In λ-Robots (pronounced Lambda Robots), you build a battle bot that participates on a square game field. Each turn, the server invokes your bot's Lambda function to get its action for the next turn until either your bot wins, is destroyed, or time runs out.
λ-Robots is a port of the 80s P-Robots game to AWS Serverless .NET using LambdaSharp.
To get started, you must complete the followings steps.
Use LambdaSharp to deploy the LambdaRobots.Game module to your AWS account.
lash deploy LambdaRobots.Game:2.0@lambdasharpThis will create an S3 bucket for the game website, several Lambda functions for the game logic, and a DynamoDB table for the game state, as shown in this diagram. The battle bots can be deployed to any account, but must be in the same AWS region.
λ-Robots includes three bots that can be deployed to try out the game and challenge your own bot.
- Target Bot
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Target Bot is a stationary bot that does not move or shoot. This bot is perfect target practice for other bots.
Build Configuration
Field Value Name Target Armor Medium Engine Economy Missile Dart Radar Ultra Short Range Deploy
lash deploy LambdaRobots.TargetBot:2.0@lambdasharp
- Yosemite Sam Bot
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Yosemite Sam Bot runs in random directions across the board, unloading its missiles as fast as it can. This bot does not aim and travels in straight lines from edge to edge.
Build Configuration
Field Value Name Yosemite Sam Armor Medium Engine ExtraLarge Missile Dart Radar Mid Range Deploy
lash deploy LambdaRobots.YosemiteSamBot:2.0@lambdasharp
- HotShot Bot
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HotShot Bot uses the
ScanAPI to locate other bots before taking aim. It uses internal state to progressively refines its aim over time, making it very deadly to stationary targets. When HotShot is hit, it moves to a new random location to evade further damage.Build Configuration
Field Value Name HotShot Armor Medium Engine Compact Missile Javelin Radar Long Range Deploy
lash deploy LambdaRobots.HotShotBot:2.0@lambdasharp
Navigate to the URL shown at the end of the LambdaRobots.Game deployment. It will load the game configuration page where the ARNs for the battle bot can be entered. The same ARN can be used more than once as it represents a different instance of the same bot.
In this screenshot, the game is configured to initialize with 3 Target bots and 2 HotShot bots.
Click Start Game to initialize the bots and see the match unfold.
To build your own battle bots, you need to complete the followings steps.
To start, build and deploy the BringYourOwnBot module. Once deployed, verify that it initializes by pitting it against the HotShot bot. It shouldn't last long since it doesn't move or shoot.
Run the deploy command from the LambdaRobots checkout folder.
lash deploy BringYourOwnBotStart by editing BringYourOwnBot/BotFunction/Function.cs and customize the Name of your bot.
Check out the LambdaRobots SDK documentation to learn about configuration options for your bot, actions it can respond with, and queries it can perform to find other bots.
Now update the behavior of BringYourOwnBot to shoot down the target bots. For example, you can use luck, like Yosemite Sam bot, which shoots in random directions, or targeting like HotShot bot. The latter uses the ScanAsync() method to find enemies and aim missiles at them. Remember that other bots may be out of radar range, requiring your bot to move periodically. Also, your bot can be damaged by its own missiles. Check GameSession.FarHitRange to make sure your target is beyond the damage range. If you don't mind a bit of self-inflicted pain, you can also use GameSession.NearHitRange or even GameSession.DirectHitRange instead.
Next update the behavior of BringYourOwnBot to avoid getting shot. For example, you can continuous motion, like Yosemite Sam bot, which zig-zags across the board, or reacting to damage like HotShot Bot. Beware that a bot cannot change heading without suddenly stopping if its speed exceeds Bot.MaxSpeed.