OCA Discovery of the Year

The OCA Discovery of the Year (OCADOTY) competition is held each year on the ConwayLife.com forums as a counterpart to Pattern of the Year dedicated to rules other than Conway's Game of Life. Users are invited to submit interesting and noteworthy patterns, rules, families of rules, or projects relating to other cellular automata, their own or others'; following discussion, a final list is then curated, and a public vote held. All entries must have been found during the year in question.

Results by year

2021

Entries • Voting • Results

The OCA Discovery of the Year competition for 2021 was organized by Saka and Cyclotrons. Voting will end on September 1, 2022.

Final rank	Stars	Pattern/Discovery	Author(s)	Link(s)
Description
1	42	INT Langton's Ant Simulator (B3-cjkq4knqy5cnr7/S02-cn3-ak4eiq5kq6e7e)	Silversmith	[1]
A small INT Langton's Ant Simulator in INT rule B3-cjkq4knqy5cnr7/S02-cn3-ak4eiq5kq6e7e
2	34	jellyfishless gun in B36/S245	Luka Okanishi	[2]
jellyfishless gun in Logarithmic replicator rule, analogously for the gliderless constructions in CGoL
=3	33	a (2,1)c/4 in B256/S4568	May13	[3]
Spaceship moving at fast oblique speed (2,1)c/4
=3	33	several patterns with unusual growth rate	AforAmpere and Connor Steppie	[4]
several patterns with unusual growth rate
5	28	wwei's quad-glider rule (B3-ky4jy5cr/S2-in3-aeky4cnrt5a6ekn)	wwei	[5]
wwei's quad-glider rule (B3-ky4jy5cr/S2-in3-aeky4cnrt5a6ekn)
6	27	a number of new OT rule being proved to be Turing-complete	many	[6]
a number of new OT rule being proved to be Turing-complete
=7	25	a fast W110 replicator	AforAmpere	[7]
T-tetromino as a fast W110 replicator - self-supporting unit cell between rules B2ai3aeir4r5ei/S3e5e6i and B2-c34-i56-i78/S2-ai3-i4-e5678
=7	25	May13's Shipworld (B3acijy4-a5cjkr6-in78/S2n3-c4-aijz5-jy6-k) Spaceships	May13 and AforAmpere	[8]
May13's Shipworld (B3acijy4-a5cjkr6-in78/S2n3-c4-aijz5-jy6-k) Spaceships
9	23	new figseed records	many	[9]
new figseed records
10	22	a number of new highest period spaceships	many	[10]
a number of new highest period small alien spaceships
11	20	various LtL spaceships found by cfind	lemon41625	[11]
various Larger than Life spaceships found using cfind
12	19	new OT hexagonal spaceships	creeperman7002	[12]
new spaceships in outer-totalistic rules with hexagonal neighbourhood
13	16	a number of new symbiosis discoveries	many	[13]
a number of new symbiosis discoveries
14	11	LeapLife billiard tables	wwei	[14]
LeapLife billiard table oscillators

2020

Entries • Voting • Results

The OCA Discovery of the Year competition for 2020 was organized by Peter Naszvadi and bubblegum.

