Follow these steps to start playing Stormrunner right away.
BUILDING A ROBOT
1. When Stormrunner loads, click START NEW GAME.
2. You're looking at a view of the RCX Bay. Click "Generate New RCX Unit"
(bottom left).
3. Add a chassis to your RCX by clicking the Chassis button (leftmost
of the large circular buttons), and clicking the icon that appears in the panel above it.
4. Now add an arm by clicking the Tools button (in the center, with the
hammer icon), and clicking on the arm icon above it when it appears.
5. Also let's add a Video Sensor by clicking on the Sensors button
(rightmost of the large circular buttons), and select the camera icon on the far left.
6. Finally, let's add an Obstacle Sensor. Click on the set of arrows,
next to the Video Sensor icon on the same panel.
7. Click the ENGAGE button (above the weight gauge).
8. You are asked to name your robot. Enter a name for it and hit ENTER.
PROGRAMMING YOUR ROBOT
You are now looking at the Viewscren, with the RCX Code interface
open.
1. First, save your game. Click OPTIONS (lower left) to go to
the Options Screen, click save, and when you're done, click CONTINUE CURRENT GAME (lower right).
2. Click the Program tab (the purple tab in the upper right corner
of the panel) to open and close the programming screen.
3. Open the programming screen again and click COMMANDS (top left).
4. This is a list of program blocks, starting with FORWARD. Drag a
FORWARD block into the programming area. When the FORWARD block is underneath the main PROGRAM
block, release the mouse button. The FORWARD block should snap into position, securely attached.
5. Double-click on it. The words NUMBER OF SQUARES TO MOVE:
should appear at the bottom of the Program Panel, along with a blinking cursor. Type 7
and hit ENTER.
6. Now, attach a TURN LEFT block to that FORWARD block
(scroll down with the purple arrow a little bit to see it), and then attach another
FORWARD block to that TURN LEFT block. Set the final FORWARD block to move 3 squares.
7. Click on the SENSOR WATCHERS button (just
below COMMANDS) and drag an OBSTACLE block out, and place it just to the
right of the PROGRAM block. It should attach with a thick gray line.
8. Go back to the COMMANDS, scroll down until you
find the PICK UP block. Attach it to the OBSTACLE sensor block. Then attach a
TURN LEFT block to the PICK UP block.
9. Your program will go forward, turn left,
and go forward again, and if it hits anything, it will pick it up and turn
left before continuing. Close the Program Panel.
ACTIVATING YOUR ROBOT
1. The Status Panel (lower right) has two
buttons, RUN and STOP. These will start and stop your program, respectively.
When you press the RUN button you will start the program you have just
created.
2. Your robot will find the the camp of the
missing colonists - and a message they left behind! Pay close attention to it.
You can return your robot to the cargo bay at any time by driving back inside
the ramp you emerged from. If you drive back into the ramp while carrying the
datalog, you can click on it in the status panel to watch it at any time.
You can also simply have the robot place it back on the ground.
PLAYING THE GAME
Pay attention to the datalogs, which should give you clues to find equipment
and other items which will help you on your quest to escape the planet.
Sensors will be especially useful. Using the right set of sensors, a
cargo pod, and an arm, you can create robots that are capable of harvesting
resources (polymetals and energy units) largely on their own.
Other equipment can also be found to help you; just to the south east
of the first datalog, for instance, there appears to be an assembly your
RCX can use layingon the ground...
Good luck.
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