Thread for basic questions

[otismo]

is there a list of spaceships ranked by cell count in smallest phase ?

Glider
LWSS
MWSS
HWSS

guessing : Loafer ?

Thank You !

Cheers !

[MathAndCode]

is there a list of spaceships ranked by cell count in smallest phase ?

Glider
LWSS
MWSS
HWSS

guessing : Loafer ?

Thank You !

Cheers !

The loafer is tied for being the next-smallest, but there are also several flotillae of two interacting XWSSes that also have a minimum population of twenty cells. (Also, one can make a quasi-spaceship made of two LWSSes that has a minimum population of eighteen.)

Code: Select all

x = 115, y = 8, rule = B3/S23
3o3b3o18b3o3b3o16b3o3b3o26b3o22b3o$o2bobo2bo18bo2bobo2bo16bo2bobo2bo25b
o2bo21bo2bo$o7bo18bo7bo16bo7bo20b3o5bo16b3o5bo$o7bo18bo7bo16bo7bo20bo
2bo4bo16bo2bo4bo$o7bo19bobo4bo17bob2o3bo20bo7bo16bo7bo$bobobobo27bo21b
obo21bo7bo16bo4bobo$32bobo47bobobobo17bo$107bobo!

A list of small spaceships in order of minimum population can be found here.

[hotdogPi]

Why is the one on the left called an R-bee? I would think it would be the one on the right, which is a descendant of the R-pentomino.

Code: Select all

x = 17, y = 5, rule = B3/S23
$15bo$b3o10b2o$o2bo9bo2bo$b2o11b2o!

[C28]

why is it so hard to find a P19?

[bubblegum]

why is it so hard to find a P19?

It's medium-period, it's prime, and we haven't gotten lucky yet.

[C28]

why is it so hard to find a P19?

It's medium-period, it's prime, and we haven't gotten lucky yet.

could you be more specific?

[MathAndCode]

Why is the one on the left called an R-bee? I would think it would be the one on the right, which is a descendant of the R-pentomino.

Based on the R-loaf and R-mango, adding R- to the beginning of a pattern seems to mean placing a cell at the corner in a way that forms a line of three cells. Maybe bee is an abbreviation of beehive?

[goldenratio]

why is it so hard to find a P19?

It's medium-period, it's prime, and we haven't gotten lucky yet.

could you be more specific?

Let's decompose this sentence:
High-period: 19 is far too high a period to search for directly, so we can't just run searches for them. For an explanation of why search time grows exponentially with period, see this: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=41199#p41199
Prime: With non-prime periods, we have sparkers to assist us in finding reactions. However since 19 is prime, any such reaction would have to use stable catalysts, which are a lot less versatile.
We haven't gotten lucky yet: There are a lot of ways in which a period-19 oscillator could be found, such as a 2c/3 elbow or finding one naturally on Catagolue, but they would all almost definitely require incredible luck and a lot of computing time.
In essence, the non-prime periods could be built up from smaller-period oscillators, and we've gotten lucky on some of the prime periods, but 19 happens to be one of the periods which hasn't been discovered yet.

[C28]

It's medium-period, it's prime, and we haven't gotten lucky yet.

could you be more specific?

Let's decompose this sentence:
High-period: 19 is far too high a period to search for directly, so we can't just run searches for them. For an explanation of why search time grows exponentially with period, see this: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=41199#p41199
Prime: With non-prime periods, we have sparkers to assist us in finding reactions. However since 19 is prime, any such reaction would have to use stable catalysts, which are a lot less versatile.
We haven't gotten lucky yet: There are a lot of ways in which a period-19 oscillator could be found, such as a 2c/3 elbow or finding one naturally on Catagolue, but they would all almost definitely require incredible luck and a lot of computing time.
In essence, the non-prime periods could be built up from smaller-period oscillators, and we've gotten lucky on some of the prime periods, but 19 happens to be one of the periods which hasn't been discovered yet.

thanks!

[Donald K Trump]

Any fenceposts for this?
Also, are there any stretchers for this?

Code: Select all

x = 8, y = 11, rule = B3/S23
obo2$bobo2$2bobo2$3bobo2$4bobo2$5bobo!

What is a fencepost?
Also, ColorfulGalaxy has already mentioned the "MWSS spark" twice on his Wiki article. What does it actually mean?
(Go here)

[Schiaparelliorbust]

What is a fencepost?
Also, ColorfulGalaxy has already mentioned the "MWSS spark" twice on his Wiki article. What does it actually mean?
(Go here)

A fencepost is a stable end for a wick.

