Mechination

Mechination is a Turing complete cellular automata. That may sound complicated, but it's actually VERY simple!

Gameplay consists of placing blocks, called 'Cells,' onto a grid. After creating your design, press the Play button to watch the Cells interact with each other. There are 3 types of Cells, each with a different function:

• Pulser Cells push other Cells forward
• Magnet Cells pull other Cells backward
• Node Cells transform Pulsers into Magnets, or vice versa

Using these 3 types of Cells, you can build anything at all, including robots, flying machines, and even basic computers/video games! The possibilities are endless. Have fun creating!

Having fun? Need help? Want to see what other players have come up with, or show off your own designs? Come hang out with us on Discord!
https://discord.gg/PuBYkxbnbz

Demo videos:

Tutorial:

Working with Flying Machines:

Designing a Calculator:

If you're not sure what you want to make first, here are some ideas to get you started, from easy to hard:

(Note: some of these ideas appear in the demo videos above, so if you don't want help, try designing them yourself before watching!)

EASY:

• A robot that waves its arms and legs back and forth
• A device that moves a Cell around in a circle
• A flying machine that moves continuously in one direction (featured in the flying machine demo)

MEDIUM:

• A missile that explodes when it hits its target (i.e. sending out mini flying machines in all directions when it hits something)
  
• Basic AND/OR/NOT logic gates (AND, OR, and XOR gates are featured in the calculator demo. In the demo, 'wires' are Nodes arranged in a line, and the wires are considered 'on' when the Nodes are pushed forward, and 'off' when the Nodes are pulled back)
• Two wires that cross over each other but don't affect the other (featured in the calculator demo)
• A wall that stops a flying machine from moving forward once it arrives (featured in the flying machine demo)
  
• A flying machine that can change directions (featured in the flying machine demo)
• More complex logic gates (NAND, NOR, XAND, XOR) (an XOR gate is featuredin the calculator demo)
• A timer that performs an action every few seconds

HARD:

• A missile launcher that launches a missile every few seconds
• A flying machine that can move diagonally
• A simple calculator (if you're stuck, the calculator demo video should give you some ideas!)
• A password machine (using electrical logic, i.e. logic gates)
• A password machine (using mechanical logic, like a brain teaser puzzle box)
• An arm that can extend and retract on its own
  

EXPERT:

• A basic pong game, using a diagonally-moving flying machine as the ball
• A flying machine that contains internal logic (i.e. it contains an internal clock that controls other animations, such as flapping wings. How complex can you make a computer/mechanism that's in motion?)
• A ball that falls down stairs (or any type of simluation involving gravity)

Mechination was inspired by Conway's Game of Life, a groundbreaking cellular automata from the 1970's, and Cell Machine, an innovative game created by Sam Hogan. Mechination was designed to follow in their footsteps, making it easier for users to create complex machines than ever before!

There are two features that set Mechination apart from most other cellular automatas:

1. Reversibility. Any action can easily be undone, since Pulsers and Magnets have opposite effects, and Nodes can switch them back and forth. Any Cell pushed by a Pulser can be pulled back again if the Pulser is transformed into a Magnet, and vice versa. This ensures that machines are reliable and easy for the player to control.
2. No Cells are ever created or destroyed. This makes it easy for players to create perpetual motion devices that will not eventually fill or empty the board.