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-venom-:
ok I saw a topic about zerobot sims. I have just one thing to ask what the heck is a zerobot sim?

MacadamiaNuts:
It's a sim where the code of the starting bot is just a bunch of spaced 0's. So, when you start the simulation, they sit there until point mutations (they can happen anytime, without reproduction), make them start "doing things". So the idea is to wait and see if a functional a-life can evolve from zero.

I usually start a zerobot sim with all bots as vegetables, so they are kept well fed. Dynamic costs and speed limit are useful too because, since those bots aren't very good at hunting things, you want to help them if they can't stay alive by themselves.

The first step for zerobots is learn to reproduce. Then they need to move and shot. Once they learn these three steps and they don't do dumb things like fixing themselves they are more or less ready to be run as heterotrophs. The fun part is to pick some of these after a long time and try to guess how their code works... which usually I couldn't tell. Zerobots tend to use brute force methods to achieve their goals, like increasing values of random sysvars until they hit one useful. The bots in the sim I'm evolving now have never used a '.repro store' code.

Numsgil:
Excellent summary Maca, couldn't have said it better myself!

EricL:
I would be extremenly interested in hearing more from anyone who has evolved any complex trait which leverages conditional logic (of any geneic structure) from a zerobot starting organism without hand-coded gene contamination.  To my knowledge, it has yet to be accomplished, particularily given the recently discoverred limits on the maximum time sims could possibly be run pre 2.42.9t.

I define a 'complex trait which leverages conditional logic' as any evolved trait where it can be demonstrated that a bot does different things as a function of different environmental conditions.  Matching velocity, stopping next to or and closing on a stationary bot, accurate targeting, delibert movement torards or away from a shape are all examples.  Reproduction attempts every N cycles, constant or cyclic movement, constant or cyclic shooting, constant or cyclic spinning, like orientation due to environmental factors are all examples of traits which do not use conditional logic.

-venom-:
omg I have to try this

could some one explain how to get one going (like setings and a starting bot)?

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