[mniemiec]

Also, ColorfulGalaxy has already mentioned the "MWSS spark" twice on his Wiki article. What does it actually mean?

An LWSS spark is the one-bit spark at the back end of an LWSS (and also MWSS and HWSS).
A MWSS spark is the one-bit spark at the side of an MWSS (and also MWSS emulator and similar oscillators).
An HWSS spark is the domino spark at the side of an HWSS (and also HWSS emulator and similar oscillators).

[bubblegum]

An LWSS spark is the one-bit spark at the back end of an LWSS (and also MWSS and HWSS).
A MWSS spark is the one-bit spark at the side of an MWSS (and also MWSS emulator and similar oscillators).
An HWSS spark is the domino spark at the side of an HWSS (and also HWSS emulator and similar oscillators).

By CG's definition, it also includes the 1 bit backspark of the MWSS and HWSS.

[hotdogPi]

Is there any way to get a LWSS/MWSS/HWSS gun with only two glider guns? Specifically, the first time the two gliders collide, they create a still life, oscillator, or constellation. When the next two gliders come, they change the pattern at the collision, until eventually it repeats with an escaping LWSS/MWSS/HWSS somewhere in there. Any extraneous gliders can be eaten with an eater 1. If the two guns are not the same period, some of the gliders that don't collide at all can also be eaten in this way.

[GUYTU6J]

Is there any way to get a LWSS/MWSS/HWSS gun with only two glider guns? Specifically, the first time the two gliders collide, they create a still life, oscillator, or constellation. When the next two gliders come, they change the pattern at the collision, until eventually it repeats with an escaping LWSS/MWSS/HWSS somewhere in there. Any extraneous gliders can be eaten with an eater 1. If the two guns are not the same period, some of the gliders that don't collide at all can also be eaten in this way.

With G-to-xWSS coverters, a xWSS gun can be driven with only one glider gun, but this probably isn't what you mean.

You can also construct a loop-based glider gun containing two signals — with its outputs connected to a toggle circuit and a few timing-adjusting devices so that they match what's required in a 3-glider xWSS recipe — and equip it with another gun to complete the design. The strategy is demonstrated in the upper left section of this 2-engine cordership gun.

A third choice is to use auxillary sparkers, for instance the HWSS gun mentioned in the Kok's galaxy article.

Finally, if all these above cannot answer your question, then see this:

Here you go: p330 MWSS gun using two glider streams.

