User:TheWayOfTheCon/LowLife zone

LowLife
x=64, y = 64, rule = B3/S13 ! #C [[ THEME Inverse ]] #C [[ RANDOMIZE2 THUMBLAUNCH THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 GRID ZOOM 6 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 LABEL 90 -20 2 "#G" AUTOSTART PAUSE 2 GPS 8 LOOP 256 ]] LifeViewer-generated pseudorandom soup
Rulestring	13/3 B3/S13
Rule integer	5128
Character	Chaotic
Black/white reversal	B0123468/S01234678

LowLife is a Life-like rule where cells are born if they have 3 neighbors, and survive if they have one or three neighbors. This rule already has its own page — You can view it here if you like. This user page just goes into much more detail, the kind of detail that is completely unwarranted on the rule's page. This user page and its related subpages also include a lot of my own input, such as covering patterns that I think might be useful, goals I have for the rule, and why I even chose it in the first place.

Subpages of this subpage

• Useful or potentially useful patterns (WIP)
  
• Stamp collections (Even more WIP)

Why LowLife?

In 2025, I discovered Conway's Game of Life through the website Scratch, a social game-making website with a kid-oriented programming language. Despite the program's limitations, people on Scratch have made some clever things with it, such as a HashLife-compatable Conway's Game of Life simulator that's also capable of simulating alien rules. So that's where I found CGOL for the first time, and amongst my messing around with the default rule, I also looked at some of the other rules. And that's when I found it.

The rule B3/S13 was unlike the majority of rules I saw (which is probably countable on your hands). It did not grow uncontrollably, nor did it have just a few patterns. It was somewhere in the middle, and looked very promising. Granted, it felt less exciting than Life, but it was diverse. So I made some more soups, and saw the Sidewinder for the first time. Things were getting real.

In the coming weeks, I learned more about Conway's Game of Life in general because I found LifeWiki. I also created a ConwayLife account around this time. I massively expanded the LowLife page, made a few posts to its respective forum, and vanished. I didn't think finding stuff was fit for me. But in 2026, for whatever reason I decided to come back, wiser (in terms of Life knowledge) than I was before. I still have a lot left to learn, however.

In retrospect, I still think LowLife has potential to be an interesting rule, but I will note that the short lifespan of chaotic patterns and the rarity of the elementary spaceships are substantial downsides. Nevertheless, I will keep looking through and study the rule and see how far I can take it.

Goals

Just look here for now

THE BIG ONE

• Engineer a spaceship gun

Properties and behavior

For reasons I do not yet know, chaotic patterns in LowLife are extremely short lived in comparison to their Life counterparts. For example, the soups you see in the rule infobox usually stabilize in just 30 generations.

x = 16, y = 16, rule = B3/S13 o3bobo4bobo$b2o2bob4o2bobo$b4o9bo$o2bo2b2o2b3o$obo4bo3b4o$o2bo3bobo2b o$b2o8b2o$o2b3obo5bo$7o2bo2b3o$bo2b3ob2o2b4o$2bo2bo2bobo2b3o$5b2o4bo2b o$b2o2bo2bo5b2o$2bo2b2obo2bob2o$2b2o5b4o$b4ob3obobob2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 25 WIDTH 500 HEIGHT 500 ]]

After about ten minutes of manually searching 16×16 soups, the longest-living "methuselah" to come out of it takes 45 generations to stabilize.
(click above to open LifeViewer)

Because cells can only survive with one or three neighbors, straight or diagonal lines are unstable and problematic on their own. As a result, many larger, stable patterns are more nuanced in form and harder to come across naturally.

Still Lifes

As mentioned in the above paragraph, the survival condition of 1 or 3 neighbors means straight/diagonal lines (beyond the extension of the Domino and Duoplet) are hard to stabilize. As a result, many still lifes in Life will not be compatible with LowLife. In fact, the Block is the only one they share.

The Domino and Duoplet respectively are the most common still lifes, with the Block being in third. Combined, the trio have an astronomical chokehold on natural still life diversity: They comprise roughly 99.9987% of all still life occurences on Catagolue's C1 census.

This isn't to say that no simple still lifes exist beyond these three. There are a handful of larger ones that are somewhat simple in form.

