Geometry Node Life Sim
Do you want to take a break from the real world while also pushing limits with questionable technical implementations? I've got you covered!
This is an ecological simulation made entirely within Blender's geometry nodes system. I was able to leverage the newly added simulation zone in order to create a setup where you can simulate your own island, using simple parameters for adjusting terrain generation and various starting conditions. If you're more technically inclined or just want to see what's going on under the hood, it's all there! You can dive into the node setup and mess with it to your heart's content. I've also included the blend files that were saved at each major iteration of the project, which provides a different method to analyze the system for anyone who's interested in learning more about simulation nodes.
Here's a video where I lose my sanity (in a good way?) while developing this:
Before I was able to achieve this, I made an implementation of "Conway's Game of Life" as a proof-of-concept. You can download that for free here: https://sirrandalot.gumroad.com/l/GeometryNodeGameOfLife
Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or find any issues!
Finally, here's a more extended relaxing simulation I made using this node setup:
You'll get multiple files: The final project file containing the full geometry nodes simulation (terrain, materials, plants, creatures, etc.) as well as the collection of blend files saved at each major step in the iteration of the project.