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[PTTG??]

You know the crazy British guy who started the Creatures series? Steve Grand?

Apparently working on Artificial Life in isolation for several years has made him crazier. I mean clinically completely bonkers... but in a good way. If you don't believe me, check out this video.

The project he's working on, explained on that website and illuminated in detail in the only partly creepy video there, can be most succinctly summed up as "Creatures 3D," though much more advanced in a number of respects. I know little at the moment, but it looks very promising.

Anyone else looking forward to this crazy man completing his crazy plan?

[lemon10]

The website that the link is hosted on is down.

[debvon]

It's back up now. Seemed to be down for 5 minute maintenance.
I support loons.


But yeeaah, this is a bit creepy.

[Biag]

The video is a bit creepy, yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if Steve could do it, though. Has anyone else read his book, Creation? It's brilliant.

[Xgamer4]

Yeah, that video is very creepy. I like his bio. "I'm just a college dropout. But I have an honorary doctorate." Guy's gotta be absolutely brilliant. I'll see how much money I have in a bit, and see if I can kick him some. I've very curious to see where this goes.

[PTTG??]

I'm thinking of getting the Guru level just to get the special tools. I wonder if I'd be allowed to share them. Or if they'll have a "randomize genetic code" button.

I am a little concerned that this won't go anywhere. If this kickstarter thing is really the only thing between himself and starvation...

That said, the projects I've had work with on Kickstarter have all been really enlightening.

[eerr]

So how many people think the project will get done in the allotted time? (12 months)

[Pnx]

So how many people think the project will get done in the allotted time? (12 months)

Not me... sort of, I think it will go through a big "alpha" phase... But be mostly done when the 12 months are up... I think this project will be interesting, seeing as the creatures series is actually more or less played out (creatures three just rounded off a few rough corners and dealt with environments mostly), honestly, with the lobe system and biochemistry system, it's more or less as detailed as can really get.

[Neonivek]

I was pissed ever since my Creatures 3 was stollen.

I doubt gandroids will replace it... but hopefully it will fulfil some aspect of my longings.

Ohh wait... they are robots... nevermind pointless

[PTTG??]

I was pissed ever since my Creatures 3 was stollen.

I doubt gandroids will replace it... but hopefully it will fulfil some aspect of my longings.
Ohh wait... they are robots... nevermind pointless

No... it's a game. The robots are just one of his other pastimes.

[Neonivek]

Still wish there was more elaboration.

I find it interesting that the horse fell down. If the creature actually needs to learn to walk itself as well as a self righting mechanism.

Still... Gangdroids are not the robots? but the O_o and the o_O with the O_io?

Unfortunately I have no money to give. We need a doctor because he needs to be injected with cash A-STAP!

[Rex_Nex]

A-STAP? Gang-Droids?

[Eagleon]

Oh god, so tempted by this... On one hand I thought Creatures was brilliant and unique, and ever since I've wanted something like it that takes advantage of modern hardware, with a more sophisticated environment for the creatures... On the other, I have no idea what this really is I don't even.

ALife as a field in artificial intelligence is pitifully and wrongfully stagnant - if he can pump some life into it to make something beyond DarwinBots and regenerate interest, it's worth every penny IMO. But I don't really have a handle on what his focus is here. I'll wait a week or so and then decide.

[Tilla]

Interested but not yet $$$ interested.

[Moogie]

I am so glad for this, you have no idea.

I loved what Creatures tried to do, and I could never understand why the world seemed to forget how popular the genre had been for that short time. How much it could have grown and expanded if more developers had taken interest. This guy was the singular driving force behind my all-time favourite 'gaming' genre (though it's much less a game, and more like a scientific experiment).

I knew he'd gone into robotics after CreatureLabs shut down, and I'd given up hope of him ever going back to pursue his initial dream of creating computerised life. Nobody else ever really stepped up to the challenge in the meantime.

I don't even want to entertain the idea that this project might fail, because if Steve gives up, ALife will be dead in its tracks. Again.