Induction coils and inductees

LowLife comes with some flexible inductees that represent the majority of larger still lifes that are known to exist. I have identified and named four distinct ones.

x = 32, y = 13, rule = B3/S13 4bo5bo$3bo7bo$3b2o5b2o$3bo6bo8bo8b3o$3bo6bo6b5o5bobobo3$4bo5bo$3bo4bo 2bo7bo7bob2o$3b2o3bob2o5b5o6b2obo$2obo6bo$2obo6bo8bo8b3o$20bo6bobobo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 20 WIDTH 750 HEIGHT 300 ]]

From left to right: Fah, Sickle, Lid, and Barn. Below are examples of induction. (click above to open LifeViewer)

The Block, Duoplet, and Domino are all common induction coils, and can be interchangeable due to their simple geometries. Although, the four inductees can come in stable, mirrored pairs.

Oscillators

While LowLife is lacking in still life variety, it makes up for that with good oscillator variety. While no oscillators from Life are known to work in this rule, there are several unique oscillators that are common to come across. Many of the known oscillators in this rule are flippers.

x = 61, y = 208, rule = B3/S13 2b2o6bo4bo5bo4bo5bo$10bo4b2o3bo4bo4bobo$5bo5bo4bo4bo9bo$5bo15bo3b2o6b o$26bo4b2o$2b2o21bo$11bobo4bo$o10bobo4bobo$o10bobo5bo$20b2o$2b2o21bob o$25bobo$10bobo2bobo7bobo$11bob2obobo6bobo7$2b2o6b2o14bo2bo$17b2obo5b obo$5bo4bo2bo13b2ob2o$5bo13bob2o7bobo$12b2o15bo2bo$2b2o$25b2o$5bo$5bo 9bo2bo4b6o$14b2o2bo4bo4bo$2b2o7bo5bo5bo4bo$10bo2b2o8b6o$10bo2bo$25b2o 7$11bo14bo7bo9bo$10bo2b2o2b4o4bo6b2o21b3o$o4bo5bo8bo4bo6b2o8b5o7bo3bo $o4bo13bo5bo8bo15bo$18b2o6bo24bo$2b2o41bo5bo5bo$12bo28bo5bo3bo5b2o$5b o7bo19bo8bo2b2o3bo$5bo7bo2bo4bo2b2o6b2o8bo12bo4bo$13bo7bo2b2o8b2o6bo4b o8b4o$12bo3b2o4bo8bo2bo6bo$29b2obo12b5o$31bo$22bo8bo23b3o$13bo8b2o30b o3bo$12b2o6b2o13bo3b2o3bo$10bo2bobo5bobo12bo4bo3bo$11bobo2bo8bo10bo2b o5bo$13b2o9bob2o8bo8bo$13bo11bo9bo8bo$25bo6$2b2o$25b2o$o10bo2bo4bobob o$o9b2o6bo2bo3bo$11b2obobo4bo$2b2o7b2obobo4bo$10b2o6bo2bo3bo$5bo5bo2b o4bobobo$5bo19b2o2$2b2o7$2b2o7b2ob2o4bo4bo$10bo5bo3bo2bobo$o11bobo$o10b o3bo4bobo2bo6bo$20bo4bo8bo$2b2o27bo2bo$30bo2bob2o$o4bo22bo5bo$o4bo4b2o b2o11bo4bo5bo$13bob2o12b2obo2bo$2b2o6b2o13b2o4bo2bo$13b4o14bo$33bo7$2b 2o$15b4o$5bo8b2o2b2o$5bo4b2o3bo2bo2$15bo2bo3b2o$14b2o2b2o$5bo9b4o$5bo 7$2b2o21bo9bo$21bo2b2o3bo3bobo$o4bo7b2o6bo2bo4bo$o4bo6bo2bo6bo2bo2bo7b o$33bo2bo$2b2o8bo2bo17bo2bo$12bo2bo17bo$o4bo16bo3bo$o4bo6bo2bo5bo2b2o 8bobo$13b2o19bo$2b2o19b2o2bo$22bo3bo7$5b2o2$o2bo4bo$o2bo4bo5b2o$13bo$ 15bo$15bo$o2bo4bo$o2bo4bo2$5b2o7$5b2o8bo19bo2bobo2bo$16bo18bo2bobo2bo $o7bo7bo18bobo3bobo$o7bo8bo17bobo3bobo$19bo16bo5bo$5b2o11bo17bo5bo$21b o7b4o13b4o$o2bo16bo12b2o9b2o$o2bo18bo8b2o13b2o$23b2o4b2o17b2o$5b2o18b o$29b2o17b2o$31b2o13b2o$33b2o9b2o$29b4o13b4o$36bo5bo$20bo15bo5bo$10b2o bob3o17bobo3bobo$15b3obob2o12bobo3bobo$12bo22bo2bobo2bo$35bo2bobo2bo7$ 5b2o$18bobo6bo3b2ob2o$o2bo4bo8bo2bo6bo$o2bo4bo23bo$16b2o9bobo$5b2o10b o3bo5bo7bo$17bo3bo11bobo$o2bo4bo7b2o12bo$o2bo4bo26bo$17bo2bo6b2ob2o3b o$5b2o11bobo8$2b2o6b2o$25bo$5bo2bo4bo10bo$5bo2bo4bo10bob2o$20bo$2b2o15b o3bo$19bo$o7bo4bo5bo$o7bo4bo6bo2$2b2o6b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 3.5 WIDTH 500 HEIGHT 800 AUTOSTART GPS 4 ]]

