Algodoo

In your lasers you need to add the letter e like this:

e.geom.materialName == "wood" ? {
scene.my.vel = -0.4
} : {
scene.my.vel = 0.3
}

Then they will see the wood!

What Xray said is true!

As for the variable problem, it's quite simple to move the variables to the object.

Firstly, open the script menu for the object.
Now, in the top left corner, type _(varname) = (value).
It's important to have a _ before the variable name, otherwise the variable will be declared as "volatile" and will delete itself next time the scene reloads. (this includes undo/redo)

To access the variable through the attached lasers, insert this code at the beginning of the script (i.e. right after (e)=>{)

obj = (scene.entityByGeomID((readable(entity)).geom));

­From there, you can simply access the desired variable with obj._(varname).

The same code works on thrusters.

For springs, axles, and fixjoints it's a bit more complicated as there are 2 geometries rather than just 1, but it's fairly straightforward.

Hope this helps!

This has actually inspired me to try to make my own "artificial lifeform" kind of like you can see in some old scenes by ravenplucker and darkphenix!

I've tried doing so several times in the past, but none of them were any good

This was almost 3 years ago if memory serves me right however -- so hopefully my scripting has improved just a bit.