Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#1

Post by SuboptimalEng » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 4:37 PM UTC

Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold
github.com

Re: Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#2

Post by modeless » Sun, Jan 05, 2025, 1:23 AM UTC

I will never understand why people don't lead with the link to the live demo: https://suboptimaleng.github.io/slime-sim-webgpu/

It's very cool!

Re: Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#3

Post by miketahani » Sun, Jan 05, 2025, 2:12 AM UTC

Super cool! I was experimenting with WebGPU and various simulations a couple months ago [1] and would love to learn more about your process! Do you have a blog or something similar?

[1] https://observablehq.com/collection/@miketahani/slime

Re: Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#4

Post by SuboptimalEng » Sun, Jan 05, 2025, 2:37 AM UTC

modeless wrote: post #2

I will never understand why people don't lead with the link to the live demo: https://suboptimaleng.github.io/slime-sim-webgpu/ It's very cool!

Thanks! I didn't use the link with the live demo because it doesn't run on all devices.

Re: Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#5

Post by namjh » Sun, Jan 05, 2025, 2:58 AM UTC

Amazed that Safari does not support WebGPU even with the latest release. Opened Chrome and it works. Very cool demo!

Re: Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#6

Post by floating-io » Sun, Jan 05, 2025, 2:59 AM UTC

I had to read that title several times to make sure that it wasn't the alcohol causing it to register as "Slime Mold."

Why someone would want to simulate a slime mold is something I don't understand, but more power to ya. =)

Re: Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#7

Post by 77pt77 » Sun, Jan 05, 2025, 3:09 AM UTC

namjh wrote: post #5

Amazed that Safari does not support WebGPU even with the latest release. Opened Chrome and it works. Very cool demo!

Apple quality at its peak.

Just like iphones get the latest/newest features after top of the line Androids.

Re: Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#8

Post by dannygarcia » Sun, Jan 05, 2025, 3:40 AM UTC

namjh wrote: post #5

Amazed that Safari does not support WebGPU even with the latest release. Opened Chrome and it works. Very cool demo!

Unfortunately not out of the box but the demo runs really well on M4 chips. It can be enabled as such (I'm on Sequoia): 1. Safari > Settings > Advanced > Show features for web developers 2. Develop > Feature Flags > Search for WebGPU

Safari Tech Preview may have it enabled by default.

Re: Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#9

Post by ripleyp » Sun, Jan 05, 2025, 7:20 AM UTC

Very cool! I did a similar project last year. Really like how your result looks with the lighting setting on.

The most interesting results I got were from having multiple "variants" and giving each variant parameters for their attraction to agents of their own/other type. Implementation-wise it was a variant tag for each agent and a matrix of attraction coefficients as a uniform. Playing with the params resulted in interesting behaviors, like one variant chasing another around while they both try to avoid a third.

If you're looking for an addition to this project, I'd recommend giving it a try!

Re: Show HN: WebGPU + TypeScript Slime Mold

#10

Post by pjmlp » Sun, Jan 05, 2025, 8:15 AM UTC

77pt77 wrote: post #7

namjh wrote: post #5

Amazed that Safari does not support WebGPU even with the latest release. Opened Chrome and it works. Very cool demo!

Apple quality at its peak. Just like iphones get the latest/newest features after top of the line Androids.

Just like Firefox and Chrome on GNU/Linux, yet another example of "Works best on Chrome" TM.