Hexagonal game icon set against a geometric, vaporwave landscape. A bicycle leans against a palm tree.

The classic game of life in 3D and virtual reality.

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Available soon for PC on SteamVR compatible
headsets with motion controls

Gameplay

Cells live or die based on two simple rules:

  1. Live cells need x number of neighbors to survive
  2. Empty cells come to life if they have y neighbors

The one or more numbers we set determine the patterns that emerge over each generation. For instance, if we choose 5 or 6 for x and 6 for y, we can call this Life 5,6/6.

3D Life includes 14 different rule sets, each with unique behavior.

A stopwatch held by the player

Stopwatch

Controls speed and pauses play
A flashlight held by the player, shining a beam and creating new cells

Flashlight

Creates new cells

Create life in 3 ways

The player waves a shining flashlight in a wake of randomly created cells
Cyan tetrahedron

Randomly

Random but symmetric with respect to one axis (as it increases the chance of spontaneous spaceships)

The player waves a shining flashlight in a wake of frozen cells
Blue dodecahedron

Frozen

Frozen cells remain until discovored by the algorithm.

Multiple spaceships float in space
Magenta icosahedron

Spaceships

Patterns which move on their own, repeating after a number of generations.

Controls

Controller Button Stopwatch Flashlight
TriggerPlay/PauseCreate cells
Joystick or Trackpad LeftSlowerDecrease size
Joystick or Trackpad RightFasterIncrease size
Joystick Button Down—3 secsSwap controllersSwap controllers
ABXY or MenuChange rule setChange rule set
Input diagram for the default left controller indicating the joystick controls the speed and the buttons control the rule set
Input diagram for the default right controller indicating the joystick controls the size and the buttons control the rule set

Spaceships

Contains 23 known spaceships.

"Jellyfish" (#4)

Like a sea jelly, this one has radial symmetry.

  • Life 5,6/5
  • Period: 4 generations
  • Discovered: 1991 (Bays)

"Behemoth" (#13)

The largest and fastest. It can catch fellow spaceships of the same rule set.

  • Life 4,7/5
  • Period: 8 generations
  • Discovered: 2006 (Bays)

"Double Spaceship" (#8)

This one reaches the edge of the playspace and reverses direction.

  • Life 6,7,8/5
  • Period: 2 generations
  • Discovered: 1992 (Bays)

Press Kit

Logo & Wordmark

3D Life logo 3D Life logo and wordmark

Screenshots

Stopwatch held by the player in front of frozen cells
Flashlight produces frozen cells while being chased by the algorithm
Flashlight produces blue and cyan random cells
Close-up of the flashlight producing blue, purple, and magenta random cells
Stopwatch next to a group of purple and magenta cells
Flashlight produces random blue and yellow cells
Flashlight produces random magenta and yellow cells in front of a Live Cells sign reading 1,492 cells
A group of small, glider-like spaceships dot the sky
Flashlight produces random cells behind three crystals: cyan tetrahedron, blue dodecahedron, magenta icosahedron
Flashlight produces random cells behind three crystals: cyan tetrahedron, blue dodecahedron, magenta icosahedron
Swooping line of frozen cells behind three crystals: cyan tetrahedron, blue dodecahedron, magenta icosahedron
Flashlight produces random cells behind three crystals: cyan tetrahedron, blue dodecahedron, magenta icosahedron
Symmetrical group of random cells in purple, magenta, and orange
Symmetrical group of random cells in blue and purple
Symmetrical group of random cells in cyan and blue
Close-up of spaceship in fromt of three crystals
Close-up of spaceship resembling a jellyfish
Close-up of Behemoth spaceship
Random cells in front of game UI indicating 5,834 live cells, rule set #12, 3 or 7 neighbors to create cell, 5 neighbors for new cell
Flashlight producing frozen cells in fromt of game UI reading 15,036 cells, rule set #3, 6 or 7 or 8 nearby to sustain cell, 5 nearby for new cell

News & Updates

Credits