[alife] SimSoup 0.6 Artificial Chemistry Simulator and Guide Released

[Chris Gordon-Smith]

This is to announce the release of Version 0.6 of the SimSoup
Artificial Chemistry simulator for Linux, along with comprehensive
documentation ("the SimSoup Guide") covering the conceptual and
logical models underlying SimSoup, and providing a User Manual for
running the simulator.

SimSoup is available for download from:
http://www.simsoup.info/SimSoup_Download_Page.html

SimSoup has been developed as part of a project to investigate
metabolic mechanisms that may have supported Evolution at (or before)
the Origin of Life. 

It has also been used to investigate memory mechanisms that may be
relevant to the field of Biological and Chemical computing.

SimSoup models Molecules as two dimensional structures on a 'board'.
Each position on the board can be occupied by at most one Atom. New
Molecule Types are discovered in an open-ended process in which
existing Molecules are Joined or Split.

The main features of SimSoup are:

* A Chemistry: Including Molecule Types and Interaction Types 

* A Reactor: In which interactions take place between Molecules of the
various types
   
* Graphical Views of the Chemistry and Reactor: This includes display
of the Molecules / Molecule Types present and their structures

* Graphical Display of Simulation Statistics: Statistics showing the
behaviour of the simulation over time can be displayed in two
formats:-  
  
  - Time Series Plots: These show the real-time behaviour of a range
    of variables, including numbers of Molecules of each type. The
    Data Series to be displayed are selectable from various lists
        
  - Manhattan Plot: This shows the variability in the composition of
    the material in the Reactor over time 

* Scenario Display: A display of the current scenario and status
information on its progress

* Action Requests: These are requests for events to take place at
particular times. For example, an Action Request can be setup to cause
a Molecule of a particular type to be added to the Reactor at a
particular time
  
* Input Processor: This enables a simulation scenario to be defined in
a file and loaded to SimSoup. Any errors in the file are detected and
reported to the user.


I hope you will enjoy running SimSoup and reading the SimSoup Guide.
Please send any feedback to c.gordonsmith at gmail.com. It will be very
welcome.

Regards

    Chris Gordon-Smith
    www.simsoup.info