Search found 310 matches

by blah
December 12th, 2023, 9:28 pm
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: A circuit ruleset
Replies: 47
Views: 27444

Re: A circuit ruleset

Here is a upper bound for the smallest universal computer in Bliptile, which emulates W110. I haven't put much effort into making it smaller. The part that does computations fits in a 12x26 bounding box, and the remainder of the pattern is the tape, which can be expanded indefinitely. I'm sure it c...
by blah
December 12th, 2023, 7:32 am
Forum: Scripts
Topic: mca: MacroCell Archiver
Replies: 0
Views: 1903

mca: MacroCell Archiver

I was working on a large (secret) project, and wanted to save a bunch of intermediary versions, kind of like a source code version control system. The way I did this was simply to copy the entire file every time. That means if you make a 1-cell change to a large pattern, and save it, that 1-cell cha...
by blah
December 12th, 2023, 6:24 am
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Bliptile Life Metacell
Replies: 6
Views: 3391

Re: Bliptile Life Metacell

I wanted to update this that I have correctly implemented the guts of a metacell, but the fanout assembly is elusive (namely the diagonals). It must be possible but I always get tangled when I try. I've done this so many times I can do it with my eyes tied behind my back. Here's how it looks; a 2-c...
by blah
December 12th, 2023, 6:10 am
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Star Wars Rule
Replies: 245
Views: 147455

Re: Star Wars Rule

period 4n oscillator (I think) x = 34, y = 27, rule = 345/2/4 .A10.A8.A10.A$3A8.3A6.3A8.3A$.A.8A.A8.A.8A.A$.A.8A.A8.A.8A.A$3A8.3A6. 3A8.3A$.A4.2C4.A8.A4.2C4.A$5.B2.B16.B2.B$4.AC2ACA14.AC2ACA$5.B2.B16.B 2.B$.A4.2C4.A11.C4.C$3A8.3A$.A.8A.A$.A.8A.A$3A8.3A$.A10.A7$21.A10.A$20. 3A8.3A$21.A.8A.A$21.A.8A....
by blah
July 7th, 2023, 12:08 pm
Forum: Patterns
Topic: Recursive meta cellular systems in 3 dimensions
Replies: 2
Views: 393

Re: Recursive meta cellular systems in 3 dimensions

In general, 3D circuitry is easier than 2D because you don't have to worry about cross-overs, and it's harder to paint yourself into a corner. Admittedly, it's been the better part of a decade since I did 3D circuitry. They're definitely possible -- in the sense that there are quite a few people aro...
by blah
May 14th, 2023, 2:35 pm
Forum: Patterns
Topic: WireWorld metacell (period 2^18)
Replies: 1
Views: 832

Re: WireWorld metacell (period 2^18)

I have finished the metafier program, at least as much as I care to. Attached is a meta-fied version of the WireWorld computer I modified so you can still read the 7-segment displays without having to zoom in. I think this demonstrates the strengths of my program, since in Golly you have to edit the...
by blah
April 18th, 2023, 3:12 pm
Forum: Patterns
Topic: WireWorld metacell (period 2^18)
Replies: 1
Views: 832

WireWorld metacell (period 2^18)

It is now no less valid to say "The QFT computer was made in B3/S23" as it is to say "The WireWorld computer was made in B3/S23". [M2] (golly 4.2) #R B3/S23 $$$.....**$.....*$...*.*$...**$ 4 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 2 0 6 0 0 3 0 $$$.**$.*$..***$....*$ 4 5 0 0 0 5 6 0 0 0 6 7 0 0 0 $...*$...***$......*$.....**...
by blah
December 15th, 2022, 2:44 pm
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Resources pertaining to computation in cellular automata
Replies: 16
Views: 8782

