Go to the end of this post for the updates!DOWNLOAD : DownloadRead the help ingame!
Cockroaches Evolution Run!
Just one thing the Sandbox mode may by funnier than the game itself (yeah, I know...).
Use it to experiment with genetic algorithms if you are curious:
ex:
Fill the level with poison and decrease the priorities to the max
fill it with food, but decrease the food and the To die priority too.
etc..
Priorities means: Roaches that matches these priorities better, will have more chances to pass theyr genes on!
Its seems like some people is having dificulties playing the game (my fault, bad interface)
So I will explain it a bit on how to start:
1- Move your mouse to the far right to open the build menu
2-Build some food (shit) and click on the priorities button and increase the food priority (move it to the green side)
3- Simulate 30 generations by pressing "Shift + 3"
4-Watch how the roaches behaviour changed
5-simulate some more, build some more, etc, until you can get ALL the green shits
Screenshot of the day:

tittle screen.

[/center]
a level.

[/center]
priorities.
Videos:
(Chronologic ordered)
How they Start
Damm Sppiners
Energy Savers (With the moonwalkers bug, now fixed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMMGGxj4Ld0Takes no Shit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4kQNivJDVsSmall sense of smell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4qDGg0zn8YStatus and Fitness configuration windows made
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSbefr0beCgGame Concept
This game is based on evolution (
genetic algorithm), roaches begin knowing nothing, just a bunch of random simple actions, activated by 2 antenas and a mouth, and, as they die (out of starvation, poison, crushed, trapped, etc) the ones that are dead, wont be able to reproduce.
They get educated!
(07-03-09)
I think I have the whole engine implemented, except for the air movement caused by the mouse (Think I found an easy way to do it, but not implemented yet) and the pheromones sensitive (also thougth on a Very easy way to simulate, but yet to implement). The roaches are evolving OK, but there are still some wierd behaviour occuring if there is only food on the field (like spining roaches, or SHAKY-ones... i really hate the latter, makes me sick, really)
Developement history (Will post what I do from now on)July 08, 2009, 10:03:17 PM
Today I took another step on "gamemaking", by adding a gameplay. I had no time to work on the game last week, what put me behind on schedulle.
So far now you can edit the level, save it, and watch the roaches evolving on it (and the roaches genes are also saved). The main gameplay will be based on this (now I just need to implement a way to delete the parts you already placed

)
log
-Stoped with all the wierd behavious (very rare now)
-level maker working in game
-save/load, profiles, etc
-sense of smell
-roaches creation order and location
-removed the auto-food creator (was there for testing)
-some code optimizations
-game NEVER pauses
here is another vid with the roaches now bearing a sense of smell (but taking too long to evolve, need to balance, 5000 gens were needed for some effects to appear)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4qDGg0zn8YNext step is to make them sense the mouse movements, and I am done with features.
I decided to cap the ability to sense other roaches and all my other "desires", since it would add nothing to the game.. and this is not supposed to be a simulator..
I..can't... stop.. adding stuff..

July 19, 2009, 1:25:17 AM
One step closer to a DEMO (or beta) I should have one ready this week (hopefully). I could work a LOT on this game this week (meaning 10-15 hours), in a way that I think the Genetic Algorithm, and the evolution now doest need Any Adjustments, its all on the player hands now (and I mean it, see the latest vid for the fitness window)
Video
Status and Fitness configuration windows made
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSbefr0beCglog
-implemented delete
-implemented statistics manager, not being used yet
-inter turns window (simples stats window)
-faster and better simulation
-Fitness window (you can set what is important for the cockroaches)
-improvements on the level
-game-like progression
-organized tilling for the level editing
Next steps:
-a way for the player to directly interact with the roaches (maybe generating air currents with the mouse movement, I dunno)
-Achievements (or statistics) window
-come up with some dummy achievements
-achievements feedback
-main title screen
-button and dialog art(?)
-let the player choose the champion roach(?)
-alpha release!!
-Choose a final NAME!
-!!!! Sound!!!!!!
July 28, 2009 at 2:12 am
Engine Demo
DOWNLOAD :
Cockroachesevo.zip-There are still a Lot of bugs that are being fixed (some levels impossible to complete, roaches stuck, etc..)
-Most of the gameplay still needs to be implemented.
-The game has nothing to do with achievements now (for now at least, the feedback from you people who plays it, may change my mind), now its all about making a roach fetch the radioactive Shit.
-Everything is unlimited, and there is no education so far.
btw, to play custom levels, just place them on the customlevels folder, but it have to be named level0.xml (zero) so far, sorry, close the game, reopen it, and click on the sandbox.
Game is not saving anything automatic yet.
(in-game, press esc to open the quit menu, 1 to simulate 10 gens, 2 to 20, etc...)
(Will post the log tomorrow, too sleepy now).
Have fun.
FINISHED!! For better or worse.
Had only today to work on this! dammit!
had to make the sound, the menus, oppening, finishing, saving, loading, And the Help, and most of the writing! all today (i had most of those in mockup, so not so much)
Hope you all like it
(there are some features missing, but I plan to get to these later on, this is the version for the compo)