EDIT: renamed "SuperLH" to "LifeSuper" for reasons given here
I've been using LifeHistory as usual to work on adding new Herschel climbers to the waterbear recipe-in-progress. As the distance from gliders' starting locations to their targets gradually increased, it got harder and harder to make small adjustments to gliders after putting them in place. LifeHistory lets you mark the gliders with a couple different colors, circle them, add labels, etc. -- but of course all that annotation just gets left behind as soon as the pattern starts running.
Often what I really want to do is adjust an adjustable glider in some other sub-recipe that conflicts with the one I just placed. So then I have to figure out that other recipe's original glider locations, based on where they end up several thousand ticks later. With dozens or hundreds of gliders flying every which way in the waterbear recipe, crashing into things and disappearing, this kind of thing gets to be difficult to sort out.
So I'm experimenting with adding a bunch more states to LifeHistory, somewhat along the lines of Life4C / QuadLife (see also this page, but with some extra bells and whistles, and without worrying much about what happens when different colors collide.
LifeSuper states 0 through 6 still do the same thing as in LifeHistory, but several additional colors and label states have been added. Some of these might be useful for large glider syntheses and maybe other similar construction projects. In particular, I can color a glider at T=0 and have it keep that color until it gets close to its collision site.
Sample multi-stage glider synthesis: (EDIT: updated to use all seven LifeSuper no-trail states)
Code: Select all
x = 386, y = 395, rule = LifeSuper
7.O.O$8.2O$8.O2$383.O.O$383.2O$384.O$13.O.O$14.2O$14.O4$378.U.U$17.U
360.2U$11.O.O4.U360.U$12.2O2.3U$12.O6$37.M$35.M.M$36.2M2$31.S343.M$
32.S338.O2.M$30.3S336.2O3.3M$359.S10.2O$357.2S$358.2S12$58.Q.Q$59.2Q$
59.Q291.Q.Q$351.2Q$62.Q.Q287.Q$63.2Q$63.Q7$346.S$344.2S$345.2S$78.S$
79.2S$78.2S$359.Q$343.S14.Q$342.S15.3Q$342.3S4.S$348.S$348.3S4$345.S$
343.2S$344.2S$84.M.M$85.2M$85.M229.M$313.2M$314.2M2$80.M.M$81.2M$81.M
4$87.W217.S$88.W215.S$86.3W215.3S3$106.Q$107.2Q$106.2Q$305.Q$85.M218.
Q$83.M.M218.3Q$84.2M11$305.O.O$305.2O$306.O$292.S$291.S$291.3S6$296.S
$296.S.S$296.2S4$286.U$285.U$285.3U2$283.U$281.2U$282.2U5$129.Q147.Q$
127.Q.Q135.S.S9.Q.Q$128.2Q135.2S10.2Q$266.S$244.M$244.M.M$244.2M7$
257.O$256.O$256.3O45$204.2H.2H$200.H.3H3.H$200.2H4.2H$203.2H.H$204.H
3.H$200.2H2.H2.2H$200.H.H.2H$202.H2.H.2H$202.2H2.H.H29$245.2M$245.M.M
$245.M6$252.2M$251.2M$253.M4$259.3O$259.O$260.O$136.M$136.2M$135.M.M
4$145.2M$146.2M$145.M120.S$265.2S$265.S.S2.2pA$144.2S114.2S8.pA.pA$
143.S.S113.2S9.pA$145.S115.S2$150.2S$149.S.S$151.S$264.S$131.2Q130.2S
9.2Q$132.2Q3.2Q124.S.S7.2Q$131.Q4.Q.Q136.Q$138.Q2$268.2Q$268.Q.Q$268.
Q$287.U$286.2U$286.U.U$129.2Q$128.Q.Q146.3U$124.2U4.Q146.U$125.2U151.