Code: Select all

x = 540, y = 279, rule = B3/S23
20b2o$21bo496b2o$21bobo5b2o487bo$22b2o5b3o477b2o5bobo$31b2obo8bo464b3o
5b2o$31bo2bo6bobo452bo8bob2o$31b2obo5bobo11b2o440bobo6bo2bo$6b2o12b2o
7b3o7bo2bo11b2o428b2o11bobo5bob2o$6b2o13bo7b2o9bobo441b2o11bo2bo7b3o7b
2o12b2o$21bob2o16bobo453bobo9b2o7bo13b2o$22bo10bo9bo452bobo16b2obo$26b
o4b2o463bo9bo10bo$24bo7b2o473b2o4bo$25bo480b2o7bo$514bo3$36b2o$6b3o26b
2o465b2o$5bo3bo20b2o5bo465b2o26b3o$4bo5bo19b2o470bo5b2o20bo3bo$5bo3bo
498b2o19bo5bo$6b3o521bo3bo$6b3o522b3o$531b3o$495bo$495b2o$494bobo$4b3o
$3b2ob2o3bo521b3o$3b2ob2o4b2o514bo3b2ob2o$3b5o3b2o6b2o505b2o4b2ob2o$2b
2o3b2o10b2o30b2o466b2o6b2o3b5o$50b2o435b2o30b2o10b2o3b2o$52bo435b2o$
487bo4$2b2o5b2o48bo$3bo6bo47b2o420bo48b2o5b2o$3o4b3o48bobo419b2o47bo6b
o$o6bo471bobo48b3o4b3o$532bo6bo$26bo$27b2o$26b2o2$472b2o$473b2o$472bo
3$504bobo$74bo429b2o$73b2o430bo$73bobo3$41bo$42b2o$41b2o2$457b2o$458b
2o$457bo3$489bobo$89bo399b2o$88b2o400bo$88bobo3$56bo$57b2o424bo$56b2o
423b2o$482b2o5$63bobo$64b2o408bobo$64bo39bo369b2o$103b2o330bo39bo$103b
obo329b2o$434bobo3$468bo$466b2o$111b2o354b2o$110b2o315b2o$112bo315b2o$
427bo2$78bobo$79b2o378bobo$79bo39bo339b2o$118b2o300bo39bo$118bobo299b
2o$419bobo2$86bo$87b2o364bo$86b2o363b2o$452b2o$412b2o$413b2o$412bo2$
93bobo$94b2o348bobo$94bo39bo309b2o$133b2o270bo39bo$133bobo269b2o$404bo
bo5$141b2o$140b2o255b2o$142bo255b2o$397bo2$108bobo$109b2o$109bo$390bo$
390b2o$389bobo3$423bo$421b2o$156b2o264b2o$155b2o$157bo3$123bobo$124b2o
$124bo$375bo$375b2o$374bobo3$408bo$406b2o$171b2o234b2o$170b2o$172bo2$
191bo6bo$138bobo48b3o4b3o142bo6bo$139b2o47bo6bo145b3o4b3o48bobo$139bo
48b2o5b2o147bo6bo47b2o$343b2o5b2o48bo4$146bo$147b2o244bo$146b2o30b2o
10b2o3b2o194b2o$178b2o6b2o3b5o147b2o3b2o10b2o30b2o$185b2o4b2ob2o148b5o
3b2o6b2o$187bo3b2ob2o148b2ob2o4b2o$192b3o149b2ob2o3bo$345b3o2$384bobo$
384b2o$190b3o192bo$190b3o154b3o$189bo3bo153b3o$167b2o19bo5bo151bo3bo$
161bo5b2o20bo3bo151bo5bo19b2o$162b2o26b3o153bo3bo20b2o5bo$161b2o184b3o
26b2o$377b2o3$173bo$165b2o7bo191bo$166b2o4b3o190bo7b2o$155bo9bo199b3o
4b2o$155bobo216bo9bo$156bobo9b2o21b2o189bobo$143b2o11bo2bo7b3o21b2o
154b2o21b2o9bobo$143b2o11bobo5bob2o179b2o21b3o7bo2bo11b2o$155bobo6bo2b
o13bo190b2obo5bobo11b2o$155bo8bob2o11bobo176bo13bo2bo6bobo$167b3o5b2o
3b2o176bobo11b2obo8bo$168b2o5bobo180b2o3b2o5b3o$177bo184bobo5b2o$177b
2o183bo$361b2o9$196bo$194bobo$195b2o6$336bo$335bo$335b3o5$211bo$209bob
o$210b2o6$321bo$320bo$320b3o5$226bo$224bobo86bo$225b2o86bobo$313b2o4$
233bo$234bo71bo$232b3o70bo$305b3o6$298bo$298bobo$298b2o4$248bo$249bo
41bo$247b3o40bo$290b3o5$256bo$254bobo26bo$255b2o26bobo$283b2o4$263bo$
264bo11bo$262b3o10bo$275b3o!

I saw the above mechanism when writing Tutorials/General technology, by the way.

[hotdogPi]

I'm looking for something very simple, with an initial state that's less complicated than your typical 3-glider construction. They don't have to be the same period; for example, one can be a P30 queen bee while the other is a P60 Simkin.

[Donald K Trump]

What is a fencepost?
Also, ColorfulGalaxy has already mentioned the "MWSS spark" twice on his Wiki article. What does it actually mean?
(Go here)

A fencepost is a stable end for a wick.

He posted something that is not really a wick.

[bubblegum]

He posted something that is not really a wick.

Incorrect, it is a wick.

[Donald K Trump]

He posted something that is not really a wick.

Incorrect, it is a wick.

That seems more like a dying spark, or maybe a fuse.

Also, what is "g siamese m" and "b siamese p"? They don't seem to be names of patterns.
Are his MCCP calculations correct?
What is Manhattan distance?
Why did he say in his wiki article that the lifespan of the blinker, the block, and the toad is "0"?
Why did he end the hexomino list with ellipsis?
Why did he call the R sequence "Unknown reaction"?

