Starcore AI Pack 4.0 Reboot

[kix]

Ya know what would be good? Ironforge IRL!

what the **** are you talking about

No need to flame him for it. I'll show how you should answer TGM:

TGM, the Starcore AI packs are legendary Stock AI packs, which have never not been Stock. To change it to something like Ironforge IRL is not a good idea: Starcore will (though a DSL-S pack for DSL 2.2 AS-Rebalanced would be neat imo Starcore will be Stock, and there is definitely an audience for it) always be Unrealistic Stock. While your suggestion is not invalid or worthless, if you want a AI pack like that you'll have to make it yourself. Also, I think DSL 2.2 has more in the way of components for building IRL.

The DSL-S talk in the beggining of the topic threw me off rails..
Should i atleast make IRL IF pack?

[Avalanche]

Ya know what would be good? Ironforge IRL!

what the **** are you talking about

No need to flame him for it. I'll show how you should answer TGM:

TGM, the Starcore AI packs are legendary Stock AI packs, which have never not been Stock. To change it to something like Ironforge IRL is not a good idea: Starcore will (though a DSL-S pack for DSL 2.2 AS-Rebalanced would be neat imo Starcore will be Stock, and there is definitely an audience for it) always be Unrealistic Stock. While your suggestion is not invalid or worthless, if you want a AI pack like that you'll have to make it yourself. Also, I think DSL 2.2 has more in the way of components for building IRL.

The DSL-S talk in the beggining of the topic threw me off rails..
Should i atleast make IRL IF pack?

I don't know. Ironforge is pretty well balanced, outside of flippers being issues (but a single Beta is perfectly reasonable for a flipper), so it would be good for competitive, fight capable IRL, but it wouldn't be good for colourful, vibrant IRL designs, which is where DSL and the DSC IRL packs excel. Plus with AS's rebalance, DSL 2.2 isn't unbalanced.

Honestly making a DSL-S pack would be the best thing right now, because there isn't any DSL 2.2 DSL-S (With or without AS-Rebalance) packs out currently.

[Fracture]

Not sure what happened in this thread but anyway...

2 quick updates

Adware PLUS is now a Hammer/Popup/Clampy thing instead of a poor hammer with and odd wamming rack setup. It's obviously not the best fighter but I dig it since it's something different. Chassis has empty space since I pretty much reused the old one and there isn't anything else I could see the weight going to.

I am hoping that Ad-Aware can keep its design built to trap pop-ups (hence the name) as a counterpoint to the rest of the team. That's why I like the angled wamming rack to stop opponents from going further up while the hammer arm continuously fires away. It seems like Diablo wanted it to be representative of Rampant Puppy Love.

Seeing these drafts brings to mind another question - for bots like popups and flippers, the chassis is pretty much all the bot has in terms of "looks". If there happen to be ones with a lot of empty space, is it better to interfere with the old design by optimizing the chassis, and if so, do we feel like we have the resources to reskin all the bots for which this is done?

[Squirrel_Monkey]

Seeing these drafts brings to mind another question - for bots like popups and flippers, the chassis is pretty much all the bot has in terms of "looks". If there happen to be ones with a lot of empty space, is it better to interfere with the old design by optimizing the chassis, and if so, do we feel like we have the resources to reskin all the bots for which this is done?

We've been having this discussion in discord. I think with the large bots with very complex skins we don't really want to touch them. If the entire team is outdated Starcore mentioned we could make them disappear quietly.
Otherwise we can play around with what's possible in the current chassis like 090901 tried with XZAI 2.

In other news I've apparently committed to making the AWs better. To start I wanted to make sure I had the smallest chassis possible.
May I present a <11kg Plastic AW chassis with space for 2 RADs and pinks:

Obviously it's not always needed to have the same tiny chassis especially if the 1kg can't be used.

[Fracture]

Sounds like we want to avoid tampering with chassis then unless absolutely necessary. For larger bots it's a big part of their look and would be tough to reskin, and for small optimizations like XZAI 2 it's only a marginal boost in combat efficiency.

If you want AW chassis I can dig up the ones I posted here, you should be able to get that 11kg one down to also be a 16kg with DSA.

And some AW chassis.

(Image removed from quote.)
22.5/15.0

(Image removed from quote.)
25.5/17.0

(Image removed from quote.)
16.0/10.7

[Squirrel_Monkey]

That would be awesome Fracture.

[Fracture]

I put those three chassis on the Bot Exchange, use them as needed. Could work for weapon-spamming BW and LW as well.

[Starcore]

Ya know what would be good? Ironforge IRL!

what the **** are you talking about

No need to flame him for it. I'll show how you should answer TGM:

TGM, the Starcore AI packs are legendary Stock AI packs, which have never not been Stock. To change it to something like Ironforge IRL is not a good idea: Starcore will (though a DSL-S pack for DSL 2.2 AS-Rebalanced would be neat imo Starcore will be Stock, and there is definitely an audience for it) always be Unrealistic Stock. While your suggestion is not invalid or worthless, if you want a AI pack like that you'll have to make it yourself. Also, I think DSL 2.2 has more in the way of components for building IRL.

*Touches nose* (Meaning Avalanche is on target). The Starcore packs are about what is possible in the Botlab using Stock parts. It grew out of helping people be able to compete against each other online when you didn't know what the opponent had installed. That is why we have allowed the hidden Stock parts as well. Because if someone did a bot using them, your stock RA2 would not complain. Wanted level the playing field and teach by example awesome bots and building techniques for Stock combat.

I fully support others doing other packs with other focuses. I am fine if someone wants to do a BFE/AAM focused pack or packs based on Real Life using DSL or other sets of hopefully balanced parts to better replicate Real Life replicas and bot building efforts. I believed in it enough to be a Founding Father and CEO of DSL 1.0.

This thread and effort is about taking the Starcore v4 Alpha2 that I posted for my internal testers back in 2007 to a full release pack with any fixes and replacements as needed, opening up some slots and teams for the current community to show off and wrap it with a bow for you all.

I hope that is something people value finishing...

Starcore

[Silverfish]

I'd more than love to. It'd be an honor.

[Starcore]

I have been doing Hard Drive searches of bots that I worked on and that were sent to me for possible addition to the Starcore Pack in 2007/2008. I have brought them into 3 Botlab folders along with the bots that are currently in Starcore v4 Alpha2 for an Alpha3 release and review. This will allow testers and reviewers to be able to more conveniently review them in the Botlab.

I am currently Aing various updates that are definite improvements and will try to get that done over the next number of work nights. I will try to have an Alpha3 for people to test and review as early as this weekend (or sometime in 2017 ).

Anyone interested in being a pack tester or should I just release it to the public for review and commentary? (Items may be broken or still in need of tweaking, that is the nature of Alpha releases).

Starcore

[Avalanche]

I have been doing Hard Drive searches of bots that I worked on and that were sent to me for possible addition to the Starcore Pack in 2007/2008. I have brought them into 3 Botlab folders along with the bots that are currently in Starcore v4 Alpha2 for an Alpha3 release and review. This will allow testers and reviewers to be able to more conveniently review them in the Botlab.

I am currently Aing various updates that are definite improvements and will try to get that done over the next number of work nights. I will try to have an Alpha3 for people to test and review as early as this weekend (or sometime in 2017 ).

Anyone interested in being a pack tester or should I just release it to the public for review and commentary? (Items may be broken or still in need of tweaking, that is the nature of Alpha releases).

Starcore

Public review.

[Naryar]

i'd think a public review would be better. more opinions = better feedback.

[botbuster]

I have been doing Hard Drive searches of bots that I worked on and that were sent to me for possible addition to the Starcore Pack in 2007/2008. I have brought them into 3 Botlab folders along with the bots that are currently in Starcore v4 Alpha2 for an Alpha3 release and review. This will allow testers and reviewers to be able to more conveniently review them in the Botlab.

I am currently Aing various updates that are definite improvements and will try to get that done over the next number of work nights. I will try to have an Alpha3 for people to test and review as early as this weekend (or sometime in 2017 ).

Anyone interested in being a pack tester or should I just release it to the public for review and commentary? (Items may be broken or still in need of tweaking, that is the nature of Alpha releases).

Starcore

I would love to be one of the testers!

[Mystic2000]

If you need more builders for this, i can give it a shot, will be perfect to shake off the rust...

[Starcore]

I am pulling together a Starcore v4 Alpha3 and will include the fixes, tweaks, bot replacements and new teams that I have and get sent in time.

You are welcome to use the GTM File Host and give me links or email me your bots and teams to Starcore.RA2@gmail.com. It is a good idea to include your Forum handle in the name of the .ZIP or .RAR to help me keep track of what came from whom.

On any bot submitted (fresh or rebuilds) it best to have them themed/painted with bonus points for wired for AI and where you have a preference, the AI line showing which .py you would like used and the settings.

If using an AI.py that was not used in any of the prior Starcore packs please do include the .py (Do not seek to lulz me with a prank AI, that is a good way to get you banned from the Starcore packs).

And on another front (and to avoid a double post): Are you all fine or not fine with us using the Madiaba Smartzones in the Stock Starcore pack? (I will create a vote if multiple feelings in both directions)

• If we only use the Stock Smartzones they weigh 2KG each causing otherwise valid bots to at times to exceed the class weight when AIing them. This can cause newbie confusion and complaints but is otherwise not a problem.
• Alternatively we could use the Madiaba Smartzones that weigh 0.001KG each and seem to frequently be allowed in Stock Tournaments but that means we are adding custom components (even though only Smartzones) to a Stock Pack.

Comments?

Starcore

[Badger]

I'd be very surprised if anyone objected to mad's smartzones

[Badnik96]

mad's smartzones are basically standard nowadays so yeah theres no reason to not use them

[Starcore]

That's is what I want to hear.

Anyone else for or against using Mad's Smartzones for the Stock Starcore v4 update?

Starcore

[Squirrel_Monkey]

I'm for Mad's smartzones.
I'll try and get the bots I did to you.
Are you cool with high resolution skins?

[Starcore]

I would hope and expect that most people have better computers today than the expected standard when RA2 came out in 2003.

So, yes I have no problem with High-Resolution skins. And if hit a problem, happy to coordinate with you on reducing the color depth and/or the dimensions.

Starcore