Final rank	Stars	Pattern/Discovery	Author(s)	Link(s)
Description
1	45	Day and Night knightships incl. a growing one	AforAmpere and Adam P. Goucher	[15] [16] [17] [18] [19]
Various knightships in B3678/S34678 (Day and Night), including a growing knightship
2	44	Small natural replicator simulating W110	Arie Paap	[20]
Replicator that follows the computationally universal 1D rule W110
3	43	Tiny adjustable ships/oscillators	Arie Paap and Oscar Cunningham	[21] [22] [23]
Adjustable ships/oscillators: mobile ship tracks (diagonal ship bouncing between and slowing down two orthogonal ships), also the first relativistic adjustables; 3-cell adjustable spaceship family with infinite speeds and a rule family with 12 members supporting 3-cell adjustable oscillators covering all periods, by Oscar Cunningham
4	41	Speed Orthogonoids and Geminoids	cvojan	[24]
304c/11272 Orthogonoid and (700,100)c/72300 Geminoid in B2c3aeij4krtyz5cij6-ak7/S2-ik3-aek4aeiknw5a6ikn7 (Tubular)
5	40	Wire-like rule 1e2-a3-cij4kaijrtz5cnrq/2ce3aejnr4aj5y6a/3	silversmith	[25]
1e2-a3-cij4kaijrtz5cnrq/2ce3aejnr4aj5y6a/3 (A Wire-Like World), a universal Generations wiring rule with complex dynamic circuitry and construction capabilities
=6	39	Oblique (421,1)c/867 ship	AforAmpere	[26]
Spaceship moving at (421,1)c/867
=6	39	LFoD O(t^(3/2)) growth construction	FWKnightship and praosylen	[27]
Constructed pattern in B2/S0 (Live Free or Die) that grows with a complexity of O(t^(3/2))
8	38	Various LeapLife discoveries	Hunting	[28] (a compilation of known technology can be found at [29])
Meta-discovery: An attempt to reproduce the development of CGoL - and see how state of art tools and blueprints could accelerate this process with much success.
9	37	Various W110 unit cell constructions	Naszvadi, FWKnightship, Layz Boi and GUYTU6J	[30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37]
Various W110 generalized unit cells, rakes and (noncompact) stripes in Day & Night, Morley, Logarithmic replicator rule, B368/S12578, Live Free or Die, Seeds, Life without death, DotLife, a TC 4-state von Neumann rule, 14-state OT hexagonal rule with 2×2 CGoL unit cell and a 4-state hexagonal rule directly simulating CGoL
10	36	B378/S23 first glider gun	Matthias Merzenich, Naszvadi and Paul Tooke	[38]
Márta guns, the first guns in B378/S23
=11	35	Natural adjustable ships	Saka	[39]
Adjustable-speed spaceships to have been found naturally rather than constructed, with unusual complex mechanism for adjustability. A Diamoeba-like IOT rule: B2ci3-i4cit5-i6-i78/S3a4t5678
=11	35	First Unit Cell's visualisation rule	Naszvadi	[40]
Visualisation of CGoL patterns in the first ever constucted p5760 unit cell grid
=11	35	Failed replicator in OT rule B378/S2458	LaundryPizza03	[41]
B378/S2458, a new gem of an OT rule with a failed 1D replicator
=11	35	Box-pushing spaceships	Saka	[42]
Various spaceships including boxes with smaller spaceships pushing them from the inside, right triangles and crosses
=15	34	Various Symbiosis discoveries and constructions	many	Too many to list; the first post in the Symbiosis thread in 2020 can be found at [43]
New developments in Symbiosis, including a vast array of oscillators and guns, lightspeed signal circuitry and a unique MSM breeder.
=15	34	Various oscillators and spaceships in HROT rules	lemon41625, Saka, Chris Rowett and Hunting	[44]
Oscillators and spaceships in HROT rules: circular chequerboards fighting for territory, and rocket rules in the cross neighbourhood
17	33	Spaceship discovery progress in Life-like von Neumann rules	Naszvadi and praosylen	[45]
Various spaceships and replicators in R1 OT B0 VN rules
18	32	HROT Almostlife discoveries and W110 constructions	lemon41625 and FWKnightship	[46]
R2,C2,S6-11,B9-11,NW0010003330130310333000100 (AlmostLife), a HROT rule very close to Life resembling an INT rule, with first ever constructed HROT unit cell simulating W110 by FWKnightship
19	30	B36/S245-alike logreplicator	AforAmpere	[47]
Replicator emulating the B36/S245 logarithmic replicator
20	29	Binary counter-stretcher-lograke-ship	Naszvadi	[48]
Binary counter one-ended wavestretcher/logarithmically-growing spaceship
21	25	Crystal Chaos HROT rule	Connor Steppie	[49]
R2,C0,S4-7,9-11,B4,NB (Crystal Chaos), a dynamic HROT rule with a hidden crystal structure that allows for fragile explosions

2019

Entries • Voting • Results

The OCA Discovery of the Year competition for 2019 was organized by testitemqlstudop and bubblegum.

