Wednesday, October 03, 2018

[ehalcaab] Post-it Life animation

Depict an evolving pattern of Conway's Game of Life with square Post-It stickers on a window.  This should be easy.

Assuming one generation per day, what patterns would be good?

Period 7 oscillators, including {1,2,3}c/7 spaceships
Period 30 oscillators, e.g., original glider gun

The above two allow easy look up of state based on the day of the week or month, if you miss a day or two, the latter fudging for months that don't have 30 days.  What are the least interesting two consecutive states of the Gosper glider gun, for skipping at the end of February?

Period 14 oscillators, e.g., Tumbler
Billiard table oscillators
Diehards

Still lifes would be good for the lazy, or for more permanent installations like tiles.  Arrange a collection of still lifes, or design a large one, into an aesthetically pleasing pattern.

Incidentally, 4 snarks reflecting 4 gliders in a loop is a billiard table oscillator.

Another static possibility is a pattern that will ultimately evolve into something interesting.  It's kind of a puzzle.  Diehards are one example.  Much research has been done into construction by glider collisions.

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