Drill vs. cloud

[Delirious Lab]

Hi, I'm new and started toying with WinLife to kill time a few days ago.

A fun little game I set up is to aim a glider gun at a random cloud (from a good distance) and see what happens. Will the gun be able to "drill" through the cloud and emerge at the other side, or will the cloud destroy the gun (by building up junk ever closer to the gun, or by firing a glider back at it)?

Has anyone studied this (odds of winning depending on the size of the cloud, perhaps)? So far it looks like the cloud is pretty strong - I haven't been able to drill through a 100x100 square yet.

EDIT: I just had an almost-win for the drill: The glider stream was able to pass through the cloud, but not without creating some leftover action elsewhere, which eventually fired a glider that hit the stream sideways and wreaked havoc. Soon another glider shot back at the gun, and it was game over.

[p46beth]

I experimented with this awhile ago, although I did not keep careful records. I actually have seen a glider gun get past a 120 by 120 square, once.

[Delirious Lab]

I managed to get it through 100x100 a few times now.

I also tried it with a LWSS gun but it fails totally. There is a pattern that eventually forms and replicates its way back towards the gun.

[Paddymac]

I have been endlessly fascinated by the eternal struggle between the infinite glider stream and the random ash cloud. Having the cloud fire gliders that destroy the gun is such a common occurrence that I equip the gun with a "barrel" that intercepts the return fire. From what I have seen so far, the original period-30 glider gun seems to have the greatest penetrating power into the random ash cloud. Short period guns allow the "flame front" to climb the glider stream because the gliders are so close together. Long period guns are susceptible to crystal growth. Attached is an example of the period-60 gun. Every 737232 generations, the cloud forms a new crystal 2957 cells closer to the gun. There is also a series of 22 glider interceptors in each period.

[turtleguy1134]

One word: Great idea.
Or was that two?

[Paddymac]

A little more tinkering leads me to the conclusion that the P-30 gun is not the most effective drill. The best I have seen so far is a P-36 gun.

[Extrementhusiast]

To make it more accurate, raise your shields:

Code: Select all

x = 48, y = 39, rule = extendedlife
47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$35.A
11.C$34.4A9.C$17.2A14.2A.A.A8.C$9.A7.A2.A11.3A.A2.A2.2A3.C$8.A3.2A7.A
11.2A.A.A3.2A3.C$8.A5.A6.A12.4A9.C$9.5A7.A7.A5.A11.C$17.A2.A9.A16.C$
17.2A9.3A16.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$47.C$37.A9.C$35.A.A9.C$36.2A9.C$47.
C$47.C$47.C$47.C$44.A2.C$45.A$43.3A2$43C!

You can replace it with any gun, as long as you cover it sufficiently; this technique might give more accurate results. (Note that this is an extendedlife rle.)

[Paddymac]

A while ago, I set out on a quest for a simple target that would generate a cloud impenetrable by the P-30 gun.
The attached 2-blinker solution is the best I have found so far. The blocks and beehives that intercept the gun-threatening returning gliders cover 11 stages of the life history of this gun vs. cloud collision.
Running the pattern should make it clear what I mean by "Stage".
To start the next stage when the current one ends, simply remove the obstruction.
Enjoy!

