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https://github.com/troglobit/crobots

CROBOTS is a programming game, for (aspiring) programmers
https://github.com/troglobit/crobots

c crobots programming

Last synced: 11 months ago
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CROBOTS is a programming game, for (aspiring) programmers

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README 

          
The Original C Robots Programming Game

======================================

[![License Badge][]][License] [![GitHub Status][]][GitHub]



CROBOTS ("see-robots") is a game based on computer programming.



[![C Robots Demo][]][Demo]



Unlike arcade type games which require human inputs controlling some

object, all strategy in CROBOTS must be complete before the actual game

begins.  Game strategy is condensed into a C language program that you

design and write.  Your program controls a robot whose mission is to

seek out, track, and destroy other robots, each running different

programs.  Each robot is equally equipped, and up to four robots may

compete at once.  CROBOTS is best played among several people, each

refining their own robot program, then matching program against program.



CROBOTS consists of a C compiler, a virtual computer, and battlefield

display (text graphics only, monochrome or color).  The CROBOTS compiler

accepts a limited (but useful) subset of the C language.  The C robot

programs are aided by hardware functions to scan for opponents, start

and stop drive mechanisms, fire cannons, etc.  After the programs are

compiled and loaded into separate robots, the battle is observed.

Robots moving, missiles flying and exploding, and certain status

information are displayed on the screen, in real-time.



CROBOTS started out as DOS shareware, but is, as of Oct 23 2013, free

software under terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2.



CROBOTS has been tested and runs on Linux (GLIBC & musl libc), FreeBSD,

DragonflyBSD, macOS, and OmniOS (Illumos/OpenSolaris).  For some reason

it does not work well on NetBSD, despite many hours of debugging by the

maintainer.  Patches are most welcome!



Intended audience

-----------------



CROBOTS will most likely appeal to programmers (especially those who

think they can write the "best" programs), computer game enthusiasts,

people wishing to learn the C language, and those who are interested in

compiler design and virtual computer interpreters.



User interface

--------------



CROBOTS does not use menus, windows, pop-ups, or any other user-friendly

interface.  Since the emphasis is on designing and writing robot control

programs, CROBOTS is started as a compiler might be started, from the

command line.



![C robots action screenshot](doc/crobots.png)



Origin & References

-------------------



This is the original CROBOTS game, by [Tom Poindexter][] from 1985.  It

was first ported to Linux by Pablo Algar in 2018.  Please don't bother

Tom with email or patches, he will probably **not** be updating CROBOTS

any more.



Instead, send patches or GitHub pull requests to this project.  It is

the logical continuation of Tom's project and has the explicit goal of

gathering (sane) patches from all forks out there.  Some of them work

just as well, but this one has the explicit goal of retaining the true

spirit of the original, with the same limits (e.g., MAX 1000 CPU

instructions) and behavior.



[C Robots Demo]:    https://asciinema.org/a/369639.svg

[Demo]:             https://asciinema.org/a/369639

[Tom Poindexter]:   https://github.com/tpoindex/

[License]:          https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.en.html

[License Badge]:    https://img.shields.io/badge/License-GPL%20v2-blue.svg

[GitHub]:           https://github.com/troglobit/crobots/actions/workflows/build.yml/

[GitHub Status]:    https://github.com/troglobit/crobots/actions/workflows/build.yml/badge.svg