CRITTERDING(1)
💖 CRITTERDING(1) 💖
okay bestie, welcome to the critterding Debian manpage — part 1 of 2, and it's a long one 💅 this is the whole page, vibe edition, nothing skipped, no cap.
🌸 NAME 🌸
crittering — Evolving Artificial Life 🦋
✨ SYNOPSIS ✨
critterding [OPTION]...💫 DESCRIPTION 💫
okay so real talk first: this manual page was written for the Debian distribution because critterding does not have a manual page of its own 😭. Everything you're about to read was pulled from the critterding --help output and the project homepage. So like, we work with what we've got 🫶.
Critterding is a "Petri dish" universe in 3D that demonstrates evolving artificial life 🔥. Your critters start out with completely random brains and bodies — full chaos, no thoughts, head empty — but they will automatically start evolving into something with much better survival skills. glow up arc fr fr 👑
Critters are informed by sensors 🎀:
- if their head touches food unit.
- their head touches another critter
- if they are able to procreate
- about their energy state
- about their age
- about the state of their joints
- what the world looks like (RGBA vision)
Critters can make use of the following motor neurons (actions) 💅:
- bend joint
- bend joint in other direction
- eat
- procreate
At default, the program sets up a small world with a relatively large amount of food units and keeps throwing in critters with randomly generated brains and bodies ✨.
After a while, one of these idiot critters will unavoidably be good enough to maintain a small population 😭.
Slowly but surely, their behaviour will become a lot less random as they demonstrate increasingly better survival skills 🌈.
🎀 KEYS 🎀
To save current settings to a profile, press "s" in the simulation 💾. It will be saved to ./default and can be loaded by using "--profile ./default".
Use F1 in the simulation for more information about keys. iykyk 🫶
👑 OPTIONS 👑
--autoload num— auto-loads your critters straight out of~/.critterding/load(default: 0, range: 0-1)--autoloadlastsaved num— auto-loads your critters out of~/.critterding/lastsavedinstead (default: 0, range: 0-1)--benchmark num— runs the critterding benchmark, let's go 🏃 (default: 0, range: 0-1)
🦋 body stuff (the whole entire physique) 🦋
--body_maxbodyparts num— max body parts a single critter can have (default: 30, range: 0-1000000)--body_maxbodypartsatbuildtime num— max body parts a brand new critter gets at build time (default: 6, range: 1-1000000)--body_maxbodypartsize num— the biggest a critter's body part is allowed to get (default: 200, range: 1-1000000)--body_maxheadsize num— the biggest a critter's head is allowed to get (default: 80, range: 1-1000000)--body_maxmutations num— max mutations that can land on a body mutant (default: 3, range: 1-1000000)--body_minbodypartsize num— the smallest a critter's body part is allowed to get (default: 20, range: 1-1000000)--body_minheadsize num— the smallest a critter's head is allowed to get (default: 30, range: 1-1000000)--body_mutationrate num— what percentage of newborns mutate their bodies (default: 10, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectaddbodypart num— the chance of adding a body part (default: 1, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectchangecolor num— the chance of changing body color (default: 1, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectchangecolor_slightly num— the chance of changing body color (default: 5, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectchangeconstraintangles num— the chance of changing a joints position angles (default: 1, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectchangeconstraintangles_slightly num— the chance of changing a joints position angles (default: 5, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectchangeconstraintlimits num— the chance of changing a joints motion limits (default: 1, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectchangeconstraintlimits_slightly num— the chance of slightly changing a joints motion limits (default: 5, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectchangeconstraintposition num— the chance of changing a joints position (default: 1, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectchangeconstraintposition_slightly num— the chance of slightly changing a joints position (default: 5, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectremovebodypart num— the chance of removing a body part (default: 1, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectrepositionhead num— the chance of repositioning head (default: 5, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectresizebodypart num— the chance of resizing a body part (default: 1, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectresizebodypart_slightly num— the chance of slightly resizing a body part (default: 5, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectresizehead num— the chance of resizing a head (default: 1, range: 0-100)--body_percentmutateeffectresizehead_slightly num— the chance of slightly resizing a head (default: 5, range: 0-100)
