I have done little development on the Pixel Bot Project for nearly a year and
a half, as other projects and events have taken up most of my time, and it is
time to official put the project to one side.
I may, one day, come back to the Pixel Bot Project and take up where I left off
but, in the mean time, the project is on ice.
I've left the Pixel Bot Project pages to stand as a memorial to an exciting few
months of my life and as an accolade to the Euphoria Language and hope that the
project inspires others to become more involved with the Euphoria language.
| 30th Nov 1998 |
Various minor changes plus detection of last Pixel Bot standing in a
battle to the death scenario. The name of the winning Pixel Bot is now
displayed at completion of the game. Graphical Interface updated to remove trails when a Pixel Bot is removed from
the arena. |
| 26th Nov 1998 |
The maze exit and winner detection has been added so real maze solving Pixel
Bots can now be designed and run. The arena program runs at higher speed than
normal when running a maze solving scenario. |
| 21st Nov 1998 |
A Maze Generator Program has been added to the arena program and a logo
created for participating members of The Euphoria Pixel Bot Project to
use. |
| 16th Nov 1998 |
The Scan_For() function has been coded in the Arena program and the
implementation of the full API Specification ( 1.01b ) has been completed.
|
| 15th Nov 1998 |
The Scan() function has been removed from the API Specification and from the
Arena program. After a lot of thought and analysis it was decided that this
function ( so far unimplemented ) was not going to serve any useful purpose
and it was beeter to remove it now rather than later.
A Health() function has been added so that each Pixel Bot can determine its
state of health. The complete set of Euphoria Pixel Bot Project Package files (
arena.ex, frontend.e,
welcome.e and pixelbot.e ) are
now available for download as a single, very compressed, .ZIP file. This should
make getting the latest files a lot easier and quicker. |
| 14th Nov 1998 |
Quite a few internal changes have been made to add hooks for future
developments. The most obvious outward signs of change are the new Welcome / Option Settings
screen at start-up which allows the Arena program to be configured ( some of
the options aren't effective yet ) and the better use of colour on the display
when the Arena is shown. All program files now contain an explicit statement that they are
Y2K ( millennium ) compatible; something I'd forgotten to add earlier.
|
| 12th Nov 1998 |
All the project program code has been reformated to make it more readable and
comments have been added to the Arena program ( it's still not completely
documented though ) and version control has been added.
The interface between the Arena program and the Graphical Interface has
been tightened up to simplify the connectivity.
Exact details of what needs to be downloaded to particiapte in the project
have been included on the project home page. |
| 10th Nov 1998 |
Due to incredible interest in the Euphoria Pixel Bot Project; a mailing list
has been created as a general discussion forum where those who subscribe can
discuss any aspect of the Pixel Bot Project and can publish their Pixel Bot
designs. |
| 7th Nov 1998 |
The Euphoria Pixel Bot Project springs into existence.
|
The Pixel Bot Specification
|
| 15th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.01a released. The specification has beeen reviewed so that references to long range
scanning ( intended to be implemented by the, no longer available, Scan()
function in the API Specifiaction ) are removed. |
| 10th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.01 released. The Pixel Bot World and how the Pixel Bot's exist in the world has been greatly
extended to reflect their abilities as represented by the Pixel Bot API
Specification. The document has been properly structured and re-organised. |
| 7th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.00 released. This document described just the bare bones of the Pixel Bot World and very
little else.
|
The Pixel Bot API Specification
|
| 16th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.01b released. The Scan_For() function has now been documented. |
| 15th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.01a released. The Scan() function has been removed along with all references to it.
A Health() function has been added so that each Pixel Bot can determine its
state of health. |
| 13th Nov 1998 |
The program that collates the pages from various parts of the web site
development PC ready for deployment has had a bug ( a missing feature really )
corrected so that example program code is now properly formated for display. |
| 10th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.01 released. The core procedures and functions of the API have been expanded, Scan_For(),
Look_For() and messaging interface added. Various API functions have been
moved to different sections of the document and the overall structure has been
improved. |
| 7th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.00 released. The core procedures and functions of the API are defined and implemented in
version 1.00 of the Arena program.
|
The Arena Program
|
| 30th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.11 released ( 1.01b API Specification ).
Minor changes to This_Pixel_Bot_Wins() for better generic handling.
Included winner detection when all other Pixel Bot's destroyed. Winning Pixel Bot's name displayed.
|
| 26th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.10 released ( 1.01b API Specification ).
Maze exit points now generated and the positioning of Pixel Bots at start set
to reflect maze exit location. Winner detected when parent or non-clone Pixel Bot moves onto maze exit.
Variable run speed depending on arena scenario. |
| 21st Nov 1998 |
Version 1.09 released ( 1.01b API Specification ).
A Maze Generator program has been added to provide mazes to the arena program - requires maze.e to run.
|
| 15th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.08 released ( 1.01b API Specification ).
The Scan_For() function has been coded and the implementation of the full
API Specification ( 1.01b ) has been completed. Minor code changes made to improve functionality;
Added code to Listen_To() to stop a Pixel Bot listening to itself.
Added code to Ignore_From() to flush the message queue and clear the whole Listen To list.
Changed Kill_Clone() so any Pixel Bot can kill itself.
Added Graphical Interface API routines to show winning and losing Pixel Bots.
|
| 15th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.07 released ( 1.01a API Specification ). The Scan() function has been removed.
A Health() function has been added so that each Pixel Bot can determine its
state of health. |
| 14th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.06 released ( 1.01 API Specification ).
Internal handling of Clone numbering has been rationalised.
Included Welcome / Options Setting screen; now requires
welcome.e before arena.ex will run.
The Welcome Screen allows the Arena to be configured how you want it to be
so you can develop and test Pixel Bots both for debugging, maze solving and
in battle. The settings are saved between runs ( ARENA.CFG ) to make life
easier. |
| 13th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.05 released ( 1.01 API Specification ).
Added identifier for particular Pixel Bot related actions in calls to the
Graphical Interface. An anomaly in Clone_Number() has been corrected; see the comments before the
Clone_Number() function. |
| 12th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.04 released ( 1.01 API Specification )
Reduced public Graphical Interface API connection into arena.e so that there
is less chance of a user hacking the source code of arena for information to
accidentally use something in the Pixel Bot program that they shouldn't.
Note : The intention is not to stop hacking, which is still encouraged, but to
prevent misinformation being spread about what may or may not be of possible
use to a Pixel Bot program. |
| 12th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.03 released ( 1.01 API Specification ).
Removed redundant 'global' constants. Improved Kill() to recover used memory
and prevent dead Pixel Bots from getting messages. |
| 11th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.02 released ( 1.01 API Specification ).
Improved execution scheduling for dead clones; removes bugs where not all are
always killed. Internal change so health rather than damage is maintained per
Pixel Bot. Improved Graphical Interface API Specification. Added collision
detection; no effect at present. Communications API implemented but not
fully tested. |
| 10th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.01 is released ( 1.01 API Specification ).
Clone_This_Pixel_Bot() is renamed to Create_Clones() and slight code change
made. Clone() renamed Clone_Number().
Communication API's created as skeleton code - these do nothing at present.
Look_For() created and Scan_For() created as skeleton code - this does nothing
at present. The ability to kill clones is added ( incomplete ).
Graphical interfacing has been moved to a separate Graphical Interface
sub-program to increase design flexibility; Graphical Interface API skeleton
designed. |
| 9th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.00 is released ( 1.00 API Specification ).
The basic prototype is complete with all the API supported if not implemented
properly. Scan() is noticably incomplete and Fire_Laser() doesn't cause damage
in a rational way. There is a distinct lack of explantory comments in the
code.
|
The Welcome Interface
|
| 14th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.00 released A new Welcome and Option Settings screen has been added to allow the Arena
program to be configured; settings are saved between runs in a
file ( ARENA.CFG ) to make life easier when debugging.
Documentation within the program is a little sparse but most code should be
pretty much self-explanatory. The user interface is a little elementary but it does its job well; improvements
may be made later on in the project.
|
The Arena Program Graphical Interface API Specification
|
| 30th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.06 released. Removes trails when Pixel Bot is removed from the arena.
|
| 16th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.04 released. Included API calls to identify winning and losing Pixel Bots.<>
|
| 12th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.01 released. Reduced public Graphical Interface API connection into arena.e so that there
is less chance of a user hacking the source code of arena for information to
accidentally use something in the Pixel Bot program that they shouldn't.
Note : The intention is not to stop hacking, which is still encouraged, but to
prevent misinformation being spread about what may or may not be of possible
use to a Pixel Bot program. |
| 10th Nov 1998 |
Version 1.00 is released. Unfortunately the documentation of the API is less than minimal. The API will
be fully specified and documented when the Arena program is completed.
|
