I think I must be getting behind the times because I'd not heard of John Conway's Game of Life!

However I came across sixfoottallrabbit's implementation of John Conway's Game of Life using the HTML 5 canvas element.

The Game of Life is a cellular automation!

"What does that mean?"

It means that it consists of a grid of cells which can be in one of a finite number of states. Given any state, there are rules that govern what the next state of the grid will be.

We are looking at life so simply: -

  • Each cell in a grid can be either dead or alive.

To find the next state of the grid, the following rules are applied:

  • Any living cell with 0 or 1 neighbours dies, as if by underpopulation
  • Any living cell with 4 or more neighbours dies, as if by overpopulation
  • Any living cell with 2 or 3 neighbours survives, (well that's a relief)
  • Any dead cell with 3 or more neighbours becomes alive, as if by reproduction (it happens)

For those not interested in the science/statistics/probability, they can make some pretty cool patterns just by doodling all over the grid and hitting 'Go'.

I was engaged with this "Game of Life" for longer than I initially thought I would be, so be warned.

Visit http://sixfoottallrabbit.co.uk/gameoflife/ to try it out.