Code: Select all

#CXRLE Pos=-45,-45
x = 84967, y = 84953, rule = B3/S23
3o44$38b3o385$443b2o$442bo2bo$443b2o114$557b2o$557b2o39$595b2o$595b2o
9$602b2o$602b2o4$613b2o$612bo2bo$613b2o522$1143b2o$1142bo2bo$1143b2o8$
1145b2o$1144bo2bo$1145b2o6$1137bo$1136bobo$1136bobo17b2o$1137bo17bo2bo
$1156b2o6$1145b2o$1145b2o2$1163b2o$1162bo2bo$1163b2o257$1405b2o$1405b
2o30$1438b2o$1438b2o699$2138b2o17b2o$2138b2o17b2o9$2165b2o$2165b2o5$
2173b2o$2172bo2bo$2173b2o11$2165b2o$2165b2o7$2174bo$2173bobo$2173bobo$
2174bo20b2o$2195b2o6$2185b2o$2185b2o$2203b2o$2202bo2bo$2203b2o4$2195bo
$2194bobo$2194bobo$2195bo9$2204bo$2203bobo$2203bobo$2204bo10$2214b2o$
2214b2o3$2243b2o$2242bo2bo$2243b2o3$2225b2o$2225b2o2$2245b2o$2245b2o4$
2230bo$2229bobo$2229bobo$2230bo7$2243bo$2242bobo$2242bobo$2243bo9$
2255b2o$2255b2o5$2265bo$2264bobo$2264bobo$2265bo252$2518b2o$2518b2o11$
2525bo$2524bobo$2524bobo$2525bo134$2687b2o$2686bo2bo$2687b2o89$2777b2o
$2777b2o6$2765b2o$2765b2o551$3335b2o$3334bo2bo$3335b2o5$3325b2o$3325b
2o16b2o$3342bo2bo$3343b2o10$3355b2o$3354bo2bo$3355b2o348$3702b2o$3701b
o2bo$3702b2o5$3695bo$3694bobo$3694bobo$3695bo8$3698bo$3697bobo$3697bob
o$3698bo249$3973b2o$3972bo2bo$3973b2o7$3965b2o$3965b2o$3982b2o$3982b2o
5$3975b2o$3975b2o3$3995b2o$3995b2o308$4308b2o$4307bo2bo$4308b2o8$4295b
2o$4295b2o20b2o$4317b2o7$4305b2o$4305b2o218$4520bo$4519bobo21b2o$4519b
obo20bo2bo$4520bo22b2o7$4527bo$4526bobo$4526bobo$4527bo7$4545b2o$4545b
2o9$4554bo$4553bobo$4553bobo$4554bo10$4567b2o$4567b2o18$4604b2o$4603bo
2bo$4604b2o7$4595bo$4594bobo$4594bobo$4595bo20$4635b2o$4635b2o4$4625bo
$4624bobo$4624bobo$4625bo$4645b2o$4645b2o109$4737b2o$4737b2o4$4745bo$
4744bobo$4744bobo$4745bo9$4755b2o$4755b2o231$5012b2o$5002b2o7bo2bo$
5002b2o8b2o6$4995bo$4994bobo$4994bobo$4995bo512$5507bo$5507bo$5507bo$
5507bo11$5520b2o$5520b2o230$5770b2o$5770b2o3$5760b2o$5760b2o383$6156b
4o9$6150bo19b2o$6150bo19b2o5b4o$6150bo$6150bo8$6162b2o$6162b2o236$
6400b2o15b4o$6400b2o12$6411b2o14b2o$6411b2o14b2o9$6440b2o$6440b2o7$
6450b2o$6450b2o11$6440b2o15b2o$6440b2o15b2o319$6779b2o$6779b2o5$6770b
2o$6770b2o78$6867b4o12$6854bo$6854bo$6854bo$6854bo11$6870bo$6870bo$
6870bo$6870bo183$7060bo$7060bo$7060bo$7060bo21b2o$7082b2o7$7070b2o$
7070b2o10$7080b2o$7080b2o121$7217b4o6$7201bo$7201bo$7201bo$7201bo440$
7676b4o21$7670b2o$7670b2o5$7679bo$7679bo$7679bo$7679bo320$8003b2o$
8003b2o$8020b2o$8020b2o7$8011b2o$8011b2o10$8020bo$8020bo$8020bo$8020bo
52$8070bo$8070bo$8070bo$8070bo171$8270b2o$8270b2o9$8276b4o6$8270bo$
8270bo$8270bo$8270bo230$8517b4o11$8511b2o$8511b2o5$8520bo$8520bo$8520b
o$8520bo71$8612b4o10$8603b2o$8603b2o9$8614b2o$8614b2o89$8720b2o$8720b
2o145$8867b4o14$8859b2o19b4o$8859b2o4$8887b4o4$8870bo$8870bo$8870bo$
8870bo188$9081b2o$9081b2o7$9090b2o$9090b2o493$9587b4o8$9592b2o$9592b2o
323$9917b4o16$9929b4o42$9970b2o$9970b2o54$10006bo$10006bo$10006bo$
10006bo400$10433b4o8$10437b4o9$10447b4o5$10430bo$10430bo$10430bo$
10430bo235$10687b2o$10687b2o7$10680b2o$10680b2o6$10680bo$10680bo$
10680bo$10680bo410$11117b4o12$11133b4o10$11139b4o$11120b2o$11120b2o5$
11128bo$11128bo$11128bo$11128bo318$11467b4o9$11462bo$11462bo$11462bo$
11462bo39$11517b4o91$11593b2o$11593b2o5$11600b2o$11600b2o63$11679b4o
26$11690b2o$11690b2o13$11717b4o50$11753b2o$11753b2o250$12020b2o$12020b
2o128$12149b2o$12149b2o122$12270b2o$12270b2o3$12260bo$12260bo$12260bo$
12260bo10$12270b2o$12270b2o226$12517b4o10$12512bo$12512bo$12512bo$
12512bo16b4o88$12617b4o9$12609bo$12609bo$12609bo$12609bo24b4o10$12620b
o$12620bo$12620bo$12620bo275$12920b2o$12920b2o11$12912b2o$12912b2o85$
13017b4o14$13029b2o$13029b2o12$13020bo$13020bo$13020bo$13020bo174$
13220b2o$13220b2o9$13214b2o13b4o$13214b2o12$13240b2o$13240b2o56$13281b
2o$13281b2o6$13290bo$13290bo$13290bo$13290bo12$13320b2o$13320b2o237$
13558b4o4$13567b4o2$13550bo$13550bo$13550bo$13550bo231$13797b2o$13797b
2o9$13809b2o$13809b2o8$13817b4o68$13868bo$13868bo$13868bo$13868bo16$
13880bo$13880bo$13880bo$13880bo321$14232b2o$14232b2o10$14220b2o$14220b
2o8$14232b2o$14232b2o170$14420b2o$14420b2o8$14435b4o14$14420bo$14420bo
$14420bo$14420bo280$14701bo$14701bo$14701bo$14701bo9$14720bo$14720bo$
