On the Transition to Agent-Based Modeling: Implementation Strategies From Variables to Agents

This paper studies the effect of different implementation approaches on agent-based computer models. This is accomplished via four reimplementations of a simple model of self-organization. How implementation choices 'guide our hands' and lead possibly to implicit assumptions about the modeled system is also demonstrated. Furthermore, the question of what makes a model agent-based is studied. An argument is made that agent-based implementation is rather a matter of degree than a binary choice.