Gene Pool 

I think you are right in suggesting that art, music, and math are byproducts of evolution. They are not necessary or fundamental. But if we stop eating and mating, our species dies. Then again, if we stopped doing art, music, and math, we would all die of depression. What allowed humans to have such an evolutionary advantage was abstract language, tool-building, advanced society, etc. From these abstractions of survival we have produced art and music, the Internet, and this conversation.

I found this simulation years ago and I love it. I love it's simplicity. I love that the evolution comes as a result of initial conditions rather than being explictly programmed in. I've used it in classes for teaching concepts about evolution and also as a simplified model of popultions dynamics. I also once evolved one of the most perfect swimbots and often wondered if anyone evolved one that could beat it. The one I evolved had two hind appendages and two front ones and swam like a dolphin. If you put two into an empty pool they multiplied exponentially (if you got the food spawn rate wrong they'd starve from over grazing). I pitted them against other swimbots I evolved and although some came close the "dolphin" bot always outcompeted them. I'd have competions by having empty pools with a lot of food concentrated in the middle and I'd put a pair of clones opposite ends of the food patch. I know this isn't original but I wish they could also become predators, but is hard to see how to do that without making the program too explicit and reducing the simplicty of the program.

I love showing this to my creationist friends. After they understand how the game works I tell this is basically how evolution works and they get mad at me.

Dear Mr. Ventrella, I enjoyed learning and playing with your applications more than 20 Years ago. And I am glad to see them here on RU-vid. Genepool is an excellent and fun inspiration to think about genetic algorithms and evolution in general.

This is a fantastic evolution simulator! In my opinion it should be played by students in every biology class.

Is it still being updated? I remember playing that when i was young.

They do need to update it thats for sure

Can you please explain the genotype -> phenotype mapping?

It's still 32-bit, and is no longer compatible with macOS 10.15 Catalina or any future macOS versions. It will remain this way until the source code can be recompiled, which is unlikely.

whats the name of the ipad version

Can you make it for phones too?

Have this running on the iPad, and the Airbook. Update for the iPad would be good.

Planing a 3d version?

Brilliant! I have cross bred it with my other swim bots. They're really fast and pinkish now

Is that music from spore?

The gene pool is stagnant, and I am the minister of chlorine.

I remember there was a program called Framsticks which was very similar to this, only in 3D.

what did he do?

Hi JJ. I've made a video using GenePool to explain evolution, directed mainly at people who've been tricked into or scared into shying away from an understanding of evolution, but hopefully helpful to other people as well.I hope you like it. I'll submit it as a video response to this video.

Blanket statement, refuses to answer question, refuses to look past own nose. Who's /what/ now?

The only thing I don't like about this is how most, if not all, the swimbots seem to not be able to move very well, if at all. They just flail around in one spot. The worm shaped ones can move just fine, but always go in the opposite direction they intend to go. Maybe update it so movement can work differently? And I wouldn't mind seeing the option for some bots to be born with different mate preferences.

2:45 facehugger

Those who believe in strictly evolution, nothing else, are supposed to be the most open-minded and thoughtful. If that's true, why aren't you open-minded enough to just say that anybody, Creationist or otherwise, can enjoy a game?

WE NEED AN UPDATE ! ! ! WE NEED THEM TO FEED FROM EACH OTHERS ! DEFENDERS AND AGRESSORS ! ! ! LIKE YOU SAID FEED AND MATE... BUT YOU CAN'T FEED OR MATE IF ANOTHER ONE DOES IT BEFORE YOU ! ! ! UPDATE PLEASE ! ! !

it's the creationists who are close minded.

Dear, arthurlouiskarl, I have blocked you from making further comments.

worm music

Darwin Scared me!!

When will get a version of Genepool where swimbots are male and female? Just curious ...

I guess that means you've given up..?

Two goals in life: eating and mating. Just like humans.

wtf is this

Sorry si u drive.google.com/file/d/1BhWBeJwqKNbMolfBq3bg5_HTEcAfRaNG/view?usp=drivesdk zsimmu

what the hell is a blanket statement? And what does my nose have to do with anything? I didn't answer the question cuz it didn't make sense. crazymcfobo never said that Creationists can't enjoy a game, he just said his creationists friends get mad at him. you addressed something that was never there. That's how close minded you are, you looked for something that wasn't there just to flame him.