Simulation Parameters (v0.932)
See also:
Interface,
External Parameters
This file:
Simulation rules ,
Selection criterion ,
Creation probabilities ,
Energy flow ,
Files ,
World ,
Genetics
Simulation rules
Model: this switch affects physical simulation. There are
two models available: "Limited motion" - compatible with older (before 0.932)
simulators and "Low damping" which allows creatures to move/jump
faster and more naturally. NOTE: This new model is experimental for now,
some modifications may be introduced in near future.
Simulator capacity - maximal population on the species list
Delete species - you can choose which species will be deleted when capacity
limit is reached.
- Randomly
- Inv. proportional fitness (Better fitness - lower chances for deletion)
- Only the worst (with minimal fitness)
Destructive collisions - when a creature hits another one, sticks can be
destroyed (simulation of fights)
Internal debugger - it's for developers mainly. In each step of simulation,
structures are thoroughly checked and errors are reported.
Death - creature dies when it's energy reaches 0
Selection criterion
These parameters describe how the species' fitness is calculated. Fitness is
the weighted sum of life span, velocity, distance, and structure size (with a
constant added)
Velocity and Distance are calculated from creature's center of gravity position
measured during its lifetime. Velocity precision parameter changes
'sampling period'. Low values cause vibrations/little moves to be counted as
velocity. High values let only smooth, straight moves to be counted.
Scale fitness - modifies fitness linearly according to the following rules:
- final fitness=1.0 for creatures with average fitness
- final fitness=0.0 for creatures with fitness less or equal
(average fitness - N * standard deviation of fitness)
where N = (shift coefficient)
- final fitness=(Scaling coefficient) for creatures with maximal fitness
Enable statistics - statistics calculation for a new born creature can be delayed. It's
useful when the criterion is speed or distance. Creature could gain additional
("unfair") fitness bonus because of its initial position (eg. creature falls
on the ground and earns the speed). Possible values are:
"At start" - velocity/distance is calculated from the beginning
"When goes up" - simple delay for 'falling down' creatures. Statistics are
calculated after the creature moves its center of gravity
upwards (we assume this as its first real move). NOTE: in water
environment this is incorect.
"After freeze" - most restrictive, statistics are started when the creature
completely stops (all initial vibrations stop). This is probably the best
solution, but concurrent living creatures can cause problems (when
simulating >1 creature).
Creation probabilities
Simulated creatures - the set number of creatures will be
automatically inserted into the simulator world
Other parameters decide how the new organisms will be created
- Unchanged - genotype will be copied from existing species
- Mutated - existing species & mutated
- Crossed over - two species crossed over
- Self-crossed over - means some parts could be duplicated
- Empty-crossed over - some parts could be deleted
Energy flow
Starting energy - it's new creature's starting energy (per one stick)
Growing energy (EXPERIMENTAL) - Enter a small fraction of "starting energy"
here to enable this (eg. 5, when starting energy=100). Now every new creature
have to collect its initial energy while it grows. Growing process is an
attempt to solve the problem of initial position (see 'enable stats') and
it gives a handicap to smaller creatures - they grow faster.
Automatic feeding - a given number of energy balls will be placed randomly in
the world all the time
Ball's energy - an amount of energy in one ball
Eatable corpse - after creature's death, its corpse stays in the world and
can be used as energy source (each dead stick has the given amount of energy)
Sun activity (NOT YET IMPLEMENTED) - sunlight causes assimilation;
specialized sticks gain additional energy
Files
Save backup - if set to >0, the simulator writes a species file each
N*100000 steps (where you set N)
Overwrite - if not set, the simulator will change filenames if needed so that it will not
overwrite old files
World
Type - world can be a 'Flat surface' or 'Blocks'
Size - Side length of the (square) world
Map - description of blocks layout (in 'Blocks' mode), it can be:
Water level - the main surface is at 0.0 height and you set the water level here
Boundaries - what's happening when a creature comes to the boundary of the world?
- None - the world is unlimited
- Fence - creatures can not go outside
- Teleport - creatures are moved to the opposite side
Genetics
With these parameters you can change the detailed mutation probabilities The
most important are:
- Structure mutation intensity
- Neuron net mutation intensity
With these parameters you influence the relative intensity of "structure"
and "brain" random changes