Picovarium

Tools

Used

• Pico-8
• Visual Studio Code

Focus

Systems

• Ecosystem simulation
• Simple AI
• Balance loops

What:

A miniature ecosystem simulation. An experiment to visualize the math in self-sustained systems. Insects, plants, and small creatures coexist and interact in balance. Each organism behaves independently, eating, reproducing, and reacting to environmental changes.

Why:

Inspired by real terrariums and the challenge of capturing their complexity in minimal code to study how life-like systems can emerge from simple behaviors, and how small interactions can form natural cycles of balance and decay. The goal is finding the balance to run as a perpetual living ecosystem.

How:

• The simulation models basic ecological relationships using lightweight AI and randomization:
• Insects wander between plants searching for food and flee from predators.
• Geckos hunt insects using lunge and chase mechanics.
• Plants spread naturally using waste as nutrients.
• Microbes break down waste, closing the nutrient loop.
• Energy, reproduction, and death systems maintain dynamic population balance.
• Movement, aging, and reproduction rates are randomized to prevent predictable cycles.
• The entire system is built using simple pixel rendering (pset and shape functions) with color and size representing species hierarchy. This approach keeps everything visible and readable while maintaining high performance.