I loved the experiment with simple rules concept. It's a little bit frustrating that the Mincertrons get stuck so much in the corners and in the slope.
Because it's a simulation of DNA there's some randomness going on. The plus is that every game will be different. The downside is that sometimes you get unlucky. You may choose Shield but then be unlucky and none of the Mincertrons evolve it.
Its a fun little simulator, the minimal input is challenging in its own way and there are cringing moments where the creatures can't seem to find the food or can't quite reach a mate if they are the last two. In a way it is similar to my own game (creatures evolving in a simulator) though I didn't have the time to write as complex behaviour and events as you managed.
One possible bug I found is that the creatures got stuck in the section between the ramps.
This hits the sweet spot between too little and too much choice & interaction in evolution! :) I found myself cringing in despair - when I could not do anything to help the Mincertrons _right_now_ - or exhilarated - when an evolutionary choice worked out just splendid - on several occasions. Really involving little game!
great idea, has allot of fun playing. would be nice to start with a choice as nothing to do for first 30 seconds. you should use this for October challenge. i would buy it.
Loved it. I like how an evolved state gets rid of sexual reproduction. I think there is a glitch. I picked them to run away from predators but they started swarming the predator in mass.
You're right nseward the behaviour is really confusing for players. Some of the choices could be named/explained better. 'Move away from predator' really means make the Mincertrons aware of the predators position and factor this into their movement. Some of the Mincertrons will ignore this information, some will evolve to move away from them, and some (the really stupid ones) will move towards him!
@lurkingshadow I know what you mean about the first 30 seconds, I wanted the player to see the Mincertrons in their dumbest state before evolution kicked in but in hindsight I should probably get the player involved sooner.
I didn't know about the October challenge, thanks for letting me know and thank you for the kind words, much appreciated.
Really cool, reminds me of my entry in some ways ;) I'm planning a game based on my ld24 engine that will have more of an element of indirect control - this game gives me some good ideas and tempts me to factor evolution (or at least, a learning process) into it too.
I watched in horror as my Mincertrons huddled up between the ramps starving while an impending asteroid attack was coming. Most starved before the asteroids came. 2 survived in the end.
I enjoyed the premise behind the game, though I did feel that the Mincertrons were really bizarrely ignoring their food, or get stuck near the ramps. They would literally be starving to death in a sea of plenty, and I wasn't sure how best to help them. Things only got a little better when I evolved the "jump" ability and they had a bit more freedom of movement.
Sometimes Mincertrons be stupid :) That's the thing with evolution sometimes a branch is bad at surviving and they get weeded out. Sometimes you need to play a few times to evolve well adapted Mincertrons!
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Thanks for playing!
One possible bug I found is that the creatures got stuck in the section between the ramps.
I didn't know about the October challenge, thanks for letting me know and thank you for the kind words, much appreciated.
That's the thing with evolution sometimes a branch is bad at surviving and they get weeded out. Sometimes you need to play a few times to evolve well adapted Mincertrons!
Thanks for playing, glad you enjoyed it.