Rules (How to Play Bots'n'Scouts)


Background

Bots'n'Scouts is inspired by the Wizards of the Coast game "RoboRally". You are assigned a robot in a factory, which you program with 5 moves each round. The robot may not complete the moves exactly as you intended; it may be pushed, moved by conveyor belts, or even destroyed. Your task is to make the robot touch all the flags in the factory, in order, before any other robot does.

There are many differences between RoboRally and Bots'n'Scouts. For instance, Bots'n'Scouts doesn't have the weapon and upgrade cards available in RoboRally. And RoboRally isn't an online multiplayer network game, but a physical board game.

Gameplay

Controls

The Board

This is a list of all the tiles and their effects.

Floor

Floor has no effect on 'Bots. 'Bots can safely move through or end a move on a Floor. Nothing will happen. Honest.

Wall

Walls prevent 'Bots from moving past them. Since Walls aren't actually spaces, but in-between spaces, 'Bots can't end a move on a Wall.

Conveyor Belts

Conveyor Belts move a 'Bot one space in the indicated direction. Conveyor belts may also rotate a 'Bot up to 90 degrees. The effects of Conveyor Belts occur before any other effects, such as Crushers or Pushers in the same space (more on Crushers and Pushers in a moment). Conveyor Belts only work when the 'Bot ends a move on it; 'Bots who pass over Conveyor Belts are not affected by them.

Express Belts

Express Belts are like Conveyor Belts, but they work twice at the end of each move. An Express Belt only works when a 'Bot ends a move on it.

Gears

Gears are always on the floor, never on a Conveyor Belt. A Gear will rotate a 'Bot clockwise or counter-clockwise, as indicated by the arrows on the Gear. A Gear only works when a 'Bot ends a move on it.

Pushers

Pushers are always mounted on Walls. They move a 'Bot one space away from the Wall. A Pusher only works when a 'Bot ends a move on it, and only when the move is one of the phases printed on the Pusher. (For instance, if a Pusher works on phases 1, 3, and 5, then a 'Bot could land there on its second move and not be pushed. If it is still on the Pusher at the end of phase 3, it will be pushed.) Pushers have no effect on 'Bots that move through them.

Crushers

Crushers are always mounted on Conveyor Belts or Express Belts. They destroy 'Bots. A Crusher only works when a 'Bot ends a move on it, and only when the move is one of the phases printed on the Crusher (just like a Pusher). Crushers have no effect on 'Bots that move through them.

Pits

A Pit is... well... a Pit. A big hole in the floor. A 'Bot who falls in a Pit is destroyed. 'Bots cannot move over Pits; they'll fall in anyway.

Lasers

Lasers are always attached to walls. They fire a laser in one direction, horizontally or vertically. A 'Bot that ends its move on a square that the laser light passes through will suffer damage. The damage level of the board lasers is shown by their color; red lasers do 1 damage, orange ones 2, yellow ones three.

Flags

Flags are the whole objective of the game. A 'Bot wins by touching each flag in order, according to the number printed on the flag. All 'Bots start the game on flag number 1. A 'Bot must end a move on a flag in order to touch it; moving past the flag doesn't count.

If a 'Bot ends its entire program on a flag, it will be repaired by 1 point.

Garage

A Garage is a space where a 'Bot can go to be repaired. Each move ended on a Garage repairs 1 point of damage to a 'Bot. Moving through a repair space has no effect on a 'Bot.

Super Garage

A Super Garage is just like a Garage, but it repairs 2 damage instead of just 1.

Instruction Cards

Forward 1
The basic card. The 'Bot moves forward one space.

Forward 2
Forward 1's big brother. The 'Bot moves forward two spaces. This presents the opportunity of skipping over things like laser beams and conveyor belts, but you'll still push other 'Bots, run into walls, and fall into pits.

Forward 3
And their Big Daddy. This works just like Forward 2, but you get to move forward three spaces.

Back Up
Like Forward 1, Back Up lets you move one space. Only this time, it's in the direction opposite the one the 'Bot faces. Much as the name implies.

Rotate Left
The direction the 'Bot faces is modified by 90 degrees in the counter-clockwise direction. No movement occurs.

