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Monday 16 December 2013

Robocode 1.9.0.0 Beta 2

The Robocode version 1.9.0.0 introduces a new robot type - the Border Sentry robot.
This is the 2nd Beta release before the final version of 1.9.0.0 comes out. So please check out the new Border Sentry out (e.g. try using the new samplesentry.BorderGuard against sample.Corners and sample.Walls.

Bug fix

(compared to version 1.8.3.0 and 1.9.0.0 Beta)
  • Fixed various issues with the Robot Editor, e.g. letters written in the wrong error when typing text fast.

New Features

  • BorderSentry interface: Added a new robot type (the BorderSentry) that allows you to implement sentry robots, which are robots that guards the walls of the battlefield against "wall-crawlers" and "corner" robots.
    • The Border Sentry robot is dedicated to Liam Noonan from Limerick Institute of Technology and the Robocode Ireland event in general. :-)
    • The inspiration for this type of robot comes from the TV series named Robot Wars.
    • Note that border sentry robots...
      • have 400 additional energy points meaning that a border sentry robot starts with 500 energy points!
      • only appear at the borders of the battlefield, when a new round is started defined by the "border sentry size", which is a game rules that can be adjusted similar to other game rules. The default border sentry size is 100 units.
      • can only make damage to other robot types within the *sentry border*, but not to robots in the "safe zone", which is the area inside the sentry border.
      • can receive damage from other robots. But robots will not gain energy points from the border sentry robots (due to Mathew Nelson's excellent point regarding using sentry robots as "Energy Batteries" ;-) ).
      • does not receive scores in the Ranking Panel nor Battle Results, even though you can see its score, like ramming damage, bullet damage etc. The goal for the border sentry robot is to be a referee, but not a player that can win or loose the battle.
    • A new method names getSentryBorderSize() has been added to the Robot classes that returns the size / attack range from the edge of the borders, where BorderSentry robots are able to hit other robot types.
    • A new method named isSentryRobot() has been added to the ScannedRobotEvent event class.
    • A new sample robot has been added named samplesentry.Guard. Try it out againt your robot(s).
    • When there is only one regular robot left on the battle field with one or more border sentry robots, the round is automatically ended.
    • A new sample robot has been added named samplesentry.BorderGuard. Try it out against your robot(s) or e.g. sample.Corners and sample.Walls.
    • An additional option has been added to the View Options in the Preferences to enable and disable the visual appearance of the sentry border, which is painted in transparent red (danger zone).
Download Robocode 1.9.0.0 Beta 2 from here
Download Robocode .NET plug-in 1.9.0.0 Beta 2 from here
Download Robot testing plug-in 1.9.0.0 Beta 2 from here