bluecow@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Tobish E Smith) (05/07/91)
A new version of Robot Battle is now available via anonymous FTP at
mac.archive.umich.edu. It is in the mac/games/war directory. It has
also been posted to sumex, but their archive queue is a mile long so
it probably won't be available from there for a while. Here's a copy
of the Read Me file, for those interested:
This is version 1.1 of Robot Battle. Robot Battle is a game in which
you program robots in a language similar to BASIC (called RIPPLE) and
then watch two robots fight it out to the death, using a variety of
weapons. All the while, humans roam around the battlefield, throwing
grenades at lethargic robots and getting smooshed beneath huge metal
feet.
For those who downloaded the 1.02 version, here's a list of bug fixes/new
features in version 1.1:
1. Resolution of the nasty bugs associated with 1.02.
2. Separate b/w & color versions - smaller for b/w users, faster for color
users (the color version is compiled for '020s or greater). Only the
b/w version is being posted, to allow for quicker downloads.
If you're interested in the color version, write me e-mail and I'll
send you a copy.
3. Extensive improvements to the language. The new language is backwards
compatible with the current (1.02) version of RB, but has the following
new features:
a. No spaces needed between arguments; 10letb=c/d is a perfectly
valid line of code now
b. No carriage return is needed after the last line of a robot
program. This is a small fix, but caused a lot of confusion
c. Users can create their own variables now. In addition to still
having the ever-lovable A through Z variables, you can now have
lines such as "Harriet = George * 2". This makes for easier-to-read
robot code. Up to 200 variables can be declared per robot.
d. For/next loops. By popular demand, these have been implemented.
For/next loops can be nested up to 75 levels deep.
e. User-definable arrays. A line like "Dimension SomeArray(75)" will
create a 75-element array. You can then have lines like
"SomeArray(12)=SomeArray(5) / 6".
f. Optional line numbers. Lines numbers are only needed as labels
now. An example of a completely valid RB v1.1 robot:
Equip 1 0 0 0 0 400
For loop=1 to 36
swivel 10
zap
next
20 turn 1
goto 20
So, as you can see, line numbers are only needed on lines that you
want to branch to.
4. Shield weighting. This allows you to distribute energy to your eight
shields as you see fit.
5. All the weapons are now available for use in this version. However,
only the lasers do damage. This allows users to get a feel for the
full game by seeing how the entire system acts.
6. Miscellaneous bug fixes.
7. Snazzy new intro theme.
Tob & Chuck
Blue Cow Software
bluecow@unix.cis.pitt.edujtsweet@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Jonathan Thoma Sweet) (05/08/91)
I'm glad you finaly added some stuff. I will have to play and see how well it goes! I think those few additions (mostly the for-next and arrays) will make life a hell of a lot easier! jtsweet@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu