Tutorials/Creating custom rules - Revision history

R2INT: Added a section for INT rules

2026-02-21T04:26:24Z

Added a section for INT rules

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:26, 21 February 2026
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	Making multiple states in the same ruletable which simulate different rules each (referred to as a ''rule mashup'') is also an acceptable move.		Making multiple states in the same ruletable which simulate different rules each (referred to as a ''rule mashup'') is also an acceptable move.

			=== [[Isotropic non-totalistic]] custom rules ===
			To simulate multistate isotropic rules using ruletables, Golly supports rotate4reflect symmetry. Change your header to be this:
			<pre>@RULE Tutorial

			@TABLE
			n_states:2
			neighborhood:Moore
			symmetries:rotate4reflect</pre>

			The ordering of the neighbors remains the same as in the above summary, but instead of permuting the neighbors, it instead emulates the isotropic neighbors. Because Golly doesn't support permutations in rotate4reflect tables, we need to list every transition in Life (there are 26 total live transitions.) In most cases, it is more convenient to use the catch-all filter mentioned earlier. Here is the example ruletable for Life modified to support isotropic rules:
			<pre>
			@RULE Tutorial
			@TABLE
			n_states:2
			neighborhood:Moore
			symmetries:rotate4reflect
			var a1 = {0,1}
			var a2 = a1
			var a3 = a1
			var a4 = a1
			var a5 = a1
			var a6 = a1
			var a7 = a1
			var a8 = a1
			var a9 = a1
			0 1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0 1 # B3a
			0 0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0 1 # B3c
			0 1,0,1,0,1,0,0,0 1 # B3e
			0 0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0 1 # B3i
			0 1,0,1,1,0,0,0,0 1 # B3j
			0 1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0 1 # B3k
			0 1,1,0,1,0,0,0,0 1 # B3n
			0 1,1,0,0,0,1,0,0 1 # B3q
			0 1,1,0,0,1,0,0,0 1 # B3r
			0 1,0,0,1,0,1,0,0 1 # B3y
			1 1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0 1 # S2a
			1 0,1,0,1,0,0,0,0 1 # S2c
			1 1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0 1 # S2e
			1 1,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 1 # S2i
			1 1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0 1 # S2k
			1 0,1,0,0,0,1,0,0 1 # S2n
			1 1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0 1 # S3a
			1 0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0 1 # S3c
			1 1,0,1,0,1,0,0,0 1 # S3e
			1 0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0 1 # S3i
			1 1,0,1,1,0,0,0,0 1 # S3j
			1 1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0 1 # S3k
			1 1,1,0,1,0,0,0,0 1 # S3n
			1 1,1,0,0,0,1,0,0 1 # S3q
			1 1,1,0,0,1,0,0,0 1 # S3r
			1 1,0,0,1,0,1,0,0 1 # S3y
			# Catch-all killer
			a1 a2,a3,a4,a5,a6,a7,a8,a9 0
			</pre>

			[[Higher-range_isotropic_non-totalistic_rule#Table_of_isotropic_non-totalistic_rulespaces\|Multistate isotropic]] rules make up very large rulespaces. For example, just three states gives us a rulespace with 3^2862 ≈ 3.32x10^1365 rules, compared to standard [[INT]] giving 5.07x10^30 rules. Four states allow for 4^34960 ≈ 1.041x10^21,048 rules. Because of the large rulespaces, this gives us lots of room to work with; it is possible to pack lots and lots of patterns into rules with just 3 states.

	==Icons, Names and Colors==		==Icons, Names and Colors==

Neocaridina: I made it a preset

2026-02-19T21:23:33Z

I made it a preset

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:23, 19 February 2026
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	{{stub}}		{{stub}}
	{{~~Ambox~~\|~~text=This article needs to be expanded with:~~		{{expand with\|information about [[INT]] custom rules\|information about icons in [[RuleLoader\|ruletables]]}}
	* information about [[INT]] custom rules
	* information about icons in [[RuleLoader\|ruletables]]}}
	So, you already know about [[Tutorials/Golly\|Golly]] and [[Tutorials/Rules\|rules]]?		So, you already know about [[Tutorials/Golly\|Golly]] and [[Tutorials/Rules\|rules]]?

Neocaridina at 17:23, 19 February 2026

2026-02-19T17:23:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:23, 19 February 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{stub}}		{{stub}}
	{{Ambox\|text=This article needs to be expanded with: ~~'''~~information about ~~icons in~~ [[~~RuleLoader\|ruletables~~]]~~'''.}}~~		{{Ambox\|text=This article needs to be expanded with:
	~~{{Ambox\|text=This article needs to be expanded with: '''~~information about [[~~INT~~]] ~~custom rules'''~~}}		* information about [[INT]] custom rules
			* information about icons in [[RuleLoader\|ruletables]]}}
	So, you already know about [[Tutorials/Golly\|Golly]] and [[Tutorials/Rules\|rules]]?		So, you already know about [[Tutorials/Golly\|Golly]] and [[Tutorials/Rules\|rules]]?

Qqd: Removing somewhat distracting whitespace

2026-02-19T16:56:33Z

Removing somewhat distracting whitespace

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:56, 19 February 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{stub}}		{{stub}}
	{{Ambox\|text=This article needs to be expanded with: '''information about icons in [[RuleLoader\|ruletables]]'''.}}		{{Ambox\|text=This article needs to be expanded with: '''information about icons in [[RuleLoader\|ruletables]]'''.}}

	{{Ambox\|text=This article needs to be expanded with: '''information about [[INT]] custom rules'''}}		{{Ambox\|text=This article needs to be expanded with: '''information about [[INT]] custom rules'''}}
	So, you already know about [[Tutorials/Golly\|Golly]] and [[Tutorials/Rules\|rules]]?		So, you already know about [[Tutorials/Golly\|Golly]] and [[Tutorials/Rules\|rules]]?

Qqd: Someone needs to revamp this tutorial page for a more comprehensive explanation of the syntax for .rule files. For the time being I have added a link to Golly Help's HTML page describing the full syntax for those who want to learn more. WireWorld might have to be used as an example for other parts of the .rule file as suggested by Golly Help.

2026-02-12T18:30:49Z

Someone needs to revamp this tutorial page for a more comprehensive explanation of the syntax for .rule files. For the time being I have added a link to Golly Help's HTML page describing the full syntax for those who want to learn more. WireWorld might have to be used as an example for other parts of the .rule file as suggested by Golly Help.

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:30, 12 February 2026
Line 6:		Line 6:

	==Creating custom rules: the rule table==		==Creating custom rules: the rule table==
	Maybe you want to create a rule entirely from scratch, e.g. for use in [[Golly]]. Golly has the ability to run a very large class of rules using [[RuleLoader]], described by a special syntax which you will now learn how to employ.		Maybe you want to create a rule entirely from scratch, e.g. for use in [[Golly]]. Golly has the ability to run a very large class of rules using [[RuleLoader]], described by a special syntax which you will now learn how to employ. A more detailed description of the syntax can be found [https://golly.sourceforge.io/Help/formats.html#rule here].

	To create a new rule, you first need to know how to create a ruletable. Each line in the main part of a ruletable is called a [[transition (rule definition)\|transition]]. For this tutorial, we are going to recreate Life, but with the name "Tutorial". To start, open your favorite text editor and type:		To create a new rule, you first need to know how to create a ruletable. Each line in the main part of a ruletable is called a [[transition (rule definition)\|transition]]. For this tutorial, we are going to recreate Life, but with the name "Tutorial". To start, open your favorite text editor and type:

ShirAko: Fixed error on variable section

2024-07-23T21:27:22Z

Fixed error on variable section

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:27, 23 July 2024
Line 75:		Line 75:
	var a9 = {0,1}		var a9 = {0,1}
	1, 1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0, 1		1, 1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0, 1
	1, 1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0, 1		a1, 1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0, 1
	a1, a2,a3,a4,a5,a6,a7,a8,a9, 0</pre>		a1, a2,a3,a4,a5,a6,a7,a8,a9, 0</pre>

Dvgrn: This was the last of the articles to which "transition rule" links were recently added. This was by far the trickiest article to roll back, because a number of sections were significantly reworded, and many of those rewordings were clearly improvements! I tried extending those improvements, while restoring previously existing uses of "transition" as per the standing LW:DR executive decision, re-affirmed recently after an appeal (see https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187171#p187171 )

2024-06-09T04:55:47Z

This was the last of the articles to which "transition rule" links were recently added. This was by far the trickiest article to roll back, because a number of sections were significantly reworded, and many of those rewordings were clearly improvements! I tried extending those improvements, while restoring previously existing uses of "transition" as per the standing LW:DR executive decision, re-affirmed recently after an appeal (see https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187171#p187171 )

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:55, 9 June 2024
Line 8:		Line 8:
	Maybe you want to create a rule entirely from scratch, e.g. for use in [[Golly]]. Golly has the ability to run a very large class of rules using [[RuleLoader]], described by a special syntax which you will now learn how to employ.		Maybe you want to create a rule entirely from scratch, e.g. for use in [[Golly]]. Golly has the ability to run a very large class of rules using [[RuleLoader]], described by a special syntax which you will now learn how to employ.

	To create a new rule, you first need to know how to create ~~each~~ line of a ruletable~~, which~~ is a [[transition rule]]. For this tutorial, we are going to recreate Life, but with the name "Tutorial". To start, open your favorite text editor and type:		To create a new rule, you first need to know how to create a ruletable. Each line in the main part of a ruletable is called a [[transition (rule definition)\|transition]]. For this tutorial, we are going to recreate Life, but with the name "Tutorial". To start, open your favorite text editor and type:

	<pre>		<pre>
Line 14:		Line 14:
	</pre>		</pre>

	where RuleName is the name of your rule; let's call this rule ''Tutorial'', for tutorial purposes. ~~Next, add~~ the ''table'', ~~i.e.~~ the ~~[[transition rule]]s in the rule. Not every [[transition rule]] needs to be specified due~~ to ~~clever compression tricks involving variables. Do~~ this ~~before writing the [[transition~~ rule~~]]s that you want~~ to ~~specify.~~		where RuleName is the name of your rule; let's call this rule ''Tutorial'', for tutorial purposes.

			Before writing the transition table, finish the header section like this -- maybe with a few lines of comments between "@RULE" and "@TABLE", to help people understand what this rule table is going to define:

	<pre>		<pre>
			@RULE Tutorial

			This is a practice Golly .rule file that implements standard Conway's Game of Life rules.

	@TABLE		@TABLE
	n_states:2		n_states:2
Line 23:		Line 29:
	</pre>		</pre>

	*'''@TABLE''': This tells Golly that the table starts here.		*'''@TABLE''': This tells Golly that the table definition starts here.
	*'''n_states''': This is how many states your rule has, '''INCLUDING''' state 0, the dead state/background, so 2 states will have live and dead states and 1 state will only have the background.		*'''n_states''': This is how many states your rule has, '''INCLUDING''' state 0, the dead state/background, so 2 states will have live and dead states and 1 state will only have the background.
	*'''neighborhood''': This is the neighborhood the rule uses, can be Moore, vonNeumann, Hexagonal, or oneDimensional, for the full list see the [https://github.com/GollyGang/ruletablerepository/wiki/RoadMap RoadMap]		*'''neighborhood''': This is the neighborhood the rule uses, can be Moore, vonNeumann, Hexagonal, or oneDimensional, for the full list see the [https://github.com/GollyGang/ruletablerepository/wiki/RoadMap RoadMap]
	*'''symmetries''': This is the invariant symmetry of each ~~[[condition]]~~. Using 'none' symmetry, if you want birth at 4 neighbours, you will have to write out every single arrangement of 4 neighbours. Permute makes it easy, we will come back to that later. There are other symmetries, too. Rotate4, rotate4reflect, rotate8, and none are examples of symmetries, with rotate4reflect particularly useful for [[isotropic]] custom rules.		*'''symmetries''': This is the invariant symmetry of each transition -- the different ways that Golly is allowed to rearrange the list of neighbors and still get a match. Using 'none' symmetry, if you want birth at 4 neighbours, you will have to write out every single possible arrangement of 4 neighbours -- each arrangement on a separate line. Permute makes it easy -- we will come back to that later. There are other symmetries, too. Rotate4, rotate4reflect, rotate8, and none are examples of symmetries, with rotate4reflect particularly useful for [[isotropic]] custom rules.

