10.1.1.4.9943 ACM Ref

BREVE: a 3D Environment for the Simulation of Decentralized Systems and Artificial Life Jon Klein Complex Systems Group Department of Physical Resource Theory Chalmers University of Technology and Göteborg University SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden and Cognitive Science Hampshire College Amherst, MA 01002 jklein@hampshire.edu Abstract could be. These types of experiments often use discrete time steps and agent states. Conway’s famous game of breve is a 3D simulation environment designed for life creates a lifelike cellular automaton in which each simulation of decentralized systems and artificial life. While breve is conceptually similar to existing pack- cell picks a new state based on the states of its neigh- ages such as Swarm and StarLogo, the implementa- bors (Gardner 1970). The Tierra system presented by tion of breve—which simulates both continuous time Ray (1992) uses a virtual machine to evolve programs and continuous 3D space—is quite different such that which compete for computational resources. The low- the environment is suited to a different class of simu- level rules can even correspond to specific problems or lations. breve includes an interpreted object-oriented language, an OpenGL display engine, collision detec- games in order to evolve solutions or strategies. Lind- tion, as well as experimental support for articulated gren and Nordahl (1994) used an agent’s performance in body physical simulation and collision resolution with the Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma as a fitness function in static and dynamic friction. The ultimate goal of the order to evolve strategies for the game. system is to allow decentralized simulations to be im- plemented quickly and easily while providing a powerful While most of these simulations use rules that are framework to facilitate the construction of advanced ar- loose analogies of real life concepts of evolution and sur- tificial life simulations. breve is available for download vival, other artificial life simulations have focused on at http://www.spiderland.org/breve. the goal of implementing highly realistic environments…