[Mod] basic_robot [basic_robot]

[hajo]

is there a way to query the current energylevel,

Each new running step robot has 1 energy. that is all.

So, when exactly does that happen, and how does the robot know/check ?
Does it matter if several statements are on the same line,
if they are inside a loop, or in a function ?

Looking at the result, as in

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ok=dig.up()

also doesn't help, because dig can fail for other reasons too,
e.g. protection.

BTW, I already suggested to make returncodes more detailed, e.g.

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return false,"not enough energy"

I also tried to get the bots to do some simple crafting,
e.g. with some wood in robots's inventory:

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say("Crafting101")
s="default:wood"
--pickup(8); place.forward(s); dig.forward(s)

ok=check_inventory.self(s)
if ok then  say(s.." ok") else say("no "..s) end

s="default:stick"
s="doors:door_wood"
ok=craft(s)
if ok then say(s.." ok") else say(s.." fail") end
self.remove()

So far, only very few recipes worked (e.g. "darkage:chalk", "default:snowblock").
Is there a list of working recipes ?

If there is a problem when an item can be crafted from different indigrents,
how about starting the search with the item in slot#1 of the inventory ?

[hajo]

* ROBOTS-server - Server-portrait .. Suggestions/additions
* A map at the top of that page ..
Ideas .. Bank ... Info-Point ...

The map of the central area is now updated to 2017-03, along with some other infos.

Some suggestions:
* mod for HUD - displays text for current tool when scrolling thru hotbar with mousewheel
That would be useful when there are several similar-looking items on the hotbar,
less checking, and less do/undo/change tool/redo with the wrong tree/stone etc.

* For testing that farming/fertilizer-stuff on singleplayer,
it would be nice if that was published as a mod.
Maybe some other servers might be interested in such a mod...

[hajo]

Bug:

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self.label("working")
--self.remove()

gives an #RUN ERROR when run with id=0.

BTW, it would be nice if that errormessage would include the id of the robot that failed.
(e.g. in a factory-setting, it is hard to guess which of several robots just had a problem)

Also, the sandbox-check complains about strings in comments, e.g. "_G", "for", "while".

[hajo]

Just as a reminder - the robots-mod is quite active, but all the talking and discussion
has happened online on the ROBOTS-server, and not here on the forum.

Some suggestions:
* with the new technic-capabilities, it would be nice if the robots
could use/produce/convert the energycrystals from basic_machines.

* Option for take() and insert() to use a slot number instead of an item-spec.
* also new command "swap(slot1, slot2)
This could be used to re-arrange/sort the inventory.
(Also, a starting point to introduce the concept for 'sorting' when teaching programming)

* allow select() in the sandbox, to give access to the elements in ...
E.g. say() as opposed to print() only allows a single string,
so output of several items is awkward, e.g. say("a="..a.." b="..b).
With select(), users could write their own functions with a variable number of arguments.

* new command 'turtle-interpreter': "ti(code)". E.g.

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ti("fffrrrra")

would do 3x "move.forward()", 4x "move.right()", then "activate.forward()".

* Maybe interpret uppercase commands as 'repeat command until error",
so the solution to the robot-challenge on the server could be written as

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ti("FRla")

This would make coding for the remote-control much shorter and easier.

* Also, user-definable remote-control using this ti().
E.g. define_remote(spec) where spec is a table of strings
for button-text and turtle-command, like
{"TLEFT","<", "FWD","f", TRIGHT",">", ... "ACTION", "u1"}
with u1 calling a user-defined command.

* new command "res,err = deploy.forward(code,id)".
This would work like place() and put a spawner (from inventory) in front of the robot,
load it with the program from the string code, optionally 'suggest' an id,
and return the id that was assigned (and an error-message, if any).

* Maybe add a new variable/function "self.code()"
for giving the new robot the same code as the one doing the deploy().

This could be used to populate a gameboard with robots as gamepieces (with skins),
or for 'leapfrogging' robots building a long bridge.

* self.skin() needs to return a result that tells if the specified texture could be loaded.
If the server can write an error to the logfile, it should be able to tell the user too.

* Also, a method to get a list of textures on the server available as skins.
E.g. output that list to a book in the robot's library.

* same for self.playsound() - tell if soundfile could be found&played.

* User-definable, 'simple skins', e.g. just 8x8 with 16 colors (= icons)
would be nice enough, and might provide a starting point for kid's creativity.
E.g. using a robot with such a skin as a flag / coat-of-arms.

[hajo]

rnd's robots-server is currently offline, presumably for the summer-holidays.

