Conway's Game of Life - JavaFX Application

Conway's Game of Life is a captivating cellular automaton that exhibits intriguing patterns. A cellular automaton consists of a grid of cells, where each cell undergoes state changes based on a predefined set of rules over time.

Rules of the Game

The Game of Life follows a few fundamental rules:

• Survival: Any live cell with 2 or 3 live neighbours persists to the next generation.
• Underpopulation: Any live cell with fewer than 2 live neighbours dies due to underpopulation.
• Overpopulation: Any live cell with more than 3 live neighbours dies due to overpopulation.
• Reproduction: Any dead cell with exactly 3 live neighbours comes to life, simulating reproduction.

JavaFX Game of Life Simulation

This JavaFX application provides a visually engaging simulation of Conway's Game of Life. The user-friendly graphical interface enables users to interact with the cellular automaton, observe its dynamic evolution, and explore emergent patterns.

Key Features:

• Random Configuration: Begin the simulation with a dynamically generated random configuration of living cells.

• Manual Initialization: Take control and manually set your preferred initial cell configuration using your mouse.

• Basic Configurations: Explore basic configurations, including classics like the Gosper Glider Gun or the Simkin glider gun.

Preview:

Below is a glimpse of the simulation featuring a randomly generated configuration:

Prerequisites

Java Version:

This project was run on Java 17; however, it can likely be run on later versions of Java. If you don't have Java installed, you can download and install it from the official Java Download Page.

JavaFX Version and Configuration in IntelliJ:

This application runs on JavaFX version 20. To install JavaFX, visit the OpenJFX download page. Once JavaFX is installed, configure it correctly in your IDE. If you're using IntelliJ, follow these steps:

1. Unzip the JavaFX archive to create a folder named javafx-sdk-20 with subfolders legal and lib.
2. In IntelliJ, open settings (Appearance and Behavior > Path Variables).
3. Click on the + button. Under Name, write JFX_PATH and under Value, write the path to the lib subfolder of the unzipped JavaFX archive.
4. Open IntelliJ IDEA and go to the File menu.
5. Choose New Project Setup and then select Structure.
6. In the left sidebar, click on Global Libraries under the Platform Settings section.
7. In the central section, click the + button at the top and select Java from the New Global Library menu.
8. Navigate to the lib folder created during the archive decompression of OpenJFX.
9. Select all files in the lib folder and click Open.
10. Change the name of the library to "OpenJFX 20" by modifying the field next to the Name: label.
11. Click the + button under the Name: label.
12. Select the src.zip file located in the parent folder of the lib folder and click Open.
13. Click OK in the dialog box that opens.

Using JavaFX in a Project:

Now that the JavaFX library is correctly installed in your IDE, here is the way to use it in your project:

1. In the File menu, select Project Structure.
2. Click on Modules in the Project Settings section.
3. Select the Dependencies tab.
4. Click on the + button, then choose Library from the menu that opens.
5. In the window that opens, select OpenJFX 20, then click on Add Selected.

If you encounter issues, try the following:

1. In the Run menu, choose Edit Configurations.
2. Click on Modify options, then choose Add VM options.
3. In the field entitled VM options, add the following line (replace $JFX_PATH$ with your JavaFX Path): --module-path $JFX_PATH$ --add-modules javafx.controls

This setup ensures that the OpenJFX 20 library is properly configured in IntelliJ IDEA, allowing you to seamlessly integrate it into your JavaFX project.