o2b4o4b4o
$22bobobobo$11bo6bo13bo6bo$12b2o2b2o6bobo6b2o2b2o$21bo2bobo2bo$21bo2bo
bo2bo$21bobo3bobo3$21b2o5b2o$21b2o5b2o2$23b2ob2o$22bobobobo$22bobobobo
$24bobo$22b2o3b2o!


I'd call that a complete eater; if the second ship is also eaten, it's just two stage. In fact, a eater like this (but for a simpler ship, like a glider or *WSS) would be a great flip flop.

[calcyman]

In fact, a eater like this (but for a simpler ship, like a glider or *WSS) would be a great flip flop.

There is an eater like this for the glider, which fits within a 4 * 2 bounding box. I leave it as an exercise to the reader to find it.


And it has been used as a flip flop in a binary counter, and in Dean Hickerson's Fibonacci pulse dividers.

[Axaj]

In fact, a eater like this (but for a simpler ship, like a glider or *WSS) would be a great flip flop.

There is an eater like this for the glider, which fits within a 4 * 2 bounding box. I leave it as an exercise to the reader to find it.


And it has been used as a flip flop in a binary counter, and in Dean Hickerson's Fibonacci pulse dividers.

You mean the snake? That produces its ship rather close to the snake; I was thinking something larger that makes something easier to utilize.

[calcyman]

I was thinking something larger that makes something easier to utilize.

Here's one I prepared earlier:

Code: Select all

x = 108, y = 101, rule = B3/S23
o$boo$oo64$66bo$67boo$66boo$77boo$77boo8$104bo$103bobo$103bobo$84boo
16booboo$65boo17boo$65boo35booboo$102boobo$107bo$106boo$$70boo$71bo26b
oo$68b3o27boo4boo$68bo6boo27bobo$74bobo29bo$74bo31boo$73boo23boo$98boo
3$93bo$92bobo$93bo!

[dvgrn]

I was thinking something larger that makes something easier to utilize.

Boat-bits caught by snakes are surprisingly easy to make use of -- there have been at least half a dozen different mechanisms built into various patterns. Calcyman mentioned a couple, but there are other Herschel pulse dividers, and a "self-constructing" Herschel conduit, a way to catch a glider and turn it into a pi-heptomino and then a clean Herschel with another couple of following gliders, and some other non-Herschel-related reactions that can successfully test for the presence of a boat-bit.

This next part will be old hat to some people, and I may be wandering away from "something larger" into "something way too large", but here goes anyway: back in October 1996, Paul Callahan came up with a stable flip-flop circuit that produced a Herschel or glider output for every two glider inputs. Here are a couple of variants:

Code: Select all

#C asynchronous toggle memory:  Paul Callahan, 17 October 1996
x = 299, y = 323, rule = B3/S23
o$b2o$2o8$10bo$11b2o$10b2o83$o$b2o$2o8$10bo$11b2o$10b2o37$297bo$296bob
o$297bo12$296b2o$290b2o4b2o$290b2o4$291b2o$291b2o2b2o$282b2o11bobo$
282bobo12bo$284bo12b2o$284b2o6$283b2o$283bobo$285bo$285b2o5$183bo$184b
2o$183b2o90b2o$275b2o2$266b2obo$266bob2o$284b2o$284bo$282bobo$193bo88b
2o$194b2o$193b2o72bo$204b2o61b3o$204b2o52bo11bo$239b2o17b3o8b2o14bo$
240bo20bo22bobo$239bo20b2o23bo$239b2o$230b2o$230bobo$203b2o26bo$203b2o
2$242b2o36b2o$211b2o29b2o36bobo$211b2o69bo$273b2o7b2o$273bo$274b3o$
276bo2$251b2o$198b2o50bobo$198b2o50bo$202b2o45b2o$201bobo$201bo$200b2o
$213b2o$213b2o3$215b2o$215b2o15$272b2o$272b2o9$287b2o$287b2o10$267b2o$
268bo$265b3o$265bo4$283b2o$283bobo$285bo$285b2o5$183bo$184b2o$183b2o
90b2o$275b2o2$266b2obo$266bob2o$284b2o$284bo$282bobo$193bo88b2o$194b2o
$193b2o72bo$204b2o61b3o$204b2o52bo11bo$239b2o17b3o8b2o14bo$240bo20bo
22bobo$239bo20b2o23bo$239b2o$230b2o$230bobo$203b2o26bo$203b2o2$242b2o
36b2o$211b2o29b2o36bobo$211b2o69bo$273b2o7b2o$273bo$274b3o$276bo2$251b
2o$198b2o50bobo$198b2o50bo$202b2o45b2o$201bobo$201bo$200b2o$213b2o$
213b2o3$215b2o$215b2o!


It's big and slow, but Spartan (easily glider-constructible). There's a third version that uses an Fx77 conduit instead of the Fx119, but it's even slower to recover.

Nowadays there are slightly faster Herschel-based flip-flops, such as

Code: Select all

#C Herschel period doubler by Paul Callahan, 2 October 1997,
#C attached to a Stephen Silver reflector -- recovery in 497 ticks.
x = 263, y = 210, rule = B3/S23
bo$2bo$3o117$174bo$174b3o$177bo23b2o$176b2o23bo$199bobo$157bo37b2o2b2o
$126bo4bo9bo15b3o35b2o$127bo3b3o5b3o18bo$125b3o6bo3bo20b2o11b2o$133b2o
3b2o32b2o8$147b2o52b2o$147b2o34b2o16bobo$135b2o45bobo18bo$134bo2bo44bo
20b2o$129b2o4b2o44b2o4b2o$128bobo25bo3b2o23bo2bo$128bo26bobo3bo23b2o$
127b2o26b2o3bo33b2o$137b2o20bo12b2o20b2o$137bo17b5obo10bo$138b3o14bo4b
2o11b3o$140bo15b3o16bo$158bob2o$159bobo2$204b2o$204bo$183b2o17bobo$
184bo17b2o$184bobo$185b2o3$204b2o$204bo$202bobo11b2o$202b2o12bo$214bob
o$210b2o2b2o$210b2o4$209b2o$209b2o4b2o$215b2o8$221b2o$221bo$219bobo$
219b2o5$233bo$223b2o6b3o$223bo6bo$221bobo6b2o$221b2o$261bo$260bobo$
208b2o50bobo$207bobo51bo$207bo12b2o11b2o$206b2o12b2o11b2o5$209b2o$208b
obo$208bo$207b2o$218b2o21b2o$218b2o22bo$239b3o$239bo!


But obviously, useful stable flip-flop patterns with glider inputs are still fairly big and slow. There are lots of smaller period doublers that are periodic -- i.e., patterns including oscillators as well as still lifes. Some examples are given here (LifeNews). But I'm afraid that's getting _really_ far afield from the original subject.