Getting Started

Documentation > A-Life > Using A-Life > Getting Started

There are two modules that are used for the experimentation purposes: The Planet Window and The Project Interface. The Planet Window run the simulation, while The Project Interface controls the interactive aspect of the experiment. On The Planet, many forms of elements exists for the purpose of creating artificial life. First, small one-pixel dots called atoms are used to serve as a basis of forming new substances to sustain life. When these atoms combine with each other in many different combinations, new substances called molecules are formed. From there, molecule combinations called particles are spawned, and finally cells, which make up organisms, or the largest forms of life on this simulation. From these procedures you can see many apparent happenings on the virtual planet such as the combinations displayed, movement, intelligence, and even a dominant species if you experiment with cell combinations.

Sample Basic Experiment

For generating virtual glucose, which is a basic formula for sugar, written in chemistry as C6 H12 O6, you would need mixtures of virtual Carbon (C), virtual Hydrogen (H), and virtual Oxygen (O), which are all available in A-Life, accessible via the buttons on the right within the project interface.

What you would do is:

Click on the "Atom" button
Click on any of the selections that appear, which will highlight your selection
Click or hold the mouse button over the planet window.

You will begin to see a pixel on the screen begin to move (if the temperature is above

zero units) and begin its catylization process, which it automatically does in order to

expedite reactions between other elements. You may then adjust some of the runtime

properties within the interface to modify its behavior, or repeat the process with another

element. If you drop Atoms of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen into the planet window and they happen to mix, they will create virtual glucose. All reactions are collision-based, driven by the catylization process, light, and gravity.