A big collection of oscillators put together by I6_I6. Some of the oscillators here have not been reported to occur naturally. (click above to open LifeViewer)

x = 27, y = 16, rule = B3/S13 14bo3b2o$13bo4b2o$3bo4b2o4bo$b2o4b2o5bo5b2o$20b2o3$bo15bo6b2o$o2b2o3b 4o12bobo$bo9bo3b5o4bobo$10bo13b2o$9b2o2$13bo$12bo$11b4o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 18 WIDTH 500 HEIGHT 400 AUTOSTART GPS 5 ]]

The most common oscillators in the rule. Unlike in Life, the rarity of oscillators is more distributed. (click above to open LifeViewer)

Pingpong

One specific period-4 oscillator, referred on Jean-Claude Heudin's paper on this rule as the twister and apparently the pingpong on Wikimedia Commons, (I like that name better) is unique from other common oscillators in that it produces a relatively distant spark and has a quick turning motion afterwards. This has made it useful as the main component in eaters and hasslers.

x = 5, y = 3, rule = B3/S13 2bo2$5o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 50 WIDTH 500 HEIGHT 500 AUTOSTART GPS 4 ]]

The pingpong, in action. (click above to open LifeViewer)

x = 35, y = 19, rule = B3/S13 32bo2$30b5o$2bo3b2obo$obo2bob2obo$2o5bo2b4o$o2b3o4bo3bo9bo$3b2ob4o4b3o 2bo2bobo$8bo9bob2o4bo$11b2obo2b2o6bo$8bo9bob2o4bo$3b2ob4o4b3o2bo2bobo $o2b3o4bo3bo9bo$2o5bo2b4o$obo2bob2obo$2bo3b2obo$30b5o2$32bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 15 WIDTH 800 HEIGHT 500 ]]

No spaceship is safe from the pingpong. (click above to open LifeViewer)

Spaceships

LowLife has three "elementary spaceships", those that are by far the most common. They are named the Sidewinder, Creeper, and Fighter according to gliderdb.

x = 17, y = 8, rule = B3/S13 2o6bobo3bobo$8bobo3bobo$2b3o3bobo3bobo$3bo5bo5bo$9bo5bo2$15bo$15bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 32 WIDTH 700 HEIGHT 500 LABELSIZE 30 LABEL 3 -3 25 "Sidewinder" LABEL 3 -1.5 25 "c/4d" LABEL 9 -3 25 "Creeper" LABEL 9 -1.5 25 "c/4" LABEL 15 -3 25 "Fighter" LABEL 15 -1.5 25 "c/6" ]]

The elementary spaceships. (click above to open LifeViewer)