Final rank	Stars	Pattern	Author	Link(s)
Description
=1	37	Dominoplex Orthogonoid	2718281828	[50]
Orthogonoid spaceship in rule B2cen3ek4ejkwz5-ein6an7e8/S12an3-eijq4enrty5e6k.
=1	37	Orthogonoid	AforAmpere	[51]
Speed orthogonoid spaceship in rule B2ein3cijn4cnrwy5cnq6e/S1c2-ai3acny4anqy5c6ek8.
3	33	Snowflakes' pseudo-Orthogonoid	Goldtiger997, et al. (2718281828, dani, toroidalet, BlinkerSpawn, etc.)	[52]
A pseudo-orthogonoid, a self-constructing puffer.
4	26	RROs	2718281828 and AforAmpere	[53]
massive reflectorless rotating oscillators.
5	25	3S1CShip8 and its c/2^6911+6913 one-cell ship	fluffykitty	[54]
3S1CShip8 and its c/2^6911+6913 one-cell ship.
6	24	Non-explosive B1e rules	toroidalet, Saka, testitemqlstudop, Arie Paap, praosylen, et al.	[55]
Non-explosive B1e rules.
7	23	B2a/S circuitry	toroidalet	[56]
Signal logic circuitry with replicator streams
8	22	Additions to the 5S project	Arie Paap, et al.	[57]
Additions to the 5S project, especially these ones: (176,1)c/440, 108c/37886 diagonal, (98,97)c/4312
9	21	GUYTU6J's OCA discoveries	GUYTU6J	[58] [59] [60] [61]
Triangular and ruler replicator + SMOS, 2D replicator with beautiful fractal, 2D replicator firing gliders and 10c/20s, Bizarre rake-plicator
10	20	Hactar's 2x2 p2 metacells	HactarCE	[62]
Hactar's 2x2 p2 metacells simulating outer-totalistic life-like rules.
11	18	Omosso's pair-interaction ships	77topaz, et al.	[63]
Omosso's pair-interaction ships with very high periods.
=12	17	Mahler-rep	Letters	[64]
Mahler-rep, a modification of Devore which allows for smaller replicators and computers.
=12	17	Rule X3VI	Rhombic, testitemqlstudop, et al.	[65]
The first INT rule to reach 1T objects in C1 on Catagolue.
14	16	Rule 110 in Codd	Naszvadi	[66] [67]
Usual W110 unit cell that proves Turing-completeness of a classic 8-state vN rule by E.F. Codd.
15	15	ZombieLife	77topaz, Moosey, dani, Dave Greene, et al.	[68]
A rule with its enormous natural spaceships.

2018

Entries • Voting • Results

The nominations for the 2018 competition were organized by Rhombic, and the voting by 77topaz. Users were able to vote on as many entries as they wished, awarding up to three stars to each one.

