It occurred to me that a glider collision search could improve my 1 beacon synthesis--maybe down to 5 gliders--since it's simply applying blocks around a ship:
Code: Select all
x = 72, y = 17, rule = B3/S23
42bobo$43b2o$43bo6bo$48b2o$49b2o$67b2o$67b2o$69b2o$25b2o18b2o4bobo11b
5obo$5b2o18bobo17bobo3b2o12bo5bo$3ob2o20b2o18b2o4bo13bob3o$2bo3bo60b2o
$bo50b3o$54bo$2b2o49bo$2bobo$2bo!
The grin + ship interaction, if the second block isn't placed, produces this constellation:
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x = 42, y = 29, rule = B3/S23
bo26bo$obo24bobo$obo10b2o12bobo$bo10bo2bo12bo$13bobo$3bo10bo$3bo$3bo2$
13b2o$13b2o3$9b2o$8bo2bo$9b2o$b2o$b2o$13b2o$13bobo24b2o$14bo25b2o8$15b
3o!
So I have a vague idea that one could use Simkin's LifeAPI to aim three gliders at each other from a distance, two of them with variable but small offsets, and search all combinations of offsets. If the population after ~500 generations is 48, and the pattern is 42x29. 42x30. 29X42, or 30x42 (found with FitMinMax and subtracting the maxes from the mins, I think?), report the initial glider position.
Though I took an introductory C coding class, I only know enough to know that it should be fairly easy to set up for someone who actually knows how to use C.