[Hope I'm up to date on most bits. Please mail me if anything needs
updating.]
RARS FAQ:
Robot Auto Racing Simulation (RARS) Frequently Asked Questions
(with answers!)
Last updated 03 Jun 1995; current RARS version 0.61.
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What is RARS?
From the RARS 0.50 announcement:
The Robot Auto Racing Simulation (RARS) is a simulation of auto
racing in which the cars are driven by robots. Its purpose is
two-fold: to serve as a vehicle for Artificial Intelligence
development and as a recreational competition among software
authors. The host software, including source, is available at no
charge.
RARS was designed and written by [email hidden] (Mitchell E. Timin).
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Where can I get RARS information and software?
ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/ijs/rars/
RARS FTP site; uploads go in "../uploads". This site is maintained
by [email hidden] (Jivko Koltchev).
http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~bsr/rars.html
RARS Home Page
http://www.mal.com/~dgymer/rars/
Alternative RARS Home Page
To join the RARS mailing list, send a message to [email hidden]
containing "subscribe rars-list" in the message body. To
unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rars-list" to the same address. The
list is maintained by [email hidden] (Rex Sheasby).
A digest of the juiciest posts is sent to rec.autos.simulators,
comp.ai.games, and any other interested parties once a week. This
is handled by [email hidden] (Dave `Gizmo' Gymer).
Send mail with a subject of "subscribe rars-digest" to join the list,
and "unsubscribe rars-digest" to be removed from the mailing list.
The digest archives are available from the FTP site and from here.
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What platforms does RARS run on?
AIX: [email hidden] (Thomas K. Netousek):
I have done a "port" of the linux version to AIX.
It is a matter of some #include's #ifdef'd AIX
Amiga: [email hidden] (Marcel Offermans):
Amiga version Release 3, based on the RARS 0.60 sources.
Special requirements:
AmigaOS Release 2.04 or better.
An 68020 CPU or better.
The SAS/C 6.55 compiler to recompile the sources.
An FPU is highly recommended as it will speed up the simulation
considerably.
The reason that this release requires at least an 68020 is that I
have discovered what turns out to be a bug in the SAS/C 6.55
compiler which can only be worked around if you compile for an
68020 and not use the optimizer.
This port can be obtained from the normal FTP site, or from
AmiNet: ftp://ftp.luth.se/pub/aminet/misc/sci/RARS_Amiga_2.lha.
DJGPP: [email hidden] (Dave `Gizmo' Gymer):
I've ported RARS 0.60 to DJGPP (GNU C/C++ for DOS) using libGRX.
The graphics are still lacking polish (there's no flood fill, for
example) and the OS timer function has been ignored. This version
is about twice as fast as the Borland one running in "fast" mode,
but requires a 386 or better. Notions of adapting this to allow
linking of robots written in Ada95 and compiled with GNAT have
been postponed into the very distant future.
IBM PC: [email hidden] (Mitchell E. Timin):
The standard distribution contains machine-dependent code for the
IBM PC and Borland C++. Porting is generally restricted to two
files, one for operating system functions and one for graphics
functions. The rest of the code is written in portable C++. Robot
drivers can be written in any language which is link compatible
with the C++ compiler used to build the main code. A Borland
executable is distributed separately.
[email hidden] (Randy Saint) is "working on a 3d
perspective view for MS-DOS. Not a true port, but who's counting.
I've got stick figure cars working now, I'm implementing filled
polygons 'real soon now'."
Linux:
The generic Unix port works fine under Linux.
Macintosh: [email hidden] (Hoon Im):
I've ported RARS to the Mac; it is not complete yet but it runs. I
used the 0.5 version of RARS. When I get it to draw all the
strings cleanly, then I'll post the sources.
The Mac version does not accept command line options but allows
the user to enter simulation options through a dialog before the
simulation is run. Otherwise, everything else is the same (for
now).
OS/2: [email hidden] (Thomas K. Netousek):
There's an OS/2 port in the works from one of my colleagues...
[email hidden] (John Howard):
I am working on a port to GNAT Ada 95 for OS/2. It is not really
RARS anymore since I am implementing for 3d vectors and
experimenting. The goal is a simulator using DLL-based inputs, and
an OpenGL viewer for the animation frames that are output from the
simulator.
[email hidden] (Nicole Greiber):
[...] there is yet another OS/2 port in progress. It is done by
[email hidden] (Ralph Scott) and by me. The port is still
in beta, but already (partly) functioning. [...]
Symantec C++: [email hidden] (GPFault):
I am currently restarting my Symantec C++ port. There's nothing to
it except for the changes to the graphics (to 320x240x256 I
expect, due to the availability of XLIB).
Unix: [email hidden] (Lars Clausen):
There is a generic Unix port available on the FTP site. It uses GCC
and X11R5; a more "windowized" interface is being worked on.
Can someone supply more details?
Visual C++: [email hidden] (Ronald Hasenberger):
I'm working on a port to MSVC (Microsoft Visual C++) under MSDOS
and will maybe port it further to Windows.
I'm also trying to improve the (object-)structure of the software,
based on V0.5. This includes headers for all files and a bit more
object orientation of the system.
Watcom: [email hidden] (Mike Inman):
There is a Watcom C++ port on the FTP site.
Can someone supply more details?
Windows/NT: [email hidden] (Muir Lee Harding):
The files nt_rars.exe and nt_rars.txt on the FTP site are a "hacked
together" port to Windows/NT.
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Miscellaneous
How do I write a robot driver?
Firstly, look at the "tut3.cpp" robot in the 0.50 source code;
it's heavily commented. Then read the tutorials; they should be
available from the FTP site, and are also on the Alternative
RARS Home Page. "cntrl0.cpp" is another, even more heavily
commented, robot. The ".doc" file should also be read, of course.
Use your debugger or IDE to study the behavior of the code during
operation.
Can I compare my robot against those of others?
There are some more robot drivers on the FTP site. On 30 April
there will be the first competition race; see the file
"race.ann" on the FTP site for details.
I've thought of something to add to RARS. Has anyone else had the
same idea, or perhaps implemented it?
The RARS ideas database is posted to the rars-list at the beginning
of every month. Everybody can then send a list of ideas which they
like to see implemented, in order of importance. A short motivation
along with the idea number indicating why you like to see this idea
implemented is appreciated. Please send your list directly to
[email hidden] (Marcel Offermans)
instead of to the mailing list. Please put the word "LIST"
in the subject. Halfway through the month, the lists will be
evaluated and used to determine what to implement first.
If you think ideas are missing from the list, please send them to
Marcel so that he can add them to the database.
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Compiled and maintained by (Dave `Gizmo' Gymer)
[email hidden]
http://www.mal.com/~dgymer/
# Dave "Gizmo" Gymer [email hidden] http://www.mal.com/~dgymer/
/* Team Shark online racing; http://www.mal.com/~dgymer/shark/
LF3000 '95 Pro division triple champions */
