Advanced Ecosystem Simulator User Guide and Update Notes
Basic Operations
Left-click: Add particles (can be any type of organism or environmental element)
Right-click: Magnetize nearby particles, which may affect their movement or behavior (the specific effect depends on the type of particle and the simulator settings)
Particle types and their behaviors
Green/Blue (Prey): Move in groups, avoid predators, eat algae.
Red/Yellow/Light Blue/Pink (Predators): Hunt prey.
Dark Green (Algae): Stationary food source, providing energy for prey.
Orange (Decomposers): Decompose dead particles, promote the material cycle of the ecosystem. The current number is 0, and may need to be added to maintain ecological balance.
Purple (Parasites): Attach to other particles, slowly consume their energy.
Cyan (Symbiotes): Attach to other particles, providing them with some benefit (such as energy, protection, etc.).
Magenta (Mimics): Mimic the appearance of other particles to avoid predators.
Brown (Scavengers): Collect food for their group, may have a triangle icon to indicate their special status.
Special Icons
Triangle: Specially identifies Scavengers.
Large Circle: Identifies Leaders, who play a key role in the prey group, and whose behavior patterns are adjusted according to the proximity of predators.
Square: Normal particles, follow the basic behavior rules of their type.
Configuration Options
Speed: Controls the movement speed of all particles.
Prey Awareness: Prey's sensitivity to the surrounding environment, affecting how quickly they can react to escape predators.
Predator Awareness: Predators' search efficiency for prey, affecting the success rate of predation.
Random Spawn Rate: How often new particles appear randomly.
Lifespan: The lifespan of the particle, setting it to "infinite" means that the particle will not die naturally unless it is preyed or reaches other end conditions.
Update Notes
Prey Group Behavior Update: Leaders in prey groups now have three modes depending on the proximity of predators: Sleep, Escape, and Idle. This increases the complexity and realism of the behavior of the prey group, allowing them to better adapt to the changing threat of predators.
Operational suggestions
Add decomposers: Since the current number of decomposers is 0, it is recommended to add some orange decomposers to promote the material cycle and energy flow of the ecosystem.
Observe the leader behavior: By adjusting the predator proximity, observe the changes in the behavior of the leader in the prey group and understand the group dynamics in different modes.
Debug and reset: Use the "Reset" button to reset the simulator to the initial state, and use the "Start Debug" mode for more in-depth debugging and analysis.
By flexibly using these tools and settings, you can deeply explore the complexity and diversity of the ecosystem and understand the interaction between different biological and environmental factors.