Rotate Right
Like Rotate Left, only in the opposite direction: clockwise. The 'Bot still doesn't move foward or backward.

U-Turn (Turn Around)
The direction the 'Bot faces is reversed.

Used
When a card has already been used to program the 'Bot, it changes to the Used card. You must continue to choose cards until five instructions are programmed.

Locked
A locked card cannot be modified. You'll have to work with it in the program where it is. Instructions get locked into a program when a 'Bot is seriously damaged; you can unlock the instruction by repairing the 'Bot.

Other Options

Facing

When your 'Bot is placed on the board for the first time, you'll have to choose an initial direction for it to face. You'll also have to choose a direction for the 'Bot to face after it has been destroyed, before it's placed back on the board.

Shut Down

When you check the "shut down" checkbox, your 'Bot will execute its program, but not move next round. At the end of each round, you will be asked if you want the 'Bot to power up again.

Why would you want to do something like this? Because it completely repairs your bot, that's why. You will seldom need to shut down for more than one turn at a time, but it's there if you need it.

Starting a Game

Ah yes, the part we've all been waiting for! Simply start Bots'n'Scouts in any of the ways you already know from your familiarity with Java programs: double-click the jar file, run start.bat, run start.sh, or drag the jar into your java bin, depending on your operating system.

  1. Choose a Language

    You will only be asked once. Choose the language you would like to see when you play Bots'n'Scouts: English or German. If you don't like the translations, do them yourself.

  2. Start or Join a Game

    You should see a screen with several options. For an operational game, there must be one computer to run the game (the "server") and at least one computer to play the part of the player (the "client"). You can play a game on a single computer -- it is both the server and the client.

    If your computer will be the server, press the "Start Game" button. If you are not interested in starting a new game, but you want to play, press the "Join a Game" button. If you just want to watch some other people who you know are playing, press the "Watch a Game" button. (If you are not starting a new game, you will need to know the name or address of the computer running the game you want.)

    1. Start Game

      1. Set up the Board

        If you choose to start the game, you will soon see the game setup screen. Here you can choose a new board (from the drop-down labeled "default"), edit boards (by adding rooms) and save them, and actually start up the game.

        If you want to play the game (as well as running it on this computer), check the Participate box. You can then choose a name and a 'color' of 'Bot.

        If you just want to run the game, uncheck the Participate box. Your computer will run the game, and other players will be allowed to play in the game, but you will not have a part unless you start up a client as well. You could just watch, if that's your thing...

        When everything is set up to your liking, press the Start Game button. If you have a change of heart, hit Back instead.

      2. Add Players

        You should see a quick animation as your computer prepares the server.

        Now you have to add players to your game. You can add local players (that's you, and anybody else who wants to use your keyboard), by entering a name, choosing a 'Bot type, and pressing Start (in the Local Player windows, of course).

        You can start a computer player, or AutoBot, by choosing an intelligence for the AutoBot and pressing Start (in the Autobot window, this time).

        You can add network players by waiting for them to join.

        When you've got all the players you want, but no more than 8, press the "Go!" button. Don't do this until all the players have joined; once the game has started, no players can be added.

      3. Watch and Wait

        The game should start momentarily. Your computer will watch the game and compute the moves for the AutoBot. When the game is over, select Quit from the File menu to end the game.

    2. Join a Game

      1. Choose a game

        If you decide to join a game already in progress, you'll see a screen with 3 inputs. Enter the name or IP address of the server (the computer running the game), the name you want to be known by, and the type of 'Bot you want to use. Press the Go! button if you're satisfied, and the Back button if you decide not to play.

        Note that the 'Bot you choose may not be the 'Bot you get. If someone else has already chosen that color, you will be assigned a random color instead.

      2. Run For Your Life!

        You'll see the Bots'n'Scouts logo until the server decides to start the game. Then you'll see the playing screen. Choose a direction for your 'Bot to face, then start programming. Be careful; if you take too long to send your program, the game will destroy your 'Bot.

    3. Watch a Game

      If you just want to watch a few games, click the Watch a Game button. You'll need to specify a server, just like joining a game. After the game starts, you'll see all the action.

Advanced Options

Bye

Have fun!

The Bots'n'Scouts developer thank Jude for providing this description!