x = 161, y = 44, rule = B3/S13 2bo3bo3bo23bobo20b2o14b2o13b2o14bo21bo29b2o$b3ob3ob3o23bo17bob2o2b2ob o11b4o7b4o15bo20bobobo24b3ob2o$3bo5bo22b2o3b2o14b2obo2bob2o15bo5bo44b o24bo3b3o$3b2o2bo4b3ob3o33bo4b2o4bo13bobo3bobo18bo25bo23bobo2bo$bo5bo b2o2bob2o16bo3bo40bobobobo19bo16b3o3b2ob2o19bo2bo2bobo$bo4bo3b2o2bo13b 3o3bobo3b3o8bo2bo6bo2bo38bobo15b2ob2o4b2o20bo$o7bo8bo12b2o7b2o12b2o6b 2o15bobobobo18bobo15b2o2bo3bobo17bo4bo$2b2o3b2o8b2o13bo5bo12bo12bo13b 2o3b2o18bobo14b4obobo2bo17b2o2bobo$19bo10bo9bo10b3o8b3o12bo7bo17bobo13b o2bo3bo21b2o3b2o$bo2bo12b3o10b2o7b2o10bo12bo11b2o7b2o15b2ob2o12bo2bob 5o26bo$o3bo11b2o11bo11bo56b3ob2ob2ob3o10b2o4bo16b3ob2ob2o$2b2o11bo3bo 11bo7bo36bo9bo11b3o7b3o11b2o20bo$17bobo54bo13bo10b2o7b2o11bobo2bo19b7o $17b2o55bo13bo33b2o$75bo11bo56bobo3bo$79bo3bo58bo3bob2o$75b2o2bo3bo2b 2o55bo2bo$73bo15bo46bo6bo$74b2o2b3ob3o2b2o47bo3b4o$137bobob3o$75bobo2b obo2bobo51b2o$74b4o3bo3b4o43bo3bo$76bob3ob3obo45bo3b3ob2o$76b2obo3bob 2o44b2ob2o5b2o$77bobobobobo46bobo5b2o$77bobo3bobo40bob2o3bobo$81bo43b o2b2o4b2obo$75bob2o2bo2b2obo37bobo9b2o$74bob2o2bobo2b2obo36bo11bo$77b 2o5b2o37bo11b2o$77b2o5b2o35bo12bo$79b2ob2o36bobobo$134bo$119b2o3bo6b2o 2bo$76bobo5bobo34bo8bobo$118b2obobo7b3o$74b2obob2ob2obob2o29b3ob2o5b2o $118bo7b2obo$124bob2obo$121b2o$119bo4bo$119bo6b3o$123bo2bo$123b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ WIDTH 900 HEIGHT 500 ]]

The smallest 'non-elementary' spaceships of all known speeds: c/2, c/3, c/4, c/5, c/6, c/4d, and c/6d. (click above to open LifeViewer)

There are several other spaceships of varying speeds found by search programs.

Sidewinder

The sidewinder is the most common spaceship, moving at a speed of c/4 diagonal. However, it is still quite rare, being roughly the 23rd most common object in Catagolue's C1 census. It has glide-symmetry. In half of its phases is made of two isolated parts; the T-tetromino and Domino.

Creeper and Fighter

The creeper is the second-most common spaceship, and moves at the same speed as the sidewinder but orthogonally. The fighter is less common and is very similar in form to the creeper, with the inclusion of a domino at the front. However, having to move through this domino gives the fighter a lower speed, at c/6.

Miscellaneous patterns

Linear growth

Currently, two types of infinite growth are known, puffers and wickstretchers. I was the first to find a linear growth pattern in this rule.

x = 23, y = 52, rule = B3/S13 bo3b2o9b2o3bo$3ob2ob2ob3ob2ob2ob3o$2bo5b2obob2o5bo$4bobo3bobo3bobo$3b 3obo2bobo2bob3o$2b2o2bo9bo2b2o$2bo5b2o3b2o5bo$b2o4b2o5b2o4b2o$bo7b2ob 2o7bo$3b2o4b2ob2o4b2o$9bo3bo2$9b2ob2o$8bo5bo$7b2o5b2o$5b2obo5bob2o$7b 3o3b3o$5b2obo5bob2o2$9bo3bo$9b2ob2o$8bobobobo2$8bo5bo$7bo2bobo2bo$9bo bobo$11bo$10b3o$11bo$8b2o3b2o2$7bo2bobo2bo$6bo3bobo3bo$8b2o3b2o2$8b2o 3b2o2$7bobo3bobo$7bo7bo$8bo5bo$6b3o5b3o$5bobobo3bobobo$8bo5bo$7bo7bo$ 6bo2bo3bo2bo$7bobo3bobo2$7bobo3bobo$7bobo3bobo$6bo2bo3bo2bo$9bo3bo$10b obo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 15 WIDTH 500 HEIGHT 900 ]]

The first infinitely-growing pattern I ever laid eyes upon in this rule. (click above to open LifeViewer)