How do I make a stamp collection?
How do I find the ash of some soup?
Should usernames be considered soups?
What does "more blinkers" in his username soup mean?
What is an omniperiodic OCA?
Are "Devore" and "Langhton's Ants" omniperiodic?

How many known periods of toggleable glider guns are there?
What is the difference between "Toggleable gun" and "Switchable gun"?
What is a half-blockade? Can it work as an eater?

Where did his username and avatar come from? The wiki says he's male, but the username and avatar look feminine.
Is he really a Lifenthusiast? He doesn't seem to be interested in Life.
Why are people playing tricks on the thread for trolls?

How should I underline text?

[Hunting]

He posted something that is not really a wick.

Incorrect, it is a wick.

That seems more like a dying spark, or maybe a fuse.

Also, what is "g siamese m" and "b siamese p"? They don't seem to be names of patterns.
Are his MCCP calculations correct?
What is Manhattan distance?
Why did he say in his wiki article that the lifespan of the blinker, the block, and the toad is "0"?
Why did he end the hexomino list with ellipsis?
Why did he call the R sequence "Unknown reaction"?

How do I make a stamp collection?
How do I find the ash of some soup?
Should usernames be considered soups?
What does "more blinkers" in his username soup mean?
What is an omniperiodic OCA?
Are "Devore" and "Langhton's Ants" omniperiodic?

How many known periods of toggleable glider guns are there?
What is the difference between "Toggleable gun" and "Switchable gun"?
What is a half-blockade? Can it work as an eater?

Where did his username and avatar come from? The wiki says he's male, but the username and avatar look feminine.
Is he really a Lifenthusiast? He doesn't seem to be interested in Life.
Why are people playing tricks on the thread for trolls?

How should I underline text?

A fuse is something that burns a wick.
Pattern naming conventions applied to letters.
Dunno.
Read Wikipedia.
Because they're already stabilized, so they take no time to stabilize.
Because he did.
because he did.

You make it by pasting related patterns into one pattern.
You run it.
Yes (in general), and no (if your username produces some object of interest, it is not considered natural).
...
Omniperiodic CA is a CA with oscillators of all periods.
Yes(?) and probably no.
Define toggleable. Also no one collects them.
They're the same thing.
It is half of a blockade, and yes for LWSS, no for anything else.

That's offensive.
He is interested, as he post in this forum frequently.
Trivks = Trolls. (Don't quote me on this)

Use the u tag.

[mniemiec]

"x siamese y" is patterns x and y combined in a way where they share cells in common.

"Manhattan distance" is the distance between two points by traveling along the axes. E.g. between points (0,0) and (3,4), the Pythagorean Distance (i.e. "as the crow flies") is 5, but the Manhattan Distance is 7 (i.e. because Manhattan is laid out as a rectangular gridwork of streets, and that's the only way to travel between two points).

A "blockade" is the four-block constellation that arises from a LOM. A "half-blockade" is the two-block constellation that is half of that (and also arises from a 2-glider collision). It can eat a LWSS.

Code: Select all

x = 7, y = 8, rule = B3/S23
boo$boobboo$5boo$bo$3o$oboo$b3o$boo!

You can bold, italicize, and underline text by either selecting the text and pressing the B, I, or U button above the entry window, or surround text by using markup with {b}bold{/b}, {i}italics{/i} or {u}underline{/u} (except use square brackets instead of braces).

[MathAndCode]

It is half of a blockade, and yes for LWSS, no for anything else.

There are a few other regions that a half-blockade can eat, although a LWSS is the least contrived.

Code: Select all

x = 8, y = 11, rule = B3/S23
4bo$2b2o2$4bo$3bo$o2bo$b3o2$6b2o$2b2o2b2o$2b2o!

In general, if a block catalysis fails in one of these two ways, it can often be fixed by adding another block to create a half-blockade or adding a fishhook in a certain position.

Code: Select all

x = 15, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
14bo$3bo10bo$o2bo7bo2bo$2o9b2o!

[C28]

sometimes i'd see a user say that a soup has a certain "score". what is it supposed to mean?

[bubblegum]

sometimes i'd see a user say that a soup has a certain "score". what is it supposed to mean?

Back in the days of old Catagolue, each soup was assigned a "score" to measure roughly how interesting it was, by a combination of formulae. The system fell apart when Catagolue randomly started doubling the scores of each soup.

[RamenGuy217]

Is there a tool I can use to look up a pattern to find any that match it in the database? I remember using one in the past, but I don't remember what it was.