Time sink #1 (first of a series)

I know you’re busy and you have better things to do so I feel I should apologize up front for bringing this I’m-not-sure-what-the-hell-it-is to your attention as it is gauranteed to waste at least 20 minutes of your valuable time …

World of Sand is Java applet-based game or scenario or whatever you want to call it published by DOFI-BLOG どふぃぶろぐ. The applet simulates four falling streams; one each of sand, water, salt, and oil. You can channel all of the streams by drawing lines and erase the lines as you see fit. You can draw “spouts” — lines that produce water; “fire” which burns the oil quickly; “wax” which “fire” burns slowly; and a big blob that I believe is called a “slug” that I haven’t yet figured out what should be done with it. There’s also a weirder yet version called Hell of Sand with little stick figure people being tomented by the torrents of falling stuff and chased by the “slug”. I think. All of the documentation is in some pictographic language so getting to the bottom of what’s going on and why is tricky. Then again, the game/simulation is bizarrely compelling. I figure that has to be a way to get a cylic system going say with fire burning oil which releases water which puts out the oil which rekindles the fire and so on … let me know if you find a way to do this. Finally if you want further weirdness check out more DOFI-BLOG どふぃぶろぐ creations: Rolling “Omusubi” New Rolling “Omusubi”　 ”Omusubi” Block Breaker) Cat Sledging　 Slug Slayer　 WAR OF THE HELL [Thanks to Jim Sterne for spotting this particular time sink.]