x = 158, y = 15, rule = B3/S13 17bob2o3bo$16bob2obo2bobo8bo5bo4b2o8b2o3bo$13b4o2bo5b2o2b3ob4o2b2o4bo bo7b4ob2ob3o4bo8bo3bobo59b2obo2bob2o$2bo9bo3bo4b3o2bo2bo3bo3b3o5b3ob2o 3b2o3bobo3bo2bobo3bo2b4ob2o3bo10b2o29bo6b2o11bo2bo$2bobo2bo2b3o4b4ob2o 6bo2bo2bo2b3o3bo2bo5bobo8bo2bob3o2b2o4bobobo6bo4b2o3b2o2bo17b4obo3bo4b o4b2obo2bo2bo$o4b2obo9bo12bobo8bo3b3ob2o2b2o10bo5b2o3b2o8b3obo3b4o2bo 2b2obo21b3o2bobo2bo8b2o$bo6b2o2bob2o12b2obobo9bobo8b2o8b2o23bo2bo2b2o 8bobo3bo8bob2o2b2o3b2o4b2o2b2o2bo5bobo2bo$o4b2obo9bo12bobo8bo3b3ob2o2b 2o10bo5b2o3b2o8b3o9b3o7bobo2b2ob2ob2o3bo12b2obo10bob2obo$2bobo2bo2b3o 4b4ob2o6bo2bo2bo2b3o3bo2bo5bobo8bo2bob3o2b2o4bobobo24bo3b2o2b2o18bo3b o$2bo9bo3bo4b3o2bo2bo3bo3b3o5b3ob2o3b2o3bobo3bo2bobo3bo2b4ob2o3bo23b2o b2obo2b2o3bo12b2obo10bob2obo$13b4o2bo5b2o2b3ob4o2b2o4bobo7b4ob2ob3o4b o8bo3bobo26b2o6bob2o2b2o3b2o4b2o2b2o2bo5bobo2bo$16bob2obo2bobo8bo5bo4b 2o8b2o3bo51bo4bo10b3o2bobo2bo8b2o$17bob2o3bo99b4obo3bo4bo4b2obo2bo2bo $129bo6b2o11bo2bo$145b2obo2bob2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 6 WIDTH 1000 HEIGHT 400 ]]

The first wickstretcher discovered, found by I6_I6. (click above to open LifeViewer)

x = 12, y = 16, rule = B3/S13 5bo$3bo2bob2o$b2o3bo$o4bo4b2o$4bo$2b2o7bo$2bo8bo2$9bobo$11bo$3b2ob2ob 2o$6bo2bo$7b2o$4bo$5bo$5bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 25 WIDTH 500 HEIGHT 500 ]]

The current smallest linear growth pattern, having 35 cells minimum. (click above to open LifeViewer)

Growing spaceships are also known, utilizing a wickeater to consume the debris left by a puffer.

Eaters

As mentioned previously, the pingpong is very useful in constructing eaters due to its spark.

x = 65, y = 12, rule = B3/S13 25b2o$8b5o10b3o30b5o$23bo$10bo11b3o33bo$64bo$3o31bo9b3o17bo$3b2o29bo12b 2ob2o10bobo$3o31bobo7b3o17bo$34bo29bo$10bo14bo8bo23bo2$8b5o10b5o28b5o ! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 13 WIDTH 1000 HEIGHT 400 ]]

Pingpong-based eaters for each elementary spaceship. (click above to open LifeViewer)

Only one stable spaceship eater is known, and it is for the Creeper. Stable eaters will be hard to make as most still lifes in this rule are very sensitive to sparks or collisions.

x = 9, y = 19, rule = B3/S13 3bobo$3bobo$3bobo$4bo$4bo4$3bobo$3bobo$3bobo$4bo$4bo3$2o5b2o$2o5b2o$4b o$4bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 28 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 800 ]]

The stable Creeper eater. (click above to open LifeViewer)

Hasslers

Currently, only block hasslers are known.

x = 5, y = 7, rule = B3/S13 2o$2o4$o3bo$b3o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 64 WIDTH 500 HEIGHT 600 AUTOSTART GPS 4 ]]

A small block hassler. (click above to open LifeViewer)

Wicks and fuses

LowLife has some simple wick technology. There is a simple period-2 wick that can be found naturally at short lengths. Its fuse is clean and is just one added cell. There is also a wick that is a line of dominoes, with its fuse being the T-tetromino. The fuse travels at the speed of light, although it does not burn cleanly at the end.

There is also a known diagonal wick consisting of duoplets, with its fuse being the L-tetromino.

x = 32, y = 36, rule = B3/S13 23bo$22bo2$22bo$19bobo$18bo2$18bo$15bobo$14bo2$14bo$11bobo$10bo2$10bo $6bo2bo$6b2o$5b2o4$5bobobobobobobobobobobobobo$6bobobobobobobobobobob obobo3$3bo$4b2obobobobobobobobobobobobo$6bobobobobobobobobobobobob2o5$ o$2ob2ob2ob2ob2ob2ob2ob2ob2ob2ob2o$o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 15 WIDTH 700 HEIGHT 800 ]]

A demonstration of known wick technology. (click above to open LifeViewer)

Catalysts

Very few still life catalysts are known in LowLife, as almost all reactions between still lifes and a perturbing pattern end up in either irreversible damage or complete destruction.