Darwinbots Forum
Code center => Darwinbots Program Source Code => Topic started by: MightyPenguin on February 20, 2005, 06:36:16 AM
-
I know that Numsgil is setting up a system for online help screens for the program. (By online I mean that they can be accessed from within the program while it is running). But I'm not entirely sure if he has anything to plug into the system when he gets it running.
So I'm just going to run through the program, jotting down definitions for anything I find in this thread. Feel free to chip in if you want.
First; Options in the "New Simulation" Window...
-
(anybody else think we should get that start-up window updated?)
The "Loaded Species" window, under the species tab
The dialog box displays the names of all species loaded for use in the simulation. I.e. bots that can be placed in the simulation, either at start-up by the sim itself or by the user using the robot insertion tool.
Buttons;
Add Species; Opens a Load File window for the purposes of loading a robot file into the simulation
Duplicate Species; I've never been entriely sure what this is supposed to do, let alone if it works. Not one to mess with.
Delete Species; Removes the species currently highlighted in the Adjacent Dialog Box from the sim
Delete All; Removes all species from the sim
-
Comments On The Species window, under the species tab
Displays the header notes in the robot that is currently highlighted in the loaded species dialog box's dna file.
-
Awesome idea, it's always good to get help with this stuff. I'm thinking of creating an automated tutorial (like the one Maya has, for anyone whos ever used that) that steps through how to get started. I tried showing my sister the program and I had to walk her through it.
I'm still looking for a good application to make the help files that, ahem I can 'borrow' a license for.
-
Species Starting Properties, under the species tab
All windows and buttons refer to the robot selected in the loaded species dialog box
Skin- "Change" button; randomly changes the geometric pattern inside the bot
- "Colour" drop down menu; changes the robot's skin colour to the one selected in the drop down menu. The choices are;
- Green - NOTE: Standard Practice reserves this colour for veggies
- Yellow
- Red
- Blue
- Purple
- Cyan
- Orange
- Pink
- Random - Chooses a colour with a random RGB value
- Custom - Opens a window that allows the user to manipulate the RGB values with three sliders, to create a colour of their own devising, such as beige (119, 99, 109). NOTE: Crashes the program if the user tries to exit the window without choosing "Use this Colour"
Starting position
Allows the user to bind the starting bots to a specific area by moving the four corner squares.
Individuals- The Scroll Box; Allows the user to select, either by using the scrollbars or typing a value directly into the box, how many bots will be placed in the sim at the beginning of the sim (starting bots).
- The Buttons; these set the value in the box to the value on the button
Starting Energy- The Scroll Box; Allows the user to select, either by using the scrollbars or typing a value directly into the box, how much energy each starting bot will have at the beginning of the sim.
- The Buttons; these set the value in the box to the value on the button
Autotroph
Checkbox allows indication whether the bot performs the functions of a vegtable and thus recieves energy from the sim every cycle
Blocked
Checkbox allows indication of whether or not the bot can move. True = immobile
Mutation Rates
Button opens Mutation window which contains;- General Options
- Rate Of Change Of Mutation Rates- value indicates the speed at which the other values in the window change with each generation
- Add New Variable- the odds that the program will introduce a new memory location ino the bot's dna (?)
- "Disable All Mutations" Button- sets the odds of all changes to 0:1 (zero in one)
- Multiply All Frequencies by- ?
finish later.