Game selection
You can choose between different games (rule sets) in the first screen.
Main screen
Main screen where you can select the goals and follow the progress of the calculation.
Settings screen
You can customize the user interface and set advanced calculation options in the settings screen.
Database screen
In the database screen you can manage and compare different solutions that have been calculated by the tool.
Progress
by Clemens on Jan.06, 2010, under Evolution Forge 2
More progress on EF2: There is still a lot of work to do but the base engine of the user interface *compiles* 
Now I’m updating and fixing the Core, i.e. the game simulator (the part that simulates StarCraft, WarCraft etc.)… kind of a mess because in EF1 I installed a lot of optimizations… but at least I’m seeing some progress
Objectivism and Object Orientated Programming
by Clemens on Dez.28, 2009, under Programming
A very interesting paper about the parallels of the philosophy of Objectivism and Object Orientated Programming (OOP):
Object-Oriented Programming
and Objectivist Epistemology:
Parallels and Implications
Recommended if you are a programmer with some interest in logic and philosophy
Next step complete :)
by Clemens on Dez.21, 2009, under Evolution Forge 2
I’ve just finished the optimization of the redrawing. Now only those parts of the screen that really do need a redraw are redrawn. There is still some slowdown with large number of moving elements (>100) but I think some sorting and a little inaccuracy (i.e. redrawing more than it is needed but saving lots of calculations) will do the trick. Besides I’m programming a GUI, usually there aren’t so many moving parts 
Well, at least in non-fancy applications 
I need to do some additional work for those “rounded corners”, which can be problematic (well, basically it’s a transparent corner), but other than that it is ready to be connected to the Evolution Forge engine. In January I will then start with updating the Core. As soon as the SC2 beta is out I will implement the game et voila, EF2 is complete. :>
SDL Library
by Clemens on Dez.07, 2009, under Programming
Today I’ve finished the primary works on the SDL library and resource management. It’s faster, better structured and more easy to add and manage resources (text, coordinates, colors, bitmaps, videos etc.). Now I’m working on the next layer, the gui elements. Goal is to make it as program-independant as possible by moving all program-dependant data up in the next layer.
Templates, callbacks, design-patterns, resource management, garbage collection, all that becomes relevant the larger the program gets End of the month I expect to breach the 50,000 LOC barrier for the whole project, then I’ll have to research the SC2 beta version (if it ever comes out…) and create a first prototype of EF 2.0. Stay tuned!
Current developments
by Clemens on Nov.25, 2009, under Evolution Forge 2
Currently I’m continuing the development of the graphics engine of Evolution Forge. I’ve separated it into an own library and created a proper interface. Now I’m making some adjustments and bugfixing. I hope this will serve as a nice base for some future programs My plan is to recreate and then complete some of the prototypes I’ve developed over the years. Besides “Evolution Forge 2″ I really want to retry programming a “Tierra” clone, my last attempt a few years ago didn’t have enough CPU power for any evolution to be visible and I guess it was programmed in Pascal… oh well, we’ll see.
80% piracy, 0% profit from pirates
by Clemens on Okt.25, 2009, under General
A game producer has analyzed usage statistics of their I-Phone game and noted that 80% of the players in the high score list consisted of pirates and that 0% of those players bought the game later in the shop.
So much for that argument by the pirates!
heise online (german)
A video :)
by Clemens on Okt.21, 2009, under Evolution Forge 2
I added a video to the History of Evolution Forge page. Enjoy
The Evolution of Evolution Forge
by Clemens on Okt.20, 2009, under Evolution Forge 2
Foraging through an old hard disc I’ve gathered a few old development screenshots of my program “Evolution Forge”. It’s interesting to see the changes that happened from version number to version number :>
From time to time I will present a new version number and explain what has changed.
Click here to read about it.
A visit to the “Games Academy” in Frankfurt
by Clemens on Okt.14, 2009, under General
Yesterday I visited the “Games Academy” in Frankfurt. You can find their website here (german). There was a short presentation about Game Design and then an open question time about the academy itself, the game industry and the curriculum. All in all a very interesting concept. I don’t know yet if it’s worth the time but they sure offer some interesting lectures and more importantly have a very good contact to the games industry. It would be a cool addition to my degree in C.S. but I don’t know if I want to invest another two years… There is a trial course in march, I might want to join that one In the meantime I will find a work somewhere else, continue to program on my own project and maybe do some self-studying. I think I’m lacking a bit experience working with up-to-date game programming libraries/tools, I still miss those old days with ModeX when everything was easy and straightforward Now it’s all bloom and 3D
Finishing work, new perspectives…
by Clemens on Sep.20, 2009, under General
Last friday I finished a major project at university. I am working as a research assistant there and got the job to write a paper about my diploma thesis. It turned out very well, now I’m waiting for some responses to make some final adjustments. After that I have to complete a small consulting job at a different project (rearranging some code in a large software project, a virtual robot simulation), then all that is left is learning for my final exam.
New perspectives, well, I thought again about starting my promotion at university (Ph.D.) but I will wait until I have the responses of all the companies I wrote to. Currently I’m looking out into the game industry, maybe they have some interesting positions (e.g. artificial intelligence), and they pay well I have heard
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About ClawSoftware
ClawSoftware develops tools that make the power of nature available at your fingertips. By combining scientific research from economics, mathematics and biology with modern technology and an intuitive interface we have created an unique solution that allows you to solve challenging problems, optimize given solutions and enhance your creativity. Our goal is to improve the world by empowering you to understand the complexities of life. Our current project is targeting simulations of computer games which are a good testbed for real world applications.
