Since computer programs are just patterns of information, a successful program in core wars is one that replicates its pattern within the memory, so that eventually most of the memory contains its pattern rather than that of the competing program. A program must have sufficient resources in the regions of memory it occupies in order to execute. Source code is not available.
Memory is organized into informational patterns that exploit cpu time for self-replication.
Mutation generates new forms, and evolution proceeds by natural selection as different genotypes compete for cpu time and memory space. Observation of nature shows that evolution by natural selection is capable of both optimization and creativity. Artificial models of evolution have demonstrated the optimizing ability of evolution, as exemplified by the field of genetic algorithms. The creative aspects of evolution have been more elusive to model. I will present a natural model of evolution demonstrating both optimization and creativity, in which the genome consists of sequences of executable machine code.