U8.2M3.2S$124.U162.M.M.2S6.2S$287.M5.S5.S.S$299.S3$301.3O$301.O$302.O
$307.3Q$307.Q$308.Q9$90.2W$89.W.W$91.W9$77.M$77.2M$76.M.M8$81.2M$82.
2M228.2M$81.M229.2M$313.M6$347.2S$347.S.S$347.S3$342.S$341.2S$341.S.S
$74.2S$75.2S$74.S2$333.3S$333.S$334.S2$77.3S$79.S$78.S277.2Q$356.Q.Q$
51.Q304.Q$51.2Q3.Q311.3O$50.Q.Q3.2Q310.O$29.3S23.Q.Q295.3Q13.O7.2M$
31.S321.Q23.M.M$30.S323.Q22.M2$55.Q5.2Q$42.Q12.2Q5.2Q$42.2Q10.Q.Q4.Q$
41.Q.Q20$7.3O$9.O$8.O6$3O$2.O$.O!
[[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 HEIGHT 640 ZOOM 4 PAUSE 2 AUTOSTART LOOP 840 ]]
Color assignments are a work in progress; suggestions are welcome, preferably in the form of a replacement for the current @COLORS section of the rule table. (Fair warning, I'll probably just end up ignoring suggestions if they mean I have to think too hard.)
With changes by me and mostly muzik as of 1/28/2020:
Code: Select all
@COLORS
1 0 255 255 # standard ON (cyan)
2 0 0 255 # history state OFF (blue)
3 216 255 255 # marked ON with trail (looks like white)
4 0 128 192 # marked OFF with trail (pale sky blue)
5 255 128 255 # marked ON alternate (pink)
6 64 64 96 # boundary cell (dark bluish purple)
7 220 255 220 # marked ON no-trail filter (off white)
8 0 192 0 # marked OFF no-trail filter (green)
9 0 191 255 # ON with trail alt#1 (deep sky blue)
10 0 64 128 # OFF trail alt#1 (not-so-green teal)
11 0 255 192 # ON with trail (greener turquoise)
12 0 128 64 # OFF trail alt#2 (bluish green)
13 192 255 192 # ON no-trail #1 (pale green)
14 255 99 71 # OFF disappearing label (tomato)
15 255 128 128 # ON no-trail #2 (salmon-ish)
16 219 112 147 # OFF vanishing label (pale violet red)
17 255 192 128 # ON no-trail #3 (pale orange)
18 245 222 179 # OFF cycling label #1 (wheat)
19 255 255 128 # ON no-trail #4 (pale yellow)
20 150 50 204 # OFF cycling label #2 (dark orchid)
21 192 255 128 # ON no-trail #5 (yellow green)
22 255 182 193 # OFF cycling label #3 (light pink)
23 0 255 127 # ON no-trail #6 (brighter green)
24 1 1 1 # hidden label (stealthy near-black)
25 255 0 127 # ON no-trail #7 (red magenta)
Code: Select all
x = 279, y = 133, rule = LifeSuper
6.A3.A.2A$6.3A.A3.A18.3A$5.2A4.3A3.2A15.2A2.2A$5.A3.A6.2A14.A2.A.A$A
3.A4.2A.A3.A2.A.A11.A4.A.A$.A.3A5.3A2.A4.A13.A4.2A$.A3.4A.A.2A3.A.2A.
A2.3A2.A3.A.A4.A.A.2A$6.3A2.A2.2A5.2A2.2A.A3.2A2.2A3.A.A.2A$7.2A2.A2.
2A5.2A2.2A.A.A.2A4.A2.A11.2A$12.A.A6.2A2.A2.A.2A.A5.A.2A4.A5.A.A$21.A
.A.2A.2A3.2A3.2A2.2A3.A5.A3.A$20.A5.3A5.A.2A.A4.A2.A5.A3.4A$20.A3.3A
8.A9.2A3.A2.A3.A5.3A$20.A24.A.3A.A6.A2.A$22.A22.3A3.A10.A.A.2A$45.2A
2.2A3.A3.2A.4A.A.A2.2A$46.A.3A.A5.A5.A7.A$45.2A2.2A.A6.A.A4.A5.3A$52.