Edit: the robots-server is online again, with a game of ROBOTS_SKYBLOCK.

the robots-mod is quite active

The latest updates were mostly bugfixes,
but new functionality was added too:

current version, 2017-08-03:
* improved editor - makes coding easier on mobile devices
* animations for robots - mobs and player-skins
This also supports sitting, walking etc.

previous version, 2017-07-18:
* digging stone can be configured to require energy
(trees or coal can be used as fuel to generate energy)
* books with code can be encrypted now (to keep code secret)

* skins for robots (ie. you can make them look like a chest, cart, or a nyancat :)
* sounds for robots (restricted to files already on the server)

Old news from 2017-04:
* robots got technic-abilities: can grind, smelt, compress and generate energy now
(but processing gold, mese, diamonds etc. requires upgrades, much like BMs)
That means: the fully automatic, self-upgrading factory is just a matter of software now

Old news from 2017-03:
* new keyboard-buttons with big numbers

Old news from 2017-02:
* robots can craft now (better than the autocrafter from BM :)

[ManElevation]

you can do alot with this mod :P

[ManElevation]

Simple Robots tutorials
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18345

[ManElevation]

like the new texture on snowywastes?

[xisd]

I started using this mod and it is great !
I have a few question to wich I didn't find answers on the wiki or forum or readme... :

- Why is the purpose of the limited number of operation ? Is it some kind of anticheat or more a safety for the server ?
- What are the operations concerned by this limitation ? only dig and generate_power or are there other actions ?
- About the energy thing, documentation and error log could be more specific. I had to look at the mod code to figure it out and I'm still not sure to understand the upgrade system, how does it work ?
(I gathered that it is related to technic mod but I do no use it)

- If I understood correctly, only stone as a dig cost. Will this evolve or is it wanted this way ? If more are planned, using a default value for node that are not in the digcost array could be a good thing.

- I get free book in the library, even withount any privs and in survival mod. Is it normal or should it be fixed?

- Is there a way to export/import book to a text file ?(to move code around from a server to another, or to import code written in an external editor)

- Is there some documentation about the limitation of the robot in survival mod ?
I would suggest improving error messages to allow trial and error learing and adding a quick description in the in game help : things like wich operation are limited, the fact that the robot cannot fly, that digging as a cost, how to get energy and upgrade, etc...

Sorry that is a lot of questions, but I'm sure they have quick answers
Maybe I can help with implementing some of the things mentionned too (default digcost, no free books, ... ) you tell me

[rnd]

Nice that you like it:) Mainly robots mod is just convenient sandbox manager to run your lua programs ingame. Its not really intended for regular minetest players but more toward those who like programming. With it you can make your own mods as a regular player, "inside" the game while you playing.

You can try to play on ROBOTS SKYBLOCK server, it uses it. There is all sorts of stuff (you can play robots like technic, only "grinder/smelter" machines are not phyisical objects but builtin robot functions, so you "program your technic", there are mini games, puzzle construction).

1. limited number of operation has 2 purposes: 1st safety to server to prevent using stuff like for i=1,9999999 do ... end or infinite recursions and 2nd more challenge when creating stuff like tree harvesters of automated farmers.

2. i use this mod on my ROBOTS-SKYBLOCK server and there having a lot of stone is central to gameplay (lava+water stone generator), hence i added extra challenge. This way you need to set up some sort of energy production first ( maybe automate wood cutting first)

3. robots use books as universal storage device (you can safely store few 10 kbytes on book, it will just lag a lot if you try to read it as player or move between inventories). I could add check for book being present inside "library" but didnt feel it necessary at the time.

4. since if you play as admin you can do "anything", its easy to write a robot program that opens file and writes any data to it or whatever else you want.

5. im aware that i need to make help system better. For now its a lot of "code browse".

[xisd]

Thank you for the quick answer !
I may drop by the ROBOT-SKYBLOCK server when I have a more steady access to the web, for now I only use a local server.

Its not really intended for regular minetest players but more toward those who like programming.

I would like to use it as a way for regular minetest players to realize that they like programming :)

I ask all these question because of a project I've been working for a while : I am setting up a local server to run at a youth center or mediatheque, either as an open access server or as a regular (weekly or something) animated game time, or both (I hope).

So for that purpuse, I bundle together some mods in addition to the default minetest_game.

Server is in survival mode, without pvp.
The goal is to have a coherent set of features with "educationnal" possibilities but that doesn't break gameplay and progression.
Players have to dig and wander to get materials, to do what they want with it, etc., and they are free to totally miss out those features.

There are no learning imperative but the game includes things that encourages and rewards things that players are not a priori always familiar with, like collaborative work, english learning (I'm talking about french players), programming, etc, etc.

