# Tricolor (cellular automata)

While investigating Conway’s game of life I wanted to see if I could easily extend the framework I’d developed to explore other systems. One of the more interesting cellular automata is the rock-paper-scissors system where three populations feed on each other.

### Overview

The algorithm used to make the rock-paper-scissors cellular automata is does not seem to be well documented in an easy to obtain source, so I had to interpet much of the algorithm based on subjective descriptions. Each cells has a health which can take a value between $$0$$ and $$10$$. If a prey species is adjacent to its predator species then the prey species gives a health point to the predator species. When the prey species health reaches $$0$$ it is replaced by a predator species. The result is that this creates spiral patterns on the canvas.

### Challenges

Challenge: The algorithm needed some experimentation and tweaking to get right.
Solution: There are numerous papers and articles about how these algorithms work, but I couldn’t find a source that was explicit or that I could understand. As a result I had to create my own algorithm and tweak it until it was stable. Hopefully others users can read my code and develop it further. (Resolved)

## 3 thoughts on “Tricolor (cellular automata)”

1. VCE says:

hi, how to run ? . that software or SO i need ? . I can run with WIN 7 x64 ?

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