Here is my idea for a simulation of multicellular life in an aquatic environment.
Cells are 2d circular fluid dynamic shapes with the ability to reproduce, eat, spit out food, produce pheromones, stick to other cells, expand and retract. Cells are controlled by a neural network whose waits biases and architecture is controlled by genes. Cells also have a gene that controls the odds of a mutation occurring when the cell reproduces. A cell dies when it does not have enough energy or to much pressure is applied on it. When a cell dies it spews out all of its nutrients.
At the beginning of the simulation an amount of cells with random genetic code spawn in. At the same time nutrients are placed throughout the map. Nutrients will slowly trickle down to the sea floor and can be kicked back up by motion. This feature is intended to reward motion in organisms. All nutrients used up by a cell is recycled back into the system
I have just started work on this project and expect to finish it some time before the end of the school year.