2A6.A.A.A3.A4.2A$47.A.A4.2A.A.2A2.3A.2A.2A.2A$48.A11.4A.A4.2A.2A2$68.
A6.2A$68.A6.A.A$68.A3.A2.A$69.A.A.A4.A$71.A.A2.3A$67.A3.A2.A23.H$67.A
3.A.2A23.H$69.A2.A25.H$70.A27.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$
98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H$98.H40.H$98.H40.HD$
98.H40.HD$98.H40.HD$98.H40.HD$98.H40.HD$98.H40.HD$139.HD$139.HD$139.H
D$139.HD$139.HD$139.HD$139.HD19.7P$139.HD19.3P2.3P$139.HD19.3P2.3P$
139.HD19.3P2.3P.3P3.3P.7P$139.HD19.3P2.3P.3P3.3P.3P.3P$139.HD19.6P3.
3P3.3P.2P3.3P$139.HD19.3P.3P2.3P3.3P.2P3.3P$139.HD19.3P2.3P.3P3.3P.2P
3.3P$139.HD19.3P2.3P2.2P3.3P.2P3.3P$139.HD19.3P2.4P.3P.4P.2P3.3P$139.
HD19.3P3.3P.8P.2P3.3P$139.HD$139.HD$139.HD$139.HD42.2P6.4P$140.D42.2P
6.4P$177.3P3.2P$177.3P3.2P$176.6P.7P2.3P.5P$177.3P3.3P.3P2.6P.3P$177.
3P3.2P3.3P.6P$177.3P3.2P3.3P.3P.4P$177.3P3.2P3.3P.3P3.4P$177.3P3.2P3.
3P.3P4.3P$177.3P3.2P3.3P.5P2.3P$178.4P.2P3.3P.3P.5P5$194.3P2.3P2.3P2.
5P2.3P3.3P$194.3P2.3P2.3P.2P2.3P.3P2.3P$194.3P.5P.2P6.3P.3P2.3P$195.
11P2.7P2.6P$195.11P.4P.3P2.6P$195.5P.4P2.3P2.3P3.5P$196.4P.4P2.3P2.3P
3.4P3.3P$196.4P.4P3.7P3.4P3.3P$218.4P3.3P$218.3P3.3P$217.3P4.2P4$229.
4P$222.6P.4P$221.4P.3P$221.3P$221.3P6.3P.6P$222.4P4.3P.3P$223.5P2.3P.
3P$225.4P.3P.2P$226.3P.3P.2P$226.3P.3P.2P$221.3P.4P.3P.2P$222.6P2.3P.
2P5$253.2P6.4P11.3P$233.7P13.2P6.4P11.3P$233.3P2.3P12.2P21.3P$233.3P
2.3P12.2P21.3P$233.3P2.3P3.6P3.7P2.3P.7P3.3P$233.3P2.3P2.3P2.3P2.3P.
4P.3P.3P.3P3.3P$233.6P3.3P4.3P.3P2.3P.3P.2P3.3P2.3P$233.3P.3P2.3P4.3P
.2P3.3P.3P.2P3.3P2.3P$233.3P2.3P.3P4.3P.2P3.3P.3P.2P3.3P2.3P$233.3P2.
3P.3P4.3P.3P2.3P.3P.2P3.3P$233.3P2.4P.3P2.3P2.3P.3P2.3P.2P3.3P2.3P$
233.3P3.3P2.6P3.7P2.3P.2P3.3P2.3P!
Code: Select all
x = 216, y = 193, rule = LifeSuper
2.3D26.5D21.3D6.3D18.3D4.6D17.3D4.7D16.3D3.9D15.3D5.5D$5D25.3D.3D18.
