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[leparlon]

Go to the end of this post for the updates!

DOWNLOAD :
Download

Read 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.

Read more here or here

Videos:

(Chronologic ordered)

How they Start




Damm Sppiners




Energy Savers (With the moonwalkers bug, now fixed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMMGGxj4Ld0

Takes no Shit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4kQNivJDVs

Small sense of smell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4qDGg0zn8Y

Status and Fitness configuration windows made
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSbefr0beCg

Game 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=g4qDGg0zn8Y

Next 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=NSbefr0beCg


log
-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)

[Alehkhs]

This game is one of the more interesting for me...


(I know, just don't say anything)


But seriously, I'm a huge fan of genetic algorithms and evolution simulators, so I'm really looking forward to this one. Maybe playing this will finally kick me into gear to post some articles on the front page about other GA Evo-sims...

[leparlon]

I Too love the concept of genetic algorithms, and I also likeimplementing them (very fun to see it start working). But what is making me really crazy about it so far is to make it into a playable (and enjoyable) game, been having some difficulties.

thanks for the comment

[Acid]

Gah. bluej774 you keep posting before me! XD

Anyway, I like the game and name change but what does "circus" have to do with the game?

[leparlon]

bluej774, yes, I always wanted to put GA into a game, it seems perfect for a game, still, when you try to do it, you realize it looks IMPOSSIBLE to become a game! I would love any help with ideas . What do you think of what I have so far?

Acid, good question, and the answer is: I have no good anwser.
And I thought last night that this game is kinda like a flea circus, if you ignore the fact that these are Cockroaches, and the game has absolutelly nothing to do with a circus. But, since you will mostly watch the roaches evolve in order to entertain (and teach you) i think that "evolution circus" theme may fit on the name, but I am probably wrong about that! The truth is, I just can't name it!  hehe?

Thanks for the comments people!
(Nice to see that I am not the only one who dreams about Genetic algorithms and games!!!!)

[leparlon]

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





log
-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!!!!!!

[Acid]

Hooray! This game is looking better and better! :D

[Gammabeam]

Hooray LeParlon! This is so awesome!

[leparlon]

July 28, 2009 at 2:12 am

Engine Demo, somewhat playable (called it an alpha, but that is a lie)

DOWNLOAD : Cockroachesevo.zip

-There are still a Lot of bugs that are being fixed (some levels impossible to complete)
-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...)

Have fun.

[ThetaGames]

Very nice, so far!

In the final version, I'm assuming you won't be able to choose the genetic priorities for the roaches?  Will there then be some way to see each roach's characteristics, as they evolve generation by generation?

Also, why is it necessary to divide the cockroachs' reproduction into cycles?  I think it would be much more realistic if it were more continuous (and faster-paced).

It took me to realize that right-clicking returned the cursor to its original state.  In my opinion, right-clicking should be used for deleting (in general, having to select another option to delete is a little annoying).  There could be a set sidebar, beyond the right wall (where the roaches cannot go) where all of that placement stuff (along with the menu stuff) would be located, and if the cursor is in that area, it should return to its original state.  It's just an idea I think would improve the interface.

There is a spelling error in the dialogue box that comes up when a cycle is up; "collision" was misspelled as "colision."

Keep up the good work!

[leparlon]

Theta, thanks a lot for the impressions and sugestions. (and for the spelling heads-up!!!)

I think the idea of making the game continuous very nice, and will be done for sure.
 and I am doubtfull about if I let the priorities open or not, or set it for each level and show it to the player on the start (OR NOT).


About the interface, I am having troubles with that yet, I liked your sugestion of the right-click delete, since its faster and more intuitive (you are right about the anoyieness), but I think the delete button will still be there too.

And I REALLY want to come out with a way to show the roaches DNA in an understainable way. If I can come with one, I will definitely do it.

Thanks for playing and commenting!

[leparlon]

Finnishing!
Just posting to test the server's time.

(dammit, sorry for the unnecessary bump)

[leparlon]

Quick question:

Am I allowed to fix some bugs in the game now that the compo's is due? Or I have to wait till the judging?

[Aquin]

Derek said we have until Thursday to iron out the games.

[leparlon]

Perfect! Thanks!

[Fifth]

Heh, interesting.
I was kinda confused about things at the beginning; my cockroaches did nothing but bumble around beneath the drain, and nothing I did seemed to change them.
Then I came to understand how it's more of a gradual process, and that the "priorities" really just selected the cockroach closest to what I wanted to start the next generation (I think?), and thus they became slightly more useful each time.

Within three levels I had them trained, willing to follow in clusters any trail of food I'd leave for them; I could pretty much just blaze through the levels.  The only hang-up occurred when I came to a level where they had to eat poison to get through.

Anyway, this seems like it can be a pretty compelling concept.
It also seems like it's missing something, but I can't put my finger on it...

[Noyb]

It's absolutely hilarious when my cockroaches mutate to become afraid of food, or when I tell it to go 100 generations only to find every single bug wildly spinning in place.

[leparlon]

Fifth, the priorities means exactly that! And if you ever put your finger on what is missing, would please tell me? Because I fell the same thing!
and Noyb, thats what I love about the evolution, it always surprises you, i made pinball roaches one time, very funny.

Thanks (a lot) for playing!