Author Topic: Question about simulation starting questions  (Read 4821 times)

Offline RickDan

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Question about simulation starting questions
« on: November 17, 2014, 01:12:52 PM »
Hi everybody!

I have some questions about the starting settings on simulations.

1) If I want to test how movement functions work, what are the best settings (fluid vs solid for example; brownian movement, etc)? For example, as a newbie trying to grasp the basic concepts, I would like to see how acceleration works: I have a superbasic bot with just one gene (cond/start 10 *.up store/stop/ end) to see if the bot will just accelerate 'til the max speed and to test how fast is such acceleration in the in game world. My problem is that the bots will just wander OR they will not move at all (like when I use metal or when I use animal brownian movement).

2) Could you give a brief explanation about some physics settings, like surface, brownian movement, movement efficiency and others that are relevant?

Thanks for help!

Offline spike43884

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Re: Question about simulation starting questions
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2014, 01:58:48 PM »
Never fiddled with the brownian movement personally, I think I left it default, Generally as a rule of thumb, test in thin fluid as I've always tested it that way, and I think all the leagues use that, dont use vertical gravity for normal bots, its specialist sims that use pondmode and vertical gravity...
OK, I suggest taking purely the ANIMAL MINIMALIS movement gene, just looking at that solo, because its good at looking at the basic movement, also remember to have NO COSTS when testing movement, because otherwise your bots will loose their energy and die!
also, heres a great place to start http://wiki.darwinbots.com/w/Robot_Tutorial because honestly, I looked through those...also rickdan, if you go to 'THE BESTIARY' on these forums, and go into 'THE STARTING GATE' you will see a few bots of mine, and a lot of them still in there use different eye and movement techniques...

Also a key point to know, after you grasp the very very basics on the actual movement commands, start looking at eyes, and movement with eyes together, because they very closely link, as a set of triggers and causes, such as in my new eye/hunting system, it'll turn for how far across the vision the prey is, so if its at the far left...it'll turn quite powerfully to face it, if its only slightly left, it'll turn weakly.

Also, after grasping basic lines of code, work  your bots off either animal_minimalis or alga_minimalis, and test those 2 in action (ALGA IS A VEG BTW) and base most of your bots of them, because they're just the crucial parts for survival, so you can test 1 component at a time on them.

NOW FOR FIXING YOUR CODE:
Instead of
Code: [Select]
cond
start
10 *.up store
stop
it should be
Code: [Select]
cond
start
10 .up store
stop

Heres a rule of thumb, if your changing something in a memory address (so if its inbetween start and stop normally) then its .SYSVAR store or .SYSVAR inc or .SYSVAR dec but if your reading what the sysvar has in it (so what number is in the eye for example) you do *.SYSVAR and if you want to ask what address (number/position...like an address up a road) you do .SYSVAR
in each of those replace the SYSVAR with up, down aimdx etc. this should help you understand sysvars http://wiki.darwinbots.com/w/Sysvars
Autism can allow so much joy, and at the same time sadness to be seen. Our world is weird, and full of contradiction everywhere, yet somehow at moments seems to come together, and make near perfect sense.

Offline RickDan

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Re: Question about simulation starting questions
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2014, 04:43:53 PM »
Thanks for your advices and tips ;)

Specially the one about the * symbol. Its something so simple yet so important.

I will try right now some of your ideas.

Offline spike43884

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Re: Question about simulation starting questions
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2014, 12:03:01 PM »
Yes, also...The F1 costs is generally KEY for testing bots, I have a lot of Strong bots, because of how there programmed, but they have so much .pain (energy used per cycle) that they can't survive F1 costs, so Im getting them troubleshooted.

I suggest if you have bugs to look for the user SHADOWGOD2 as he is very good...And (I think) likes fixing code.
Autism can allow so much joy, and at the same time sadness to be seen. Our world is weird, and full of contradiction everywhere, yet somehow at moments seems to come together, and make near perfect sense.

Offline Shadowgod2

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Re: Question about simulation starting questions
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2014, 12:41:48 PM »
Hi actually I don't it's just who I am. If there is someone who I can help with anything it drives me nuts if i don't