5D4.5D16.5D4.2D2.3D14.5D4.3D18.5D9.3D13.5D4.3D.3D$5D24.3D3.3D17.5D4.
5D16.5D8.3D14.5D4.3D18.5D8.3D14.5D3.3D3.3D$2.3D24.3D3.3D19.3D6.3D18.
3D8.3D16.3D4.3D20.3D8.3D16.3D3.3D3.3D$2.3D24.3D3.3D19.3D6.3D18.3D7.4D
16.3D4.6D17.3D7.3D17.3D3.3D3.3D$2.3D24.4D.4D19.3D6.3D18.3D4.6D17.3D8.
3D16.3D7.3D17.3D3.4D.4D$2.3D25.8D19.3D6.3D18.3D8.3D16.3D9.3D15.3D6.4D
17.3D4.8D$2.3D30.3D19.3D6.3D18.3D8.4D15.3D9.3D15.3D6.3D18.3D9.3D$2.3D
29.3D20.3D6.3D18.3D8.4D15.3D8.4D15.3D6.3D18.3D8.3D$2.3D28.4D20.3D6.3D
18.3D3.3D2.3D16.3D3.3D2.3D16.3D5.3D19.3D7.4D$8D21.6D20.8D.8D13.8D.6D
15.15D15.8D2.3D17.14D2$206.2A$206.A.A.2A.A$208.A.A.2A$208.2A3$.5A25.
5I25.5K25.5M25.5O25.5Q25.5S25.2A$A4.A24.I4.I24.K4.K24.M4.M24.O4.O24.Q
4.Q24.S4.S25.2A$5.A29.I29.K29.M29.O29.Q29.S$A3.A25.I3.I25.K3.K25.M3.M
25.O3.O25.Q3.Q25.S3.S$2.A29.I29.K29.M29.O29.Q29.S17$129.7N58.4N$129.
7N58.4N$129.3N$129.3N$125.7N.3N.5N3.5N3.7N2.7N3.6N3.5N3.9N.7N2.8N$
124.3N.4N.6N.3N.2N2.3N2.3N.4N.3N.4N.3N.4N.2N2.3N2.3N3.3N.3N.3N.3N2.3N
$123.3N3.3N.6N9.3N2.3N2.3N.3N2.6N3.3N5.3N2.3N3.3N.2N3.6N2.3N$123.3N3.
3N.3N.4N3.7N2.2N3.3N.2N3.12N.7N2.2N4.3N.2N3.6N2.3N$123.3N3.3N.3N3.8N.
3N2.2N3.3N.2N3.6N6.4N.3N2.2N4.3N.2N3.10N$123.3N3.3N.3N4.6N2.3N2.3N2.
3N.3N2.6N6.3N2.3N2.2N4.3N.2N3.6N$124.3N.4N.5N2.6N2.3N2.3N.3N.4N.3N2.
3N2.6N2.3N2.2N4.3N.2N3.11N$124.8N.3N.5N2.16N2.7N3.6N2.11N4.3N.2N3.6N
2.4N$153.2N7.2N43.3N3.3N$153.2N7.2N43.3N2.3N$153.2N7.2N44.6N5$145.3N
10.2N16.3N$145.3N10.2N16.3N$145.3N10.2N16.3N$145.3N10.2N16.3N$145.3N
2.5N3.7N3.6N2.3N.5N$145.3N.2N2.3N2.3N.4N.3N.4N.6N.3N$145.3N5.3N2.3N2.
6N3.3N.6N$145.3N.7N2.2N3.12N.3N.4N$145.7N.3N2.2N3.6N7.3N3.4N$145.6N2.
3N2.3N2.6N7.3N4.3N$145.6N2.3N2.3N.3N2.3N2.3N.5N2.3N$145.3N.16N3.6N2.