🧠 brain stuff (the whole entire lore) 🧠
--brain_costfiringmotorneuron num— the cost of firing a motor neuron (default: 100, range: 0-1000000)--brain_costfiringneuron num— the cost of firing a neuron (default: 10, range: 0-1000000)--brain_costhavingneuron num— the cost of having a neuron (1/100000 energy) (default: 50, range: 0-1000000)--brain_costhavingsynapse num— the cost of having a synapse (default: 1, range: 0-1000000)--brain_maxdendridicbranches num— max number of dendrites per neuron (default: 3, range: 1-1000000)--brain_maxfiringthreshold num— the maximum firingthreshold of a neuron (default: 10, range: 1-1000000)--brain_maxmutations num— max mutations that can land on a brain mutant (default: 10, range: 1-1000000)--brain_maxneurons num— max neurons per critter (default: 1000, range: 1-1000000)--brain_maxneuronsatbuildtime num— max neurons a brand new critter gets (default: 200, range: 1-1000000)--brain_maxplasticitystrengthen num— the maximum weight by which plastic synapses strengthen (default: 1000, range: 1-1000000)--brain_maxplasticityweaken num— the maximum weight by which plastic synapses weaken (default: 10000, range: 1-1000000)--brain_maxsynapses num— max synapses per neuron (default: 100, range: 1-1000000)--brain_maxsynapsesatbuildtime num— max synapses for a new neuron of a new critter (default: 40, range: 1-1000000)--brain_minfiringthreshold num— the minimum firingthreshold of a neuron (default: 2, range: 1-1000000)--brain_minneuronsatbuildtime num— minimum neurons a brand new critter gets (default: 50, range: 1-1000000)--brain_minplasticitystrengthen num— the minimum weight by which plastic synapses strengthen (default: 100, range: 1-1000000)--brain_minplasticityweaken num— the minimum weight by which plastic synapses weaken (default: 1000, range: 1-1000000)--brain_minsynapses num— minimum synapses per neuron (default: 1, range: 1-1000000)--brain_minsynapsesatbuildtime num— minimum synapses for a new neuron (default: 1, range: 1-1000000)--brain_mutate_maxdendridicbranches num— mutate this value (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_maxfiringthreshold num— mutate this value (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_minfiringthreshold num— mutate this value (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_mutateeffects num— mutate mutation effects (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_percentchanceconsistentsynapses num— mutate this value (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_percentchanceinhibitoryneuron num— mutate this value (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_percentchanceinhibitorysynapses num— mutate this value (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_percentchancemotorneuron num— mutate this value (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_percentchanceplasticneuron num— mutate this value (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_percentchancesensorysynapse num— mutate this value (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutate_plasticityfactors num— mutate min/max plasticity values (default: 0, range: 0-1)--brain_mutationrate num— what percentage of newborns mutate their brains (default: 10, range: 0-100)--brain_percentchanceconsistentsynapses num— percent chance a neurons synapses are all inhibitory or excitatory (default: 0, range: 0-100)--brain_percentchanceinhibitoryneuron num— percent chance a neuron is inhibotory (default: 50, range: 0-100)--brain_percentchanceinhibitorysynapses num— percent chance a synapse is inhibitory (default: 50, range: 0-100)--brain_percentchancemotorneuron num— percent chance a neuron is a motor neuron (default: 50, range: 0-100)--brain_percentchanceplasticneuron num— percent chance a neuron has plastic synapses (default: 20, range: 0-100)--brain_percentchancesensorysynapse num— percent change a synapse connects to an input (default: 20, range: 0-100)--brain_percentmutateeffectaddneuron num— the chance of adding a neuron (default: 1, range: 0-100)--brain_percentmutateeffectaddsynapse num— the chance of adding a synapse (default: 5, range: 0-100)--brain_percentmutateeffectaltermutable num— mutate value of a mutatable option (default: 1, range: 0-100)--brain_percentmutateeffectalterneuron num— the chance of altering a neuron (default: 2, range: 0-100)--brain_percentmutateeffectremoveneuron num— the chance of removing a neuron (default: 1, range: 0-100)--brain_percentmutateeffectremovesynapse num— the chance of removing a synapse (default: 5, range: 0-100)
