my ($a, $c, $g, @b) = (40, 10);

$\=$/;

for my $r (0..$a) {
 $b[$r][$_] = ! int(rand($c)) ? '*' : $" for(0..$a)
}

sub g {
 my ($d, @e);
 for my $r (0..$a) {
  for (0..$a) {
   my $h=0;
   for my $i (-1..1) {
    for my $j (-1..1) {
     my ($f, $g) = ($r + $i, $_ + $j);
     next if $f < 0 || $f > $a
      || $g < 0 || $g > $a
      || !( $i || $j );
     $h++ if $b[$f][$g] ne $"
    }
   }
   $e[$r][$_] = ( $b[$r][$_] ne $" && $h == 2 ) || $h == 3
    ? '*'
    : $";
   $d++ if $e[$r][$_] ne $b[$r][$_]
  }
 }
 @b=@e;
 $d
}
do{
 print`clear`, ++$g;
 for my $r (0..$a) {
  print map { $b[$r][$_] } (0..$a)
 }
 select $&, $&, $&, .4
} while (&g)