An evolutionary ecosystem simulation where complex behaviors emerge from simple rules.

Preylife is a digital ecosystem that demonstrates the emergence of complex evolutionary strategies through simple probabilistic rules. Watch as creatures evolve, adapt, and develop fascinating survival strategies in real-time.

For detailed information about the simulation, check out our comprehensive guide.

• 🧬 Real-time evolution simulation
• 🔄 Complex emergent behaviors
• 🎯 Natural selection and adaptation
• 🌍 Dynamic ecosystem balance
• 📊 Population monitoring
• 🎨 Beautiful visual feedback
• ⚙️ Customizable parameters

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Start the development server:

   npm run dev

• Simulation Guide - Detailed explanation of the ecosystem
• Configuration - Customize simulation parameters
• API Documentation - Technical documentation

This project is licensed under the BSD 2-Clause License - see the LICENSE.md file for details.

If you use or modify this software, please provide appropriate credit by:

1. Retaining the copyright notice in the LICENSE.md
2. Including a reference to the original project (Preylife)
3. Indicating if changes were made

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request. For major changes, please open an issue first to discuss what you would like to change.

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Screenshot: Blue circles represent prey, yellow pentagons are predators, and green dots are food resources. The UI shows simulation controls, population statistics, and creature attributes.

• Creatures evolve four key attributes that determine their survival strategy:
  • Strength (movement speed & combat)
  • Stealth (detection & evasion)
  • Learnability (adaptation speed)
  • Longevity (lifespan & metabolism)
• Watch as populations naturally develop specialized traits:
  • Stealthy prey that excel at predator detection
  • Strong predators that dominate through raw power
  • Balanced generalists that adapt to changing conditions

• Seasonal Resource Blooms: Every 90 days, massive resource clusters appear
• Adaptive Resource Generation: Environment responds to population pressures
• Geographic Specialization: Limited movement speeds create distinct regional populations
• Natural Decay: Resources and creatures age and expire naturally

• Sophisticated Hunting: Multi-stage predator-prey encounters with stealth and strength checks
• Social Learning: Creatures can learn from successful neighbors
• Anti-Clumping Behavior: Natural territorial spacing
• Energy Economics: Realistic metabolism and activity costs

• Boom-Bust Cycles: Natural population fluctuations
• Extinction Events: Populations can die out if they fail to adapt
• Recovery Mechanics: Environmental responses help prevent complete ecosystem collapse
• Species Conversion: Rare evolutionary jumps between predator and prey roles

This simulation explores several key ecological and evolutionary concepts:

• Natural selection and adaptation
• Predator-prey population dynamics
• Evolutionary arms races
• Specialized vs. generalist strategies
• Resource competition and territorial behavior
• Population bottlenecks and recovery

1. Educational Value: Demonstrate fundamental principles of ecology and evolution
2. Research Platform: Provide a testbed for studying emergent evolutionary behaviors
3. Visual Appeal: Create an engaging visualization of complex natural processes
4. Computational Efficiency: Handle hundreds of entities with sophisticated AI in real-time

• Built with TypeScript and Three.js
• Entity Component System (ECS) architecture
• Spatial partitioning for efficient collision detection
• Configurable simulation parameters
• Real-time statistics and visualization

• Development of "speed demons" vs "stealth masters"
• Formation of territorial hunting grounds
• Emergence of specialized survival strategies

• Predator-prey cycles
• Geographic specialization
• Extinction and recolonization events
• Learning cascades through populations

• Resource clustering effects
• Seasonal migration patterns
• Niche exploitation
• Territorial boundaries

Contributions are welcome! Some areas for potential enhancement:

• Additional creature attributes
• New environmental factors
• Enhanced visualization options
• Performance optimizations
• Data collection and analysis tools

This project draws inspiration from:

• Classic predator-prey models (Lotka-Volterra equations)
• Modern ecological research
• Various open-source evolution simulators

"In nature, nothing exists alone." - Rachel Carson