A few years ago I had a big initiative on a sub I started, /r/Simulate, where we tried to define a multi-language API schema for making distributed simulations. We had a small successful test where data from two different server streamed updates to a central server running a basic WebGL app.

Lately, I've been thinking about ways the project could be reignited using modern crypto. Back then, I was looking at a fork of Gridcoin as a possible solution - but today with Ethereum and Golem, and 'Listener' chains like Ark (or just using Whispernet) - it might be possible to have both data processing and encrypted data delivery on the same platform.

In terms of applications - think about Google Earth but distributed, and where if you wanted to you could program cars' GPS data and render live traffic in a browser or your favorite game engine. Or you could model a Mars colony with the interplay between electrical systems, orbital satellites, biochemistry and life support. Or just build a really awesome set of simulation games that communicate with each other (like Sim City and GTA streaming data to each other, or a Civilization and a Minecraft-style sim exchanging data). Or - you could simulate crypto markets, buyers, sellers, etc, and get various networks to compete against each other for accuracy.

Anyway - thoughts on where to start would be cool. I think the biggest challenge would be trying to unlearn the server-client architecture and learn how distributed programming works, and looking at something simple to begin with would be ideal. Just getting simple encapsulated data (json if that's possible) to pass between simple virtual machines would be what I'd want to start with. Then would come utilizing CPU/GPU for certain types of simulations.

Thanks for any advice. Cheers