Re: Resources pertaining to computation in cellular automata

(Flow6 and its Turing machine) Thanks for your suggestions. I've added them both, although I only added the Read-If/Else machine to honourable mentions rather than the main computer list since, to me, it belongs more in the realm of theoretical computer science than normal CPU design. My general ru...
by blah
December 13th, 2022, 10:52 am
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Tiny computer in period-1 wiring rule
Replies: 7
Views: 1341

Re: Tiny computer in period-1 wiring rule

Added to the list . It's the smallest CPU there, taking the 298*248 Pulse2 CPU 's place, although since it's an OISC the density is not directly comparable. I'm particularly impressed with what I assume are decoder units that convert a 4 bit value to 7 bits that are fed into the display. Did you sta...
by blah
October 9th, 2021, 4:36 am
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Izhora (FireWorld/Fireworld2 computer)
Replies: 17
Views: 4146

Re: Izhora (Fireworld2 computer)

(Sorry for the late reply.) Nice. I said you probably didn't have the devotion to see it through, and you proved me wrong. I've added it to the list , as well as its system, Fireworld2, which I classified as "MID" (I may elaborate on this choice in a PM). I look forward to seeing you publish some mo...
by blah
October 9th, 2021, 3:43 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: CGOL patterns as NFTs
Replies: 169
Views: 21555

Re: CGOL patterns as NFTs

As a young child, I once went to the Grand Exchange in Runescape and started counting up from 1, saying "1", "2", "3", and so on, expecting people to give me in-game currency in return. Nobody did. The rationale in my mind was that counting up to large numbers (I think I got into the 3-digit range) ...
by blah
August 9th, 2021, 6:45 pm
Forum: Scripts
Topic: Should we create a domain-specific language for CA searches?
Replies: 6
Views: 2269

Re: Should we create a domain-specific language for CA searches?

The big problem with many of these kinds of problems is not so much that they can't be turned into runnable code. Often the real problem is getting a good estimate of the amount of CPU time or memory resources needed to complete the work -- and in many cases the estimate turns out to be "sometime a...
by blah
August 6th, 2021, 10:08 pm
Forum: Scripts
Topic: Should we create a domain-specific language for CA searches?
Replies: 6
Views: 2269

Should we create a domain-specific language for CA searches?

I just watched a talk by Brian Kernighan about programming language design. The main takeaway from it for me was that the ideal time to create a new DSL (Domain Specific Language) is when you keep encountering problems that, intuitively, feel like they should be one line, but are not; which, I argue...
by blah
August 4th, 2021, 8:32 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Collecting old CA simulators for archival
Replies: 2
Views: 1042

Re: Collecting old CA simulators for archival

If we're counting historical versions of software for which newer versions are still available, TR's hlife, which I believe still exists as part of Golly, is available on his site as version 0.96 . The Wayback Machine goes back to 0.8 . Are earlier versions still around anywhere? Here's one I've rea...
by blah
July 13th, 2021, 9:10 pm
Forum: The Sandbox
Topic: Birthdays
Replies: 700
Views: 239975

Re: Birthdays

Happy birthday to Alexey Nigin, who only appears on these forums on his birthdays. Except he didn't appear in 2019. Will he appear this year?
by blah
July 7th, 2021, 10:07 pm
Forum: Bugs & Errors
Topic: The MC documentation is wrong
Replies: 0
Views: 3111

The MC documentation is wrong

The documentation on the MC format states that '.'s at the end of a row are suppressed, but doesn't say anything about '$'s at the end of a line being suppressed. It also gives "$$..*$...*$.***$$$$" as an example node, which clearly implies that they are not, and that an MC decoder can safely assum...
by blah
July 2nd, 2021, 12:04 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Adapting apgsearch/Catagolue for searching expanding rules like Maze
Replies: 6
Views: 1402

Re: Adapting apgsearch/Catagolue for searching expanding rules like Maze

I just don't see any way to write a general algorithm that censuses rules that do pretty much always explode, but maybe count something different from what you'd normally count. What if you don't actually want a comprehensive census? This thread reminded me of an idea I had a while ago, and finally...
by blah
July 1st, 2021, 6:08 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Thread for basic questions
Replies: 4725
Views: 1219494