🌈 critter + camera stuff (the whole entire world) 🌈
--camerasensitivity num— how sensitive the camera is (default: 20, range: 1-1000)--colormode num— colors genetically exact critters identically (default: 0, range: 0-1)--critter_autoexchangeinterval num— save critters every n seconds (default: 0, range: 0-1000000)--critter_autosaveinterval num— save critters every n seconds (default: 0, range: 0-1000000)--critter_enableomnivores num— enables critters to eat each other 💀 (default: 1, range: 0-1)--critter_insertevery num— inserts a random critter every n frames (default: 0, range: 0-1000000)--critter_killhalfat num— kill 50% of critters if population reaches n (default: 120, range: 2-1000000)--critter_maxenergy num— the absolute most energy a critter is allowed to hold. cap it, bestie. (default:5000, range:1-1000000)--critter_maxlifetime num— the most frames a critter gets to live, like a lil countdown timer on its whole existence 🕰️ (default:40000, range:1-1000000)--critter_minenergyproc num— how much energy a critter needs banked before it can procreate. no energy, no babies. (default:3000, range:1-1000000)--critter_procinterval num— the minimum number of frames that have to pass between procreations (default:20, range:1-1000000)--critter_raycastvision num— switch vision over to raycast instead of opengl ✨ (default:0, range:0-1)--critter_retinasize num— how big a critter's eye retina is 👁️ (default:8, range:1-1000)--critter_sightrange num— how far a critter can see, where10=1worldsize (default:70, range:1-1000000)--critter_startenergy num— the energy a brand new critter (adam) spawns in with 🌱 (default:3000, range:1-1000000)--drawscene num— actually draw the scene, or don't (default:1, range:0-1)--energy num— how much energy is in the system, measured by number of food cubes 🍓 (default:400, range:0-1000000)--exit_if_empty num— bail out of the simulation entirely if there are zero critters left (default:0, range:0-1)--food_maxenergy num— the most energy a single food unit can carry (default:1500, range:1-1000000)--food_maxlifetime num— the most frames a food unit sticks around for (default:40000, range:1-1000000)--food_size num— how big a food unit is (default:200, range:1-1000000)--fpslimit num— the frames-per-second the fps limiter holds you to (default:30, range:1-1000)--fsX num— fullscreen resolution along X (default:800, range:1-1000000)--fsY num— fullscreen resolution along Y (default:600, range:1-1000000)--fullscreen num— turn fullscreen mode on 🖥️ (default:0, range:0-1)--headless num— do not open a gl context, iykyk (default:0, range:0-1)--killhalf_decrenergypct num— drop energy by n percent wheneverkillhalfattriggers (default:1, range:0-100)--killhalf_decrmaxlifetimepct num— dropcritter_maxlifetimeby n wheneverkillhalfattriggers (default:0, range:0-100)--killhalf_incrworldsizeX num— bumpworldsizeXup by n wheneverkillhalfattriggers (default:0, range:0-100)--killhalf_incrworldsizeY num— bumpworldsizeYup by n wheneverkillhalfattriggers (default:0, range:0-100)--mincritters num— the minimum number of critters you're willing to have around (default:10, range:0-1000)--race num— turn the race simulation on 🏁 (default:0, range:0-1)--retinasperrow num— how many vision retinas get stacked per row onscreen (default:20, range:1-1000)--roundworld num— enable a round planet 🌍 (iconic honestly) (default:0, range:0-1)--startseed num— enable fullscreen mode (default:0, range:0-4000000000)
okay bestie yes i KNOW it says "enable fullscreen mode" on the seed option. that's literally what the page says. i am not the one who wrote it. i'm just the one reporting it faithfully. 🙈
--testworld num— a world that exists purely for test purposes 🧪 (default:0, range:0-1)--threads num— how many threads to use ⚡ (default:1, range:1-16)--worldsizeX num— the size of the world along axis X (default:23, range:1-5000)--worldsizeY num— the size of the world along axis Y (default:13, range:1-5000)--worldwalls num— put walls around the world so nobody wanders off 🧱 (default:1, range:0-1)
👀 SEE ALSO 👀
and that's the whole entire page, bestie!! 💖 you made it all the way to the bottom, which is honestly main character energy 👑
this was CRITTERDING(1), version 1.0, dated 2010-03-17 — yes she's an elder but she still serves 🎀
go forth and evolve some lil guys 🦋✨ periodt 💅
📦 where this page comes from
- debian bookworm: critterding 1.0-beta12.1-1.3+b1
- ubuntu jammy: critterding 1.0-beta12.1-1.3build1
- ubuntu noble: critterding 1.0-beta12.1-1.3build1
- 💖 girlified by deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash on : a language model's rewrite of the original, under its terms