14720bo$14720bo4$14730bo$14730bo$14730bo$14730bo538$15272bo$15272bo$
15272bo$15272bo16$15280bo$15280bo5bo$15280bo5bo$15280bo5bo$15286bo2$
15317b4o8$15302b2o$15302b2o147$15470b2o$15470b2o18$15470bo$15470bo$
15470bo$15470bo310$15800b2o$15800b2o506$16282bo$16282bo$16282bo$16282b
o6$16300b2o$16300b2o140$16439bo$16439bo$16439bo$16439bo48$16490b2o$
16490b2o171$16659b2o23b4o$16659b2o12$16670bo$16670bo$16670bo$16670bo
121$16817b4o3$16799b2o$16799b2o6$16812bo$16812bo$16812bo$16812bo5$
16820bo$16820bo$16820bo$16820bo160$17000b2o$17000b2o$17004b4o120$
17120b2o$17120b2o101$17220b2o$17220b2o4$17212bo$17212bo$17212bo$17212b
o7$17211bo$17211bo$17211bo$17211bo290$17530b4o8$17520bo$17520bo$17520b
o19b2o$17520bo19b2o6$17530bo$17530bo$17530bo$17530bo40$17570b2o$17570b
2o169$17762b2o$17762b2o4$17750bo$17750bo$17750bo$17750bo73$17840b2o$
17840b2o8$17848b2o$17848b2o4$17857b4o12$17849bo$17849bo$17849bo$17849b
o168$18042b4o17$18053b2o$18053b2o582$18642b4o17$18637b2o16b4o$18637b2o
4$18662b4o3$18645bo$18645bo$18645bo$18645bo6$18653bo$18653bo$18653bo$
18653bo20b2o$18674b2o9$18667b2o$18667b2o9$18674b2o$18674b2o259$18934b
2o16b4o$18934bobo$18935b2o8$18945b2o$18945b2o175$19142b4o14$19137b2o$
19137b2o7$19145bo$19145bo$19145bo$19145bo16$19157bo$19157bo$19157bo$
19157bo553$19742b4o17$19735b2o19b4o$19735b2o9$19745bo21b2o$19745bo21b
2o$19745bo$19745bo7$19778b4o10$19784b2o$19784b2o66$19831bo$19831bo$
19831bo$19831bo182$20042b4o15$20026bo$20026bo$20026bo$20026bo6$20045b
2o$20045b2o10$20050bo$20050bo$20050bo$20050bo80$20155b4o197$20336bo$
20336bo$20336bo$20336bo14$20345bo$20345bo$20345bo$20345bo176$20545b2o$
20545b2o6$20535b2o15b4o$20535b2o9$20570b4o81$20645b2o$20645b2o8$20653b
4o97$20735bo$20735bo$20735bo$20735bo88$20845b2o$20845b2o8$20830bo$
20830bo$20830bo$20830bo5$20845bo$20845bo$20845bo$20845bo75$20942b4o14$
20933bo$20933bo$20933bo$20933bo20b4o88$21042b4o12$21062b4o10$21072b4o
78$21142b4o105$21245b2o$21245b2o3$21232bo$21232bo$21232bo$21232bo87$
21342b4o213$21535b2o$21535b2o9$21545bo$21545bo$21545bo$21545bo173$
21742b4o11$21732bo$21732bo$21732bo$21732bo19b4o10$21767b4o102$21845bo$
21845bo$21845bo$21845bo176$22042b4o9$22038b2o15b4o$22038b2o187$22245b
2o$22245bobo$22246b2o596$22842b4o14$22837b2o$22837b2o5$22845b2o$22845b
2o13$22857b2o$22857b2o67$22942b4o12$22953b2o$22953b2o80$23042b4o16$
23034bo$23034bo$23034bo$23034bo18b4o10$23065b4o87$23128bo$23128bo$
23128bo$23128bo200$23336b2o$23336b2o9$23345b2o$23345b2o179$23542b4o
192$23742b4o209$23945b2o$23945bobo$23946b2o4$23934bo$23934bo$23934bo$
23934bo197$24129bo$24129bo$24129bo$24129bo89$24245b2o$24245b2o107$
24334bo$24334bo$24334bo$24334bo89$24442b4o11$24435b2o$24435b2o87$
24542b4o12$24537b2o$24537b2o196$24736bo$24736bo$24736bo$24736bo389$
25142b4o11$25137b2o$25137b2o80$25242b4o319$25534b2o$25534b2o7$25545b2o
$25545b2o79$25642b4o100$25745b2o$25745b2o100$25842b4o8$25833bo$25833bo
$25833bo$25833bo19b4o8$25845b2o$25845b2o88$25936bo$25936bo$25936bo$
25936bo291$26245b2o$26245b2o8$26236b2o$26236b2o81$26342b4o605$26942b4o
13$26938b2o$26938b2o82$27042b4o17$27062b4o97$27131bo$27131bo$27131bo$
27131bo7$27145b2o$27145b2o380$27542b4o9$27531bo$27531bo$27531bo$27531b
o26b4o9$27545b2o$27545b2o77$27642b4o213$27835b2o24b4o$27835b2o88$
27945b2o$27945b2o7$27929bo$27929bo$27929bo$27929bo24b4o10$27966b2o$
27966b2o86$28034bo$28034bo$28034bo$28034bo86$28142b4o11$28133bo$28133b
o$28133bo$28133bo15$28145bo$28145bo$28145bo$28145bo2$28155bo$28155bo$
28155bo$28155bo164$28342b4o13$28334b2o$28334bobo$28335b2o81$28442b4o
17$28454b2o$28454b2o187$28645b2o$28645b2o11$28658b4o13$28665b2o$28665b
2o6$28677b4o267$28942b4o10$28928bo$28928bo$28928bo$28928bo25b4o8$
28962b4o2$28945bo$28945bo$28945bo$28945bo375$29342b4o9$29335bo$29335bo
$29335bo$29335bo184$29542b4o16$29554b2o$29554b2o9$29567b4o180$29742b4o
10$29762b4o10$29768b4o197$29945b2o$29945b2o389$30337bo$30337bo$30337bo
$30337bo9$30345b2o$30345b2o187$30534bo$30534bo$30534bo$30534bo54399$
84957b2o$84945b3o2bo5bo3bo$84941bo3bo9bo5bo3b2o$84939bobo4bo8bo3bob2o
2b2o$84931b2o4b2o16bo5bo$84931b2o4b2o17bo3bo$84937b2o18b2o$84939bobo$
84941bo!

[Kazyan]

This is actually relevant for something I'm trying to do: what happens if there are two closely-spaced guns? For some arrangements, the drills will start reeling in a still life or something. For example, the Vacuum gun:

Code: Select all

x = 201, y = 212, rule = B3/S23
28b2o$28bo$26bobo$8bo3b2o12b2o$2o4b2obob3o$2o4bo4b3o$6bo3bo$7b3o2$7b3o
$6bo3bo$2o4bo4b3o25b2o$2o4b2obob3o25bobo7b2o$8bo3b2o25bob2o6b2o$23b2o
15b2o$40bo$25bo$25bobo12bo$22bo17b2o$22bo5bo10bob2o6b2o$22bo5bo10bobo
7b2o$24bo3bo10b2o$24bo$24bo2bo$24b3o4$34bo$30b2o2bo$29bo5bo13b2o$28b2o
2bobo14b2o$29b2o3bo$30b3o$43b2o3b2o$30b3o9bo2bobo2bo$29b2o3bo6bo9bo$
28b2o2bobo5b2o9b2o$29bo5bo5bo9bo$18b2o10b2o2bo7bo2bobo2bo$17bobo14bo8b
2o3b2o$17bo$16b2o2$30bo5bo$28bobo3bobo$29b2o4b2o150$193bo$193bo$193bo
5$189b2o$189b2o5$199b2o$198bobo$199bo!

If you find any arrangements that do this, please post them, regardless of what happens to the drills.

[Extrementhusiast]

A p19 gun can actually push a blinker:

Code: Select all

x = 70, y = 75, rule = B3/S23
o$b2o$2o3$6bo$4bobo$5b2o3$9bobo$10b2o$10bo2$15bo$16bo$14b3o3$19bo$20b
2o$19b2o3$25bo$23bobo$24b2o3$28bobo$29b2o$29bo2$34bo$35bo$33b3o3$38bo$
39b2o$38b2o3$44bo$42bobo$43b2o3$47bobo$48b2o$48bo2$53bo$54bo$52b3o3$
57bo$58b2o$57b2o3$63bo$61bobo$62b2o3$66bobo$67b2o$67bo5$67b3o!

[lukebradford]

This thread might be of interest: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1234&start=0