Final rank	Stars	Pattern	Author	Link(s)
Description
1	38	Adjustable slope spaceships	AforAmpere	[69]
Spaceships which can be adjustable to travel at any integer slope.
2	24	bf esolang simulator	M.I. Wright	[70]
A cellular automaton simulating the bf programming language.
=3	23	ATPP	dani	[71]
A rule containing many spaceships based on failed replicators as well as several actual replicators based on it.
=3	23	Exponentially long-lasting methuselahs	toroidalet	[72]
Various fuse-based methuselahs, one of which has an estimated lifespan of 22^50 generations.
5	22	Smallest Oscillators Supporting Specific Periods	Oscar Cunningham	[73]
Examples of two-cell oscillators for every period up to 102.
6	21	8c/9 orthogonal spaceship	AforAmpere	[74]
The fastest known sub-lightspeed spaceship in an isotropic non-totalistic rule without B0.
7	20	Suns	Goldtiger997	[75]
A rule containing a high-period oscillator which can be hassled at various other periods.
8	18	JvN29 loop-based replicator	fluffykitty, Redstoneboi	[76]
A replicator in von Neumann's original cellular automaton.
=9	17	Omosso	Saka	[77]
A rule containing high-period spaceships, a natural RRO, and OMOSes of various periods, hence its name.
=9	17	Rule 110 unit cells in various rules	Peter Naszvadi, Luka Okanishi, LaundryPizza03	[78] [79] [80] [81]
Proofs of Turing-completeness for rules including but not limited to HighLife, DryLife, and LowDeath.
11	16	tlife puffer	dani, Luka Okanishi	[82] [83]
An 8c/282 orthogonal puffer, and a spaceship based on it.
=12	15	Hype	FlameandFury	[84]
A rule with a wide variety of high-period oscillators which has also been proven omniperiodic.
=12	15	Hive	dani	[85]
A rule with a failed replicator from which various high-period and unusual-speed spaceships have been constructed.
=14	14	Record-slowest spaceships	AforAmpere	[86]
A rule table supporting spaceships based on Knuth's up-arrow notation, allowing for unimaginably slow speeds.
=14	14	Emitters	dani	[87]
A rule with many high-period oscillators (similar to Hype) but also a small spacefiller, a replicator, and several guns.
16	13	Other adjustable spaceships	Luka Okanishi, Connor Steppie, Arie Paap, 2718281828, AforAmpere	[88]
17	11	Other RROs	2718281828, et al.	[89]
18	10	Arrow	77topaz	[90]
A rule with adjustable rakes and many known reactions based on them.

2017

Entries • Voting • Results

The 2017 competition was organized by Rhombic. Users were able to vote on as many entries as they wished, awarding up to three stars to each one.

Final rank	Stars	Pattern	Author	Link(s)
Description
1	25	Orthogonal adjustable spaceships	praosylen, Luka Okanishi	[91] [92]
Two rules allowing for the trivial construction of infinitely many odd and even-period spaceships respectively.
2	18	5s project	dani, et al.	[93]
A collection of the smallest known spaceships of every speed among the isotropic non-totalistic rulespace.
=3	15	SMOSMOS	Saka, et al.	[94]
The first known spaceships made of SMOSes, with various examples posted.
=3	15	Movostill 3	dani	[95]
A rule with various elementary spaceships and guns as well as construction potential.
=3	15	HighLife replicator spaceships	Luka Okanishi	[96] [97] [98]
Replicator-based spaceships traveling at speeds of c/18, c/12, and c/30 diagonal respectively.
=6	14	tDryLife pondlayer-based spaceship	Luka Okanishi	[99]
An engineered spaceship based on a high-period pond puffer.
=6	14	One-cell universal constructor	blah	[100]
A method of producing arbitrary complex patterns from a single cell using rule tables.
8	12	Snowflakes	BlinkerSpawn, dani	[101]
A rule with construction potential despite its differences from Conway's Game of Life.
9	11	Rule 110 unit cells in various rules	Peter Naszvadi	[102] [103] [104] [105]
Proofs of Turing-completeness for certain Life-like rules including but not limited to Pedestrian Life, EightLife, and HoneyLife.
=10	9	Spaceship-bouncing-off-object adjustable spaceships	Connor Steppie	[106]
=10	9	Extremely slow spaceships	BlinkerSpawn, et al.	[107]
The design of spaceships with excruciatingly slow speeds using different approaches
12	7	Slope-73 spaceship	AforAmpere	[108]
A (73,1)c/160 spaceship, at the time the oblique spaceship with the steepest known slope.
13	6	Larger than Life developments	Saka, Connor Steppie, et al.	[109] [110] [111]
A collective entry for various discoveries within the Larger than Life rulespace.