Loopship: Difference between revisions
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{{Glossary}} | {{Glossary}} | ||
A '''loopship''' is any [[self-constructing]] [[spaceship]] that travels by repeatedly creating a signal storage loop that is large enough to hold a complete representation of the construction [[recipe]] for that same memory storage loop. Examples include the [[orthogonal loopship]], the [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]], the [[self-synthesizing glide-reflecting loopship]] and the [[ | A '''loopship''' is any [[self-constructing]] [[spaceship]] that travels by repeatedly creating a signal storage loop that is large enough to hold a complete representation of the construction [[recipe]] for that same memory storage loop. Examples include the [[orthogonal loopship]], the [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]], the [[self-synthesizing glide-reflecting loopship]] and the [[speed orthogonal loopship]]. In each case, the loop receives a single copy of the recipe, stores it, and sends out two identical copies. | ||
The first copy of the recipe is used to construct a new signal storage loop, and the second copy is directed into the new loop to repeat the cycle. The previous loop circuitry self-destructs cleanly after it has emitted two copies of its contents. | The first copy of the recipe is used to construct a new signal storage loop, and the second copy is directed into the new loop to repeat the cycle. The previous loop circuitry self-destructs cleanly after it has emitted two copies of its contents. | ||
Latest revision as of 14:25, 1 January 2023
A loopship is any self-constructing spaceship that travels by repeatedly creating a signal storage loop that is large enough to hold a complete representation of the construction recipe for that same memory storage loop. Examples include the orthogonal loopship, the self-synthesizing oblique loopship, the self-synthesizing glide-reflecting loopship and the speed orthogonal loopship. In each case, the loop receives a single copy of the recipe, stores it, and sends out two identical copies.
The first copy of the recipe is used to construct a new signal storage loop, and the second copy is directed into the new loop to repeat the cycle. The previous loop circuitry self-destructs cleanly after it has emitted two copies of its contents.
Known technology would allow for the construction of a loopship that travels diagonally, using any of several possible designs. An explicit example of a diagonal loopship has not yet been constructed. With a custom rule, a single 0E0P metacell might be considered to be a type of loopship, and could support a diagonal direction of travel. But unless custom adjustments are made to the mechanism, this will have a much more complex lifecycle than a standard loopship; among other things, it would create several extra temporary signal loops during its replication process.