[PLUG-Devel] Ann: PLUG Devel Meeting, Thursday, October 4th

[Alan Dayley]

hat: PLUG Developer Meeting
When: Thursday, October 4th, 2007 at 7:00 PM
Where: Adtron Corporation
Adtron Corporation
4415 E. Cotton Center Blvd., Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85040
(Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=4415+E.+Cotton+Center+Blvd.+Phoenix+AZ+85040&ie=UTF8&ll=33.402803,-111.986496&spn=0.008473,0.015535&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1)

The building in question is actually south east of the green arrow
marker.  It is the mostly square building directly south of the traffic
circle in the road.

Topic: Exploration of Robocode

There are many ways to make learning how to program or leaning a
programming language interesting.  One of them is to make a
participatory game out of it.  And robots are cool, so why not use
robots.  And simulated robots take up less space in the classroom so use
those!

We will follow this rough agenda:
- Demo a full rumble using sample robots
- Demo a few selected sample robots in battle
- Look at the code for the selected robots
- Make our own robot from a sample or from scratch
- Battle!

For clarity's sake, note that I don't have too much experience with this
program and environment.  However, I figure we can dive in and learn
together.  Or someone attending can take over.  In any case this will be
a fully interactive session.  Let's have some fun with it!

Background:

CRobots[1] appears to have been the first of this kind of game.  It has
a robot compiler that supports a C-like language for programming your
robot.  I have fond memories of running this one on the DOS machines in
the computer store where I worked in high school (early 1980's).  But,
there is a better one for modern use.

Robocode[2] was maybe developed by and was certainly supported at one
time by IBM.  It uses Java to program the robot.  You create a Java
class that defines the behavior of the robot.  The arena runs in Java
(of course) and is fully 2D and color graphics animated.  Projectiles,
explosions, movement of each robot and sound, if you want it.  It makes
for a more enjoyable spectator experience.  More information and a
tutorial are available[3]. Robocode is released under the Common Public
License[4]

Alan

[1]http://crobots.deepthought.it/home.php - This is what I thought was
the best of many CRobots pages.  (Download link in footer of the page.)

[2]http://robocode.sourceforge.net/ - No longer supported directly by
IBM, the project continues.

[3]http://robocoderepository.com/

[4]http://www.opensource.org/licenses/cpl1.0.php

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Wireless and wired Internet access are available.

We have a candy machine and soda machines that will take your money for
refreshment.  You are welcome to bring your own food.  No alcohol please.

Alan

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