gametechmods
Robot Arena => General Support => Topic started by: hal on November 19, 2015, 01:28:59 PM
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Hey everyone,
I used to play this game about 4/5 years ago and recently downloaded it again for another spin.
I was wondering if you could signpost me to some decent tutorials/guides and answer a few questions for me.
Bit of context first: When I first played the game, I made a load of Robot Wars replicas with the aim to make my own AI out of them. However, my young, naive brain at the time couldn't handle/comprehend the complicated looking process - so I gave up and stopped playing/building.
So now I've aged a few years, I've decided to give it another go. I am currently building a selection of bots from Robot Wars series one, using RA2 stock components. (Not accurate replicas as such, but my slightly altered interpretations).
Once I've finished building my bots, I'm hoping to make them in to AI with the objective of battling them in the standard RA2 arenas. - This is where my questions arise.
- Can I create custom AI with the stock version of the game? (I'm using 1.4) - Or do I need DSL/Ironforge?
- If I can create custom AI using the stock version of the game, am I limited to 3 bots per team? (If so, will I need one bot for each weight class slot?
As for the creating AI process, I have printed off the AI-Chart which I hope to have a good read of soon.
Here's my first few bots so you can see what I'm up to....
Roadblock
(https://gametechmods.com/uploads/images/9148road block.jpg)
Nemesis
(https://gametechmods.com/uploads/images/69047nemesis.jpg)
Recyclops
(https://gametechmods.com/uploads/images/9805recyclops.jpg)
Killertron
(https://gametechmods.com/uploads/images/87633killertron.jpg)
Cunning Plan
(https://gametechmods.com/uploads/images/3711cunning plan.jpg)
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I can tell you right now the most likely kind of .py you need for each robot. Roadblock looks like it would use omni (unless it has the saw on the back), nemesis uses omni or popup, recyclops uses popup or flipper, killertron uses popup, and cunning plan uses omni.
Here's some commonly used .py's to get started. (http://beetlebros.gametechmods.com/files/AIessentials.zip)
Nar AI (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=225) also has some specialty .py files for other types of robots, but the first download should cover 95% of robots.
Remember to label your buttons "Forward" for forward/backward driving, "LeftRight" for steering, "Spin" for spin motors, and "Fire" for piston/burst motors. Specialty .py's may have other controls but those 4 are the ones you'll use the most.
Starcore AI (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=198) has select_robot_computer(or something like that).gib in the UI/exhibition folder to allow you to put 6 robots on an AI team in stock.
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Thanks for the .py's, much appreciated!
So if I'm creating AI for stock and I want 6 per team, I'll need select_robot_computer(or something like that).gib from Starcaore AI? Will I still need 2 bots for each weight class or can it be 6 bots from the same weight class?
And as for smart zones, does one cover all? Or is there different smartzones for different bot types?
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you made nemisis, poorly but you made him none the less...
you and i are gonna get along jjjjjjjuuuuuuuuuuuusssssssssttttttttt fine ;)
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So if I'm creating AI for stock and I want 6 per team, I'll need select_robot_computer(or something like that).gib from Starcaore AI?
Yes. I just looked it over again and the exact file location should be UI/exhibition/selectbot_computer.gib
Will I still need 2 bots for each weight class or can it be 6 bots from the same weight class?
They can generally be any weight class. The only way that weight class actually matters is in the in-game tournament mode. Bot0 from each team appears when you enter a LW in a given tournament, Bot1 for MW, and Bot2 for HW.
Bot3, 4 and 5 never appear in the in-game tournaments. If you play exhibition mode then having Bot0 thorugh 5 be the same weight won't affect anything.
And as for smart zones, does one cover all? Or is there different smartzones for different bot types?
Smartzones are one-component-fits-all. There aren't "hammer smartzones" or "flipper smartzones" out for download. Generally you will need to enter "weapon" as the name for your smartzone. The only differences between different smartzone components are shape and weight. Madiaba's smartzones (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=237) offer more shapes for smartzones at a minimal weight so that you don't have an extra 3kg on your robot, since that's what the stock smartzones weigh.
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Amazing, think you've covered everything there Mr. AS - many thanks!
That's my weekend sorted