FIRST Video Game: Cementing auxillary file formats

[Astronouth7303]

DEFINITION: Item - The actual CAD of something, for lack of a better name.

• The only required item in the root of the zip is Info.Ini

• Each directory in the ZIP has its own section.
• Every atempt should be made to make sure it is UNIQUE. It is also its ID.
  

  [DirName]
  Type= Game, Field, or Robot
  DisplayName= What is shown to the user
  Game= The ID of the game it is for (not for games)
  Year= The year of the item (optional)
  Description= An extended description of the item
  ThingID= The file name for an item (the ID being the entry), several of these. This may also be in code.

• A zip may contain multiple items
• Games should include a default Field and robot.
• Suggested Robot ID: year.team.name (year of game, team number, name of bot)
  
  Suggested DLL interfaces (in psuedo C++):
  

  #define RETURN_ERR bool
  //used for subs that return error info
  #define BOT_SCORES unsigned long[]
  the scores for a match
  #define CAD i3DSMaxObject
  //example, going to change
  
  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  
  iField Interface:
   RETURN_ERR SetFieldItem(long ID, i3DSMaxObject* Field); //Sets a reference to an actual item
   RETURN_ERR DoThing(long ID);                            //Year specific action
  
  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  
  iRobot Interface:
   RETURN_ERR SetRobot(i3DSMaxObject* Robot);  //Sets a reference to the actual robot
   long GetTeamNumber();                       //Gets the team number
   RETURN_ERR Update(lnog TimeStamp);          //tells it to update it's position
                                               //called after OI info is set
   RETURN_ERR BeginPrematch();                 //Begins the disabled mode before the match
   RETURN_ERR BeginMatch();                    //Begins the actual match
   RETURN_ERR EndMatch();                      //Ends the match
   bool CanAI();                               //Can this bot do AIs?
   long GetYear();                             //What year is it for?
  
   Properties:
    Operator_IO OI_Info(); //The structure with all the info sent to/from the OI
    ULONG Alliance();      //The current alliance, Actually an RGB color
    bool AI();             //Is it acting as an AI? Always returns False if CanAI is false
  
  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  
  iGame Interface:
   long GetNumBots();                         //The total number of bots required
   long GetNumAlliances();                    //The number of alliances required
   RETURN_ERR SetBot(long ID, iRobot* Robot); //Sets the reference to a iRobot
   RETURN_ERR BeginPrematch();                //Begin prematch
   RETURN_ERR BeginMatch();                   //Begin Match
   RETURN_ERR HaltMatch();                    //Field error, prematurely stops match
   RETURN_ERR SetField(iField* Field);        //Sets the reference to the iField
  
   Properties:
    BOT_SCORES CurrentScores(); //The current scores
  
   Events:
    void MatchFinish(UINT Winner, BOT_SCORES Scores); //Raised when the match finishes normally

• A DLL must present the apropriate interface
• The objects are not responsible for loading an item, it is loaded by the program and the reference set.
• An object may do whatever it wants, but emphasis is on speed. Multi-threading is encouraged.