I'd like to learn how to build simulations in Unity that model real systems rather than simply faking gameplay mechanics. Examples include ecosystems, supply and demand, natural selection, and flight. I have a computer science degree, but I'm unsure what additional subjects I need to study and how deeply I need to study them. Is a first-year textbook in physics, economics, or biology enough, or would I need several more advanced texts? For the mathematical foundation, would calculus, statistics, and linear algebra cover most beginner and intermediate simulation projects? I'd also appreciate recommendations for a practical learning path or a simple project to start with.
3 Answers
There isn’t one universal prerequisite list because the required knowledge depends heavily on the system you’re modeling. A traffic simulation requires knowledge of traffic flow, while an ecosystem needs biology and ecology. Start with a specific subject, research how the real system works, and build the simplest useful model before adding complexity. You can begin with a rough model and gradually improve its realism as your understanding grows.
A genetic algorithm is a manageable first project. Represent candidate solutions as arrays of values, combine pairs to create offspring, score each result with a fitness function, and repeat the process over many generations. You can initially print each generation to the terminal instead of building a visual interface. More generally, represent your world as a state, update it once per tick or frame, and run those updates in a loop. This approach lets you learn simulation design incrementally before worrying about graphics or highly detailed mathematics.
For the math, a useful general foundation is algebra, probability and statistics, basic calculus, and some linear algebra. You won’t necessarily need advanced material at the beginning, and many simulations use only a small subset of these topics. The domain itself is usually the harder part: you need to decide which real-world rules and assumptions are important enough to include. Learn the mathematics required by the model you’re currently building rather than trying to master every subject in advance.
That makes sense. I was mainly wondering whether calculus, statistics, and linear algebra were a reasonable starting foundation, so I’ll focus on those while choosing a specific domain.