NAME
vants - simulate a population of generalized virtual ants
SYNOPSIS
vants -help
or
vants [-width integer] [-height integer] [-num integer]
[-rule string] [-dense double] [-steps integer]
[-seed integer] [-inv] [-mag integer] [-term
string]
DESCRIPTION
Simulate and plot a population of virtual ants (vants).
The behavior of the vants is determined by a bit string
with length equal to the number of states that each cell
in the vants' grid world can take. If a vant walks on a
cell in state S, then the vant turns right if the S'th bit
of the rule string is 1 and left if it's 0. As it leaves
the cell the vant changes the state of the old cell to (S
+ 1) % NUMSTATES.
OPTIONS
-width integer
Width of the plot in pixels.
-height integer
Height of the plot in pixels.
-num integer
Number of ants.
-rule string
Rule string.
-dense double
Density of random crud.
-steps integer
Number of simulated steps.
-seed integer
Random seed for initial state.
-inv Invert all colors?
-mag integer
Magnification factor.
-term string
How to plot points.
MISCELLANY
It is definitely worthwhile to simulate multiple vants as
the possible composite behavior of multiple vants is far
different than a single vant. In fact, multiple vants can
invert the work of other vants, which yields interesting
deconstructive behavior.
BUGS
No sanity checks are performed to make sure that any of
the options make sense.
AUTHOR
Copyright (c) 1997, Gary William Flake.
Permission granted for any use according to the standard
GNU ``copyleft'' agreement provided that the author's com-
ments are neither modified nor removed. No warranty is
given or implied.
