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'''Grandroids''' is a new project of [[Steve Grand]]'s.
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'''Grandroids''' is a cross-platform [[artificial life]] simulation and experiment in [[wikipedia:artificial general intelligence|artificial general intelligence]] being developed independently by [[Steve Grand]], the creator of [[Creatures]].  Backers of its [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1508284443/grandroids-real-artificial-life-on-your-pc Kickstarter campaign] have received several demo releases, including source code, since 2014.
  
Steve Grand, programmer of the Creatures artifical life engine, has been continuing his own research independently. His latest game expands on his philosophy of creating artificial life; "''“I mean genuine artificial life. I mean virtual creatures constructed from complex networks of virtual brain cells and biochemical reactions and genes. They’ll learn things for themselves and have their own thoughts''". More details can be found in this interview on his new [http://mashable.com/2011/03/03/artificial-life-steve-grand/#disqus_thread artificial life game]
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[[Image:Grandroid.png|thumb|alt=A screenshot from an interactive 3D game showing a reflective pond surrounded by grassy hills and trees. There is a brown mule-sized quadrupedal animal with bulging eyes and a trumpet-bell-shaped mouth wading in the water with a wide stance. |Screenshot of an early version of the Grandroids world. The creature is known as a [[Gloop]]. ]]
  
To stay true to his design principles, Steve is currently securing funding through the community via Kickstarter, rather than turn to a corporate developer. Steve's [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1508284443/grandroids-real-artificial-life-on-your-pc Grandroids Kickstarter project] contains a video detailing some of his design principles and work over the last fifteen years. More details can also be found in the game's pre-alpha FAQ hosted on the [http://stevegrand.wordpress.com/ Steve Grand blog.].
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==Technical details==
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Like Creatures, Grandroids simulates the biological processes of creatures interacting with each other, but at a more basic level. The brains, for example, output motor commands, in contrast to the high-level verb-object pairs of Creatures, and the brain architecture has been heavily guided by metrics like whether creatures are able to stand and look at stimuli.
  
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/don21a/Grandroid.png<br />
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The 3D environment has a day/night cycle, clouds, varied terrain, water and stars. The game is implemented in [[wikipedia:Unity (game_engine)|Unity]].
Screenshot of the Grandroids world (the creature is not from the game, just testing the physics).
 
  
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==Creator statement==
 
Steve says,
 
Steve says,
  
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''There’ll be an API for community extensions and tools, too, of course, and a lot more to learn about their physiology and behavior. I’m thinking in terms of creatures somewhat like orangutans in character, but we’ll see. Hopefully there will be several species. First I have to build their brains, and until a few weeks ago I was stuck on a really tricky problem in the layers of their brain that learn to recognize and classify things. But I think I’ve solved that now and I’m ready to get back to coding this week. .. I’m really excited about it potentially starting up again at long last.''"
 
''There’ll be an API for community extensions and tools, too, of course, and a lot more to learn about their physiology and behavior. I’m thinking in terms of creatures somewhat like orangutans in character, but we’ll see. Hopefully there will be several species. First I have to build their brains, and until a few weeks ago I was stuck on a really tricky problem in the layers of their brain that learn to recognize and classify things. But I think I’ve solved that now and I’m ready to get back to coding this week. .. I’m really excited about it potentially starting up again at long last.''"
  
==Gollum==
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==Test creatures==
Gollum is a test creature in Grandroids, who has two eyes, two arms and two legs, and who looks somewhat like an orangutan. He is named after the character from J. R. R. "The Lord of the Rings" series.
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''[[Gloop]]'' is a creature included with the v0.1.2 demo and shows the state of locomotion, balance and attention in the Grandroids brain architecture.  Gloops can hunt and eat [[Throg]]s.  Previous test creatures include ''[[Gollum]]'', ''[[Quad]]'', ''[[Bones (Grandroids)|Bones]]''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKRpxj5sqg8&ab_channel=SteveGrand] and ''[[Spot]]'', the latter designed to test quadrupedal walking. As of November 2022, the test creatures included with Grandroids are alpacas.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuPCQ8Xbt_Q]
  
