MODERATOR EDIT: See the latest version by Sphenocorona for various bug fixes and improvements. -- dvgrn
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Today I am releasing an alpha version of a Java program I have been working on, with Dave Greene's input and advice, to help find ways of creating self-destructing patterns by presenting the problem as a (pretty hard!) puzzle game.
(See viewtopic.php?f=2&t=399&p=7354&hilit=seeds#p7354.)
It can be downloaded as a JAR file from
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/378 ... 130504.jar
On WIndows XP, I run a JAR file by right-clicking, then Open with|Java(TM) Platform SE binary. You may have a different way of running Java programs on your platform. I'm sure people here can help if you run into trouble.
The program has a help button which gives a brief explanation of how to use the program. Here's what it says.
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Seeds of Destruction
by Paul Chapman (igblan)
Seeds of Destruction is a puzzle game based on Conway's Game of Life.
The aim is to completely destroy a pattern by placing (usually) one glider and a number of small still lifes called 'seeds'. Solutions will help Life research.
The main playing area shows the evolution of the current attempt. The currently-selected seed moves around with the mouse, and any effect it has on the evolution of the pattern is instantly displayed. Left-clicking will place the seed at its current position, and record the move in the tree on the right. You can't place seeds in the yellow 'quarantine zone'.
You can drag the pattern around by pressing and holding the right mouse button, and zoom in and out by rotating the mouse wheel.
On the right is the exploration tree. You can select any puzzle (initial pattern) from the tree, or any attempt you have made so far to solve it. The tree labels are arbitrary aides memoire.
You can change the current seed, start generation and number of generations by rotating the mouse wheel over the buttons on the right, or click to restore the default. Clicking the copy icon will save the current attempt to the clipboard in standard RLE format.
Hints:
- Try to progress in small steps around the pattern.
Try to avoid creating red debris (versus pink debris) - it's inside the quarantine zone and harder to reach.
Boats can reflect gliders arriving on either side in the direction they're pointing, so any spare gliders can be redirected back towards another part of the pattern.
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Feedback welcomed!
Cheers, Paul