Like Game-of-Life, but on Growing Graphs, with WASM and WebGL
This project presents a mesmerizing cellular automaton-like simulation operating on dynamically growing graphs, a fascinating twist on Conway's Game of Life. Built with WebAssembly and WebGL, it delivers complex, organic visuals directly in the browser, highlighting the power of modern web technologies for scientific visualization. Hacker News readers were particularly captivated by its hypnotic aesthetic and biological resemblances, praising its technical elegance and visual appeal.
The Lowdown
Alex Mordvintsev's 'Growing Graphs' project reimagines the classic cellular automaton concept by applying its rules not to a static grid, but to an evolving graph structure. This innovative approach yields dynamic, organic patterns that grow and change over time, reminiscent of natural phenomena or complex biological processes. The technical implementation leverages WebAssembly (WASM) for computational heavy lifting and WebGL for efficient, real-time rendering in the browser.
- Dynamic Graph Evolution: Unlike traditional grid-based automata, the simulation's rules dictate how new nodes and edges are added to an existing graph, creating an ever-expanding, intricate network.
- Cellular Automata Principles: The core logic follows principles similar to Conway's Game of Life, where the state of a node (or cell) influences its neighbors and its own future state, driving the growth and morphology of the graph.
- Web Technologies for Performance: The choice of WebAssembly allows for near-native performance of the complex simulation logic, while WebGL ensures smooth, high-fidelity visual output, making the interactive experience accessible through any modern web browser.
- Parameter Exploration: Users can experiment with various parameters to influence the graph's growth patterns, leading to a wide array of visual outcomes, from spindly filaments to dense, interconnected structures.
Ultimately, 'Growing Graphs' serves as an impressive demonstration of both creative algorithmic design and robust web development, producing a visually captivating and technically sophisticated interactive experience.
The Gossip
Visual Verve and Vitality
Many users were immediately captivated by the simulation's mesmerizing and organic visuals. Comparisons ranged from 'scifi' and 'alien vibe' to the intricate structures of 'proteins, or some kind of RNA/DNA molecules', highlighting its aesthetic appeal and perceived biological realism. The 'pleasingly wiggly' nature of the graphs was a recurring point of appreciation.