Re: Thread for basic questions

Many formats include redundant information that could ultimately be deduced from the pattern context, but that make various operations easier if they are directly available. [examples] That's a valid point (the RLE example is even used by some decoders I've written). But it raises another question:...
by blah
July 1st, 2021, 3:54 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Thread for basic questions
Replies: 4725
Views: 1219494

Re: Thread for basic questions

Why does the Macrocell format require the depth of nodes to be specified? They can be deduced by incrementing the depth of the subnodes. Ambiguity between leaf and non-leaf nodes in 3+ state rules can be resolved some other way, like prepending those lines with some specific character. I know .mc is...
by blah
July 1st, 2021, 10:28 am
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Sticky: a 4 state isotropic photon-based Moore rule
Replies: 92
Views: 21684

Re: Sticky: a 4 state isotropic photon-based Moore rule

Ripple carry adder (including p6-to-p3 converters feeding displays). Unblock the guns to modify the input: x = 59, y = 56, rule = Sticky 59A$33ACB24A$32A.2A.23A$33A2.24A$35A.23A$12A2.34A10.A$11AB2A.20A.2A. 5A.2A.A8.2A$12AC.A.A7.A2.3A.5A3.2A4.A.A10.A$24A.A5.4A.3A2.4A.3A8.2A$ 24A.6A2.A5.A.A3.A.A10.A$1...
by blah
July 1st, 2021, 5:49 am
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Sticky: a 4 state isotropic photon-based Moore rule
Replies: 92
Views: 21684

Re: Sticky: a 4 state isotropic photon-based Moore rule

An even further reduction of the AND gate: x = 9, y = 28, rule = Sticky 4A.4A$4A.4A$4A.4A$4A.4A$A7.A$2A.3A.2A$2A.3A.2A$2A.3A.2A$2A.3A.2A2$2.C 3.C$2.B3.B5$2.C$2.B9$6.C$6.B! At period 6 (the lowest period at which signals can trivially crossover) this is not an AND gate, it's an SR latch (?), as you ...
by blah
January 5th, 2021, 7:01 pm
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: epsrc Results
Replies: 9
Views: 3052

Re: epsrc Results

I've recently been revisiting epsrc. I may post an update to the code. Just found a new high period record based on the old one, (386,792)c/7556: #C by blah and gameoflifemaniac x = 1, y = 1, rule = MAPhQAMHAREoIgIhgCIgAAAAACAgAQBOQgAAEAEABCAAAAAgAAgIAAAAAAAQAAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAAQAEABAAAA o! Soon we ...
by blah
December 3rd, 2020, 1:08 am
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Rychládrát and Důvěřivý
Replies: 7
Views: 6931

Re: Rychládrát and Důvěřivý

The script seems to work, but how do you play this game? I tried different arrow combinations, but I don't see any changes on the display. You have to hold the keys down for a while, it's not very responsive. Also, the program won't register the keypress if multiple input keys are held down simulta...
by blah
December 2nd, 2020, 4:29 pm
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Rychládrát and Důvěřivý
Replies: 7
Views: 6931

Re: Rychládrát and Důvěřivý

I get this error: attempt to perform arithmetic on a nil value (upvalue 'height') I assume you tried to run it on an empty pattern. For me that causes the same error. You're meant to open a pattern first, then run the script. I'll change the script to display a more informative error message. Thank...
by blah
December 2nd, 2020, 8:10 am
Forum: Other Cellular Automata
Topic: Rychládrát and Důvěřivý
Replies: 7
Views: 6931

Re: Rychládrát and Důvěřivý

I wrote a script to simulate Rychládrát in Golly. It's significantly faster than Reasoning Realm. It doesn't let you modify the pattern while it's running, other than through the cursor keys, enter, and backspace, which are bound to Důvěřivý's inputs. Read the comment at the top of the code for inst...