3N.5N8$140.20D6$84.3P61.2P7.3P$84.3P61.2P7.3P$84.3P17.3P26.3P12.2P7.
3P$84.3P17.3P26.3P12.2P7.3P$80.7P2.6P2.5P.6P.8P3.3P2.5P.6P2.5P3.7P2.
3P2.6P$79.3P.4P.3P.7P.3P.3P3.3P2.3P3.3P.3P.3P.3P3.2P2.3P2.3P.4P.3P.3P
.4P$78.3P3.6P3.6P5.3P3.3P2.3P3.6P6.3P7.3P2.3P2.3P.6P3.3P$78.3P3.12P.
4P3.3P3.2P3.3P3.6P6.3P3.7P2.2P3.3P.12P$78.3P3.6P9.4P.3P3.2P3.3P3.6P6.
3P2.4P.3P2.2P3.3P.6P$78.3P3.6P10.3P.3P3.2P4.2P3.6P6.3P2.3P2.3P2.3P2.
3P.6P$79.3P.4P.3P2.5P2.3P.3P3.2P4.3P.4P.3P.3P.3P2.3P2.3P2.3P.3P.4P.3P
2.3P$79.8P2.6P2.5P3.7P4.8P2.5P3.4P.16P.4P2.6P6$100.3P10.2P16.3P$100.
3P10.2P16.3P$100.3P10.2P16.3P$100.3P10.2P16.3P$100.3P2.5P3.7P3.6P2.3P
.5P$100.3P.2P2.3P2.3P.4P.3P.4P.6P.3P$100.3P5.3P2.3P2.6P3.3P.6P$100.3P
.7P2.2P3.12P.3P.4P$100.7P.3P2.2P3.6P7.3P3.4P$100.6P2.3P2.3P2.6P7.3P4.
3P$100.6P2.3P2.3P.3P2.3P2.3P.5P2.3P$100.3P.16P3.6P.4P.5P6$100.20H9$
73.3R11.4R$73.3R11.4R$73.3R$73.3R$64.7R2.3R3.5R2.5R.6R$64.3R.4R.3R2.
2R2.3R3.3R.3R2.2R$64.3R2.3R.3R6.3R3.3R.3R3.2R$64.2R3.3R.3R2.7R3.3R.2R
4.2R$64.2R3.3R.3R.4R.3R3.3R.2R4.2R$64.3R2.3R.3R.3R2.3R3.3R.2R4.2R$64.
3R.3R2.3R.3R2.3R3.3R.2R4.2R$64.7R2.3R2.9R.3R.2R4.2R$64.2R$64.2R$64.2R
5$60.3R12.2R17.3R$60.3R12.2R17.3R$60.3R12.2R17.3R$60.3R12.2R17.3R$60.
3R3.5R4.7R4.6R2.3R2.5R$60.3R2.2R2.3R3.3R.4R2.3R.4R.3R.3R.3R$60.3R6.3R
3.3R2.3R.3R3.3R.3R.3R$60.3R2.7R3.2R3.3R.9R.3R2.4R$60.3R.4R.3R3.2R3.3R
.3R7.3R4.4R$60.3R.3R2.3R3.3R2.3R.3R7.3R5.3R$60.3R.3R2.3R3.3R.3R3.3R2.
3R.3R.2R2.3R$60.3R2.9R.7R4.6R2.3R2.5R33$37.2A$38.A$35.3A$35.A!
The toLife.lua script (Alt+J) in Golly could easily be adjusted to downconvert a LifeSuper pattern correctly into two-state Life, and a replacement for toLifeHistory.lua (Alt+H) could allow a similarly easy conversion to standard LifeHistory. Neither of them do quite the right thing at the moment.
If anyone might be interested in trying out pattern editing using a multi-color Life rule along these lines, I'd be happy to take suggestions for minor rule adjustments. I don't want to spend too much more time on this rule, though, so anyone who really wants a major new feature should probably just go ahead and implement it.