 
==Related Links==
 
==Related Links==
*[http://www.grandroids.com/ Grandroids official website]
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*[http://www.grandroids.com Grandroids official website]
*[http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1508284443/grandroids-real-artificial-life-on-your-pc "Grandroids" Kickstarter Page]
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*[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1508284443/grandroids-real-artificial-life-on-your-pc "Grandroids" Kickstarter Page]
*[http://twitter.com/enchantedloom Steve Grand's @enchantedloom Twitter]
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*[https://twitter.com/enchantedloom Steve Grand's @enchantedloom Twitter]
*[http://stevegrand.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/grandroids-faq/ Steve Grand Blog]
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*[https://stevegrand.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/grandroids-faq/ Steve Grand Blog]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wZt_P5ZlBg Youtube video of Gollum growing hair and falling over]
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*[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WDKL-2vihuaRLHjsZCxtr6qj0oCe8lV82inwmCVrjBs/pub Grandroids Programming Diary]
*[http://mashable.com/2011/03/03/artificial-life-steve-grand/#disqus_thread Steve Grand Interview]
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*[https://www.reddit.com/r/Grandroids/ Grandroids Unofficial Subreddit]
[[Category:Related games]]
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*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wZt_P5ZlBg Video of Gollum growing hair and falling over]
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*[https://mashable.com/2011/03/03/artificial-life-steve-grand/#disqus_thread Steve Grand Interview]
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*[https://howwegettonext.com/the-brain-in-the-machine-f61559a38887#.74byxfs5w Interview with Steve Grand for How We Get to Next]
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*[https://www.technologyreview.com/s/530616/a-grand-quest-to-create-virtual-life/ A Grand Quest to Create Virtual Life - MIT Technology Review]
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[[Category:Grandroids]]
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{{Stub}}

Latest revision as of 19:39, 16 December 2022

Grandroids is a cross-platform artificial life simulation and experiment in artificial general intelligence being developed independently by Steve Grand, the creator of Creatures. Backers of its Kickstarter campaign have received several demo releases, including source code, since 2014.

A screenshot from an interactive 3D game showing a reflective pond surrounded by grassy hills and trees. There is a brown mule-sized quadrupedal animal with bulging eyes and a trumpet-bell-shaped mouth wading in the water with a wide stance.
Screenshot of an early version of the Grandroids world. The creature is known as a Gloop.

Technical details[edit]

Like Creatures, Grandroids simulates the biological processes of creatures interacting with each other, but at a more basic level. The brains, for example, output motor commands, in contrast to the high-level verb-object pairs of Creatures, and the brain architecture has been heavily guided by metrics like whether creatures are able to stand and look at stimuli.

The 3D environment has a day/night cycle, clouds, varied terrain, water and stars. The game is implemented in Unity.

Creator statement[edit]

Steve says,

"I’ve been working on the theory behind a new breed of artificial life for years, now, and recently had what I hope is the scientific breakthrough I’ve been looking for. So I’ve started work on a new game.

I don’t know what the scenario will be yet or what the final creatures will look like, but it’s basically the same concept as Creatures, except this time in 3D, with real physics and with vastly better biology and brains. Ever since C1 I’ve been trying to understand how the mammalian brain gives rise to imagination and mental imagery, and I think I’m really onto something now that can be implemented in real time on a PC (after all, computers are at least a thousand times more powerful than they were when I started writing C1). I think I have the key to an artificial life form that can actually think. Norns could react but they couldn’t think – they couldn’t make plans, have hopes or intentions, dream dreams, learn physical skills, etc. Higher consciousness can’t exist without an imagination either. It remains to be seen how smart they actually prove to be but they’ll certainly be much more realistic than the norns in lots of ways and hopefully a lot more fun to look after.

There’ll be an API for community extensions and tools, too, of course, and a lot more to learn about their physiology and behavior. I’m thinking in terms of creatures somewhat like orangutans in character, but we’ll see. Hopefully there will be several species. First I have to build their brains, and until a few weeks ago I was stuck on a really tricky problem in the layers of their brain that learn to recognize and classify things. But I think I’ve solved that now and I’m ready to get back to coding this week. .. I’m really excited about it potentially starting up again at long last."

Test creatures[edit]

Gloop is a creature included with the v0.1.2 demo and shows the state of locomotion, balance and attention in the Grandroids brain architecture. Gloops can hunt and eat Throgs. Previous test creatures include Gollum, Quad, Bones[1] and Spot, the latter designed to test quadrupedal walking. As of November 2022, the test creatures included with Grandroids are alpacas.[2]

Related Links[edit]

Editnorn.png This stub could use more information.