1.9.0.0 Beta

Robocode version 1.9.0.0 introduces a new robot type - the Border Sentry robot.

Bug fix

• Bug-358: Robot in default package cannot write to files. Should at least get a warning.

New Features

• BorderSentry interface: Added a new robot type (the BorderSentry) that allows you to implement sentry robots.
  • The Border Sentry robot is dedicated to Liam Noonan from Limerick Institute of Technology and Robocode Ireland in general. :-)
  • The inspiration for this type of robot comes from the TV series named Robot Wars.
  • Border sentry robots are used for guarding the borders of the battlefield and hence are useful against "wall crawlers" that try to hide at the borders like e.g. ``sample.Corners`` and ``sample.Walls``.
  • 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*.
    • can receive damage from other robots, but they will not gain additional energy points due to Mathew Nelson's point regarding "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.
  • 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.
  • 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.Guard``. Try it out againt your robot(s).
  • 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).

Changes

• Improved the UI regarding Battle Rules:
  • All Battle Rules have been assembled into one single Rules tab.
  • Number of Round has been moved from the New Battle dialog to the Rules tab.
  • Improved the visualization of the battle field size.
  • Added input validation to text fields.
• Req-64: Change default battle settings like e.g. "Number of Rounds".
• When the battle rules are changed in the user interface, Robocode will remember these as the user's default settings.
• A new Restore Defaults button has been added to get the game default settings back.

Download Robocode 1.9.0.0 Beta from here
Download Robocode .NET plug-in 1.9.0.0 Beta from here
Download Robot testing plug-in 1.9.0.0 Beta from here