	Now, it is time to write the [[transition ~~rule]]s~~! Here, we will make Life, B3/S23. To specify a [[transition ~~rule]]~~, type a string as so:		Now, it is time to write the transition table! Here, we will make Life, B3/S23. To specify a transition definition, type a string as so:

	<pre>		<pre>
Line 42:		Line 48:
	This means that if a state 0 cell has 3 neighbors, it will become state 1. This is also where permute comes in; if we didn't have permute, say '''none''', it would only make the cell live if it is ''exactly'' the same as we put it, live on the North, North East, and East '''only''', but '''permute''' makes it so all B3 states are filled.		This means that if a state 0 cell has 3 neighbors, it will become state 1. This is also where permute comes in; if we didn't have permute, say '''none''', it would only make the cell live if it is ''exactly'' the same as we put it, live on the North, North East, and East '''only''', but '''permute''' makes it so all B3 states are filled.

	Now we'll write down the ~~[[transition rule]]s~~ for death. We don't write the survival ~~[[transition rule]]s~~ because the cell does not change state. Live cells in life survive if they have 2 or 3 live neighbors, hence die (from loneliness, one imagines) if they have only 0 or 1, or (from overcrowding) if they have 4 or more. Note that the numbers between the spaces signify the [[condition]].		Now we'll write down the transitions for death. With this method, we don't need to actually write out any line the survival transitions S2 or S3, because the cell does not change state in those cases. Live cells in life survive if they have 2 or 3 live neighbors, hence die (from loneliness, one imagines) if they have only 0 or 1, or (from overcrowding) if they have 4 or more. Note that the numbers between the spaces signify the [[condition]].

	<pre>		<pre>
Line 54:		Line 60:
	</pre>		</pre>

	~~Note another~~ common way to achieve ~~this~~ is ~~doing~~ the survival and ~~killing~~ all the ~~cells~~, ~~and~~ if ~~two~~ lines ~~disobeys~~ the ~~first~~ will ~~always~~ be ~~used~~. ~~Now~~ you will need variables ~~for that (they~~ do not have to be a1 or a2, they can be whatever you want to call them, but it’s good to keep things organized). This method is very useful dealing with rules with multiple states.		Another common way to achieve the same effect is to write out just the two survival conditions, and add a [[Transition_(rule_definition)#Order_matters\|"catch-all" transition line]] at the end of the table that kills the cell no matter how many neighbors it has. Golly accepts the first matching transition that it finds, reading the table from top to bottom -- so if one of the survival transition lines turns out to match, then the "catch-all" transition at the end will be ignored.

			To do things that way, you will need variables. They do not have to be "a1", "a2", etc., they can be whatever you want to call them, but it’s good to keep things organized. This method is very useful dealing with rules with multiple states.

	<pre>		<pre>
Line 66:		Line 74:
	var a8 = {0,1}		var a8 = {0,1}
	var a9 = {0,1}		var a9 = {0,1}
	1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1		1, 1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0, 1
	1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1		1, 1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0, 1
	a1,a2,a3,a4,a5,a6,a7,a8,a9,0</pre>		a1, a2,a3,a4,a5,a6,a7,a8,a9, 0</pre>

			The reason why you need to use many variables instead of just one is because if you use just one, Golly interprets it as always referring to the same state. So on first reading it might seem as if a simple "catch-all" death transition definition like this ought to work:

			<pre>var a = {0,1}
			...
			a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, 0</pre>

			But Golly will actually not find matches with that definition, except in two rare cases. Basically, that definition gets interpreted the same way as

			<pre>0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, 0
			1, 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1, 0</pre>

	~~The reason why you need to use many variables instead~~ of ~~just one is because if you use just one it refers to~~ the ~~same one~~, ~~meaning that if a live~~ cell ~~is surrounded by 4 live neighbors,~~ it ~~will be alive~~.		This version of the "catch-all" transition line wouldn't actually catch all the other cases, where some neighbour cells are alive and some are dead. In those cases the cell would fail to turn off the way it's supposed to.

			So ... all nine separate variable definitions, a1 through a9, are needed to make this method work (except technically you can get away with just a "1" at the beginning of the line, instead of defining the "a1" variable -- see if you can see why!)

