TurtleSim: Dynamic Systems Engine

Main Menu
Cosmic Simulator
Cosmic Simulator
Rubik's Cube
Rubik's Cube
Evolution Simulator
Evolution Simulator

Inspiration

We wanted to explore how far we could push Python’s built-in turtle graphics beyond simple drawings. Instead of basic visuals, we aimed to build interactive systems that demonstrate complex behaviors like physics, rendering, and evolution all within a beginner-friendly library.

What it does

TurtleSim is a dynamic simulation engine that includes three interactive systems:

A chaotic three-body cosmic simulator with real-time physics and survival stats
A 3D Rubik’s Cube with full rotation, camera, and turning controls
An evolution simulator where creatures adapt over generations with limited resources

How we built it

We build everything using Python’s turtle library, using our own logic for:

Gravitational physics for the cosmic simulator
3D transformation and projection of the cube
Modeling and mutation systems for evolution

Challenges we ran into

Challenges that we ran into include the cube logic and perception, the planet physics and their gravitational pull, and an easy way for the user to change the number of natural selection generations. Other problems also included the movement between the simulations and the home screen as many bugs appeared.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

The largest accomplishment that we are proud of is our idea coming to life for others to see without any restrictions. Seeing everything run smoothly without errors was a huge milestone.

What we learned

We have learned how to take one of the simplest libraries like turtle and turn into large complicated simulations for the users to enjoy. Also, we saw how simple mathematical rules and interactions can lead to complex and unpredictable behaviors across physics and life systems.

What's next for TurtleSim: Dynamic Systems Engine

We plan to expand TurtleSim by improving the interface and adding new simulation systems. Future ideas could include more advanced physics models, deeper evolution mechanics, and transitioning to more powerful graphics frameworks while keeping the same core concepts.