So robots are a perfect exemple of things I am looking for because, the way I see them, it is possible to play without them but learning how to use them is rewarded by having a lot of new possibilities. And Your mod as this challenging part that make it a real addition, even in survival mode, it

So with all that in mind :

1. limited number of operation has 2 purposes: 1st safety to server to prevent using stuff like for i=1,9999999 do ... end or infinite recursions

But to my understanding you still can do an infinit loop as long as you do not dig or generate power, or am I wrong?

2nd more challenge when creating stuff like tree harvesters of automated farmers.

Ok, I feared that for players new to programming, the challenge part would be an obstacle but I think I will keep it anyway.

2. i use this mod on my ROBOTS-SKYBLOCK server and there having a lot of stone is central to gameplay (lava+water stone generator), hence i added extra challenge. This way you need to set up some sort of energy production first ( maybe automate wood cutting first)

I like the idea, why not calculate energy coste based on thoughness of material ? This might be possible to by checking wich groups the node to dig

I could add check for book being present inside "library" but didnt feel it necessary at the time.

I think this is actually the only aspect that feel like a bit of a cheat on survival mode. This would be really great if you could add this check.

write a robot program that...

Now that you say it.. I should have thought of that :) !

im aware that i need to make help system better. For now its a lot of "code browse".

Maybe I can help with that part, if you are ok with those things I can do it an make a pull request on github :

- Making error messages very specific so that if program fails, you know exacly why.
- Colorizing this help menu and making it shearchable
- Adding some kind of introduction to it, detailling some aspect of the basic behavior (limited number of action, cannot be above more than one empty (air) block, ...)
(Writting in english is not my strongest suit but as long as someone can do some rereading, that should be ok)

I can also add support for translation and make the french translation but it may be better to wait until the new minetest.get_translator is fully functionnal

[hajo]

I would like to use it as a way for regular minetest players to realize that they like programming :)

local server to run at a youth center or mediatheque .. bundle together some mods
set of features with "educationnal" possibilities ..encourages and rewards collaborative work,
english learning .. programming, etc, etc.

There are some teachers on the forum, who want to use minetest in schools,
and also use robots to teach programming.

Building a robot in survival-mode is not easy (ie. it needs 6 mese),
so on the robots-server there is a shop that sells cheap robots,
to encourage using/programming robots.

im aware that i need to make help system better.

That's why I started the wiki-page about robots (see link in sig).

[hajo]

robots mod is just convenient sandbox manager .. not really intended for regular minetest players
but more toward those who like programming.

1. limited number of operation has 2 purposes:
1st safety to server to prevent using stuff like for i=1,9999999 do ... end or infinite recursions
2nd more challenge when creating stuff like tree harvesters of automated farmers.

When teaching programming, I think those features as currently implemented in the mod
are not the best way to handle these kind of problems, and kids don't need 'extra challenges'.

I would prefer extra error-messages, and maybe slowdown of the robot after a certain number of calls/loops.

on ROBOTS SKYBLOCK .. there are mini games, puzzle construction

BTW, there is a new version of the robot-mod, 2017-10-07a

Main features:
* robot_version()
* more symbols for keyboard.set() - numbers, uppercase+lowercase letters, graphics
* some more directions, to support all adjacent spaces (eg. left_up, left_down)
* boost(), to set speed of robot

* puzzle-commands, to better support programming games
** triggers & actions, eg. to detect when players reach positions
** generate/remove blocks - eg. to block/open passages
** access to inventories, game- and player-data - eg. to give rewards
** particles - eg. for visual effects

[christoferlevich]

I am very excited about this mod and I started testing the math quiz bot. All works except the players can't tell it they have answered correctly or not - nor do they get a second question.

When I hit a math quiz bot as the admin who created it, I see the first problem, the response (correct or incorrect) - and then a next problem if correct - and so on.

As a player, all I see is the first question. The only way a player would know if they got a question right is if an item (reward) is in the chest!

[hajo]

testing the math quiz bot .. players can't tell it they have answered correctly
As a player, all I see is the first question.

You need to set the spam-option:
> self.spam(0/1) (dis)enable message repeat to all

The default is to only show the first message of a robot to all players,
further messages are only shown to the owner of the robot.

Alternatives:
> self.label(text)
> self.display_text(text,linesize,size)

[christoferlevich]

You have saved the day hajo!

thank you so much!

testing the math quiz bot .. players can't tell it they have answered correctly
As a player, all I see is the first question.

You need to set the spam-option:
> self.spam(0/1) (dis)enable message repeat to all

The default is to only show the first message of a robot to all players,
further messages are only shown to the owner of the robot.

Alternatives:
> self.label(text)
> self.display_text(text,linesize,size)

[christoferlevich]

So I wanted to come back and explain why I am so very excited about your mod as it will take my 'educational sub-game' to the next level. I am sure other educators will be using it soon as well! The random math quiz 2 is virtually perfect for using it as a means to provide students with currency and/or 'rewards' for in-game use.

One of the things I deal with because I play in a classroom with 20 plus students is begging for free stuff face to face. Its harder to say no to an excited 8 yrs old who needs that lamp from the 'homedecor' mod to finish their perfect house than it is someone texting on a server. lol. With these robots, I can quickly and easily set up a means to provide that without just giving them 'free stuff'.

I am looking forward to using these amazing little coded robots in many new ways!

These robots are just what I need to inspire them to start coding in the game as well - as LUA feels like a step up from the 'OSMO' Coding (an iPad app that teaches the very basic concepts of coding), and it is OPEN SOURCE!

Many teachers in my school 'think' the sub-game we are fashioning should be released commercially. I keep trying to explain the idea behind open source doesn't involve charging kids to play a fun 'educational' game. I hope the students I am teaching come away with a heart for open source as well. :) Bravo HAJO! and a billion thanks to MD!

[hajo]

explain why I am so very excited about your mod

I wrote some bits of documentation, the mod itself is from rnd.

The random math quiz 2 .. to provide students with currency and/or 'rewards' for in-game use.
.. students begging for free stuff face to face. ..
With these robots, I can quickly and easily set up a means to provide that

Maybe you should set up some 'regular' shops too.

I am looking forward to using these amazing little coded robots in many new ways!

I have quite a few robot-programs on the wiki,
and rnd has a directory with example-programs in the mod,
as well as on the robots-server.

These robots are just what I need to inspire them to start coding in the game as well -
as LUA feels like a step up from the 'OSMO' Coding (an iPad app that teaches
the very basic concepts of coding), and it is OPEN SOURCE!

I keep trying to explain the idea behind open source

Well, FOSS is not exactly new (Linux, BSD, Apache, Firefox, OpenOffice, MySQL, GIMP, Blender etc.),
so it is hard to imagine how anybody could have missed the idea by now.

[christoferlevich]

The thought process in public ed in my district seems to be pay more for less and ignore free stuff... lol

[christoferlevich]

One more stupid question (Its stupid because I am certain the answer is obvious and I am just missing something) - but how do I make the bot talk only to the nearest player?

[christoferlevich]

Actually - I think I want to set up private messages between the person activating the robot and the robot, but I am not finding a way yet. Maybe I need to do something closed from separate from chat (like a terminal window?).
I'll keep trying different things...

[hajo]

how do I make the bot talk only to the nearest player?
I want to set up private messages between the person .. and the robot
terminal window?

> self.display_text(text,linesize,size) displays text instead of robot face
this acts pretty much as a small terminal window

> write_text.direction(text,mode) writes text to target block as infotext
with this, you can write text on nearby signs

The keypads from basic-machines can be used for text-input.

Also, robots can show a dialog/formspec to a player (see the spawn-mathquiz).

[christoferlevich]

I'd love to use the robot itself as a terminal... but I keep getting an error...
519:bad argument #1 to 'len' (string expected, got nil)

Is there an example script I can look at? I am seriously 'green' at all this.

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-- 
This simple program makes the robot 'talk', as in 'write text to the chat'.
  self.display_text(text,10,3)
say("Hello! I'm a robot.")
 say("A random number: " .. math.random() )
self.remove()   -- stop

I am trying this based on code I read in the shop bot.

Also, I can't 'find' spawn-mathquiz anywhere!

[christoferlevich]

I'd love to use the robot itself as a terminal... but I keep getting an error...
519:bad argument #1 to 'len' (string expected, got nil)

Is there an example script I can look at? I am seriously 'green' at all this.

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if not s then s=1;text = ""; for i=0,255 do text=text..string.char(i) end; self.display_text(text,16,1) end

I am trying this based on code I read in the forum. Now I have to figure out how to define 'text' as the math problem?

Also, I can't 'find' spawn-mathquiz anywhere!

[hajo]

I keep getting an error... Is there an example script I can look at?

See the first few lines of the Furnace-Feeder, eg. :

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if not pn then pn="Furnace-Feeder"
  msg=self.name().."\n"..pn
  self.display_text(msg,8,1)

  i=0
end

i=i+1
self.label(i)

if i>10 then say(pn.." done"); self.remove() end

\n is a newline-char.

If this is my first robot, (and/or the id is set to 1),
it will get the name "hajo1", so the textdisplay will show

hajo1
Furnace-
Feeder

ie. spreading the program-name over 2 lines
because the linesize is 8 chars.

Don't make the linesize too big, or the textsize will get hard to read.
Unless you really need/want specialeffects, you better keep param3, size, at 1.

Also, I can't 'find' spawn-mathquiz anywhere!

You are right, Math_quiz1 + quiz2 are both chat-based.
I'll try to dig up the program for the spawn-quiz, from the old robots-server...