	~~Anyways~~, using the first method the entire file should now look like this:		Anyway, using the first method the entire file should now look like this:

	<pre>		<pre>

Haycat2009: Reformat

2024-06-05T04:41:25Z

Reformat

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:41, 5 June 2024
Line 96:		Line 96:
	Making multiple states in the same ruletable which simulate different rules each (referred to as a ''rule mashup'') is also an acceptable move.		Making multiple states in the same ruletable which simulate different rules each (referred to as a ''rule mashup'') is also an acceptable move.

	==Icons and Colors==		==Icons, Names and Colors==

	===Colors===		===Colors===
Line 115:		Line 115:
	Colors can be useful if you have a lot of states and it would be confusing to give nearby states similar colors.		Colors can be useful if you have a lot of states and it would be confusing to give nearby states similar colors.

	== Names ==		=== Names ===
	If you hover over states in [[LifeViewer]], you can see their name.		If you hover over states in [[LifeViewer]], you can see their name.

H. H. P. M. P. Cole at 01:10, 5 June 2024

2024-06-05T01:10:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:10, 5 June 2024
Line 42:		Line 42:
	This means that if a state 0 cell has 3 neighbors, it will become state 1. This is also where permute comes in; if we didn't have permute, say '''none''', it would only make the cell live if it is ''exactly'' the same as we put it, live on the North, North East, and East '''only''', but '''permute''' makes it so all B3 states are filled.		This means that if a state 0 cell has 3 neighbors, it will become state 1. This is also where permute comes in; if we didn't have permute, say '''none''', it would only make the cell live if it is ''exactly'' the same as we put it, live on the North, North East, and East '''only''', but '''permute''' makes it so all B3 states are filled.

	Now we'll write down the [[transition rule]]s for death. We don't write the survival [[~~condition~~]]s because the cell does not change state. Live cells in life survive if they have 2 or 3 live neighbors, hence die (from loneliness, one imagines) if they have only 0 or 1, or (from overcrowding) if they have 4 or more.		Now we'll write down the [[transition rule]]s for death. We don't write the survival [[transition rule]]s because the cell does not change state. Live cells in life survive if they have 2 or 3 live neighbors, hence die (from loneliness, one imagines) if they have only 0 or 1, or (from overcrowding) if they have 4 or more. Note that the numbers between the spaces signify the [[condition]].

	<pre>		<pre>

Haycat2009: Add iso note

2024-06-04T03:35:36Z

Add iso note

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:35, 4 June 2024
Line 26:		Line 26:
	*'''n_states''': This is how many states your rule has, '''INCLUDING''' state 0, the dead state/background, so 2 states will have live and dead states and 1 state will only have the background.		*'''n_states''': This is how many states your rule has, '''INCLUDING''' state 0, the dead state/background, so 2 states will have live and dead states and 1 state will only have the background.
	*'''neighborhood''': This is the neighborhood the rule uses, can be Moore, vonNeumann, Hexagonal, or oneDimensional, for the full list see the [https://github.com/GollyGang/ruletablerepository/wiki/RoadMap RoadMap]		*'''neighborhood''': This is the neighborhood the rule uses, can be Moore, vonNeumann, Hexagonal, or oneDimensional, for the full list see the [https://github.com/GollyGang/ruletablerepository/wiki/RoadMap RoadMap]
	*'''symmetries''': This is the invariant symmetry of each [[condition]]. Using 'none' symmetry, if you want birth at 4 neighbours, you will have to write out every single arrangement of 4 neighbours. Permute makes it easy, we will come back to that later. There are other symmetries, too. Rotate4, rotate4reflect, rotate8, and none are examples of symmetries.		*'''symmetries''': This is the invariant symmetry of each [[condition]]. Using 'none' symmetry, if you want birth at 4 neighbours, you will have to write out every single arrangement of 4 neighbours. Permute makes it easy, we will come back to that later. There are other symmetries, too. Rotate4, rotate4reflect, rotate8, and none are examples of symmetries, with rotate4reflect particularly useful for [[isotropic]] custom rules.

	Now, it is time to write the [[transition rule]]s! Here, we will make Life, B3/S23. To specify a [[transition rule]], type a string as so:		Now, it is time to write the [[transition rule]]s! Here, we will make Life, B3/S23. To specify a [[transition rule]], type a string as so: