Robot Maze Race is a maze-solving game. Each player tries to program their robot to maneuver through a disorganized warehouse without bumping into too may crates or walls on the way.
EQUIPMENT
Each player needs a pencil and a sheet of paper marked as follows:
- Two 10x10 grids of squares, each grid should have rows labeled with A at the top through J at the bottom. Columns should be labeled with 1 at the left to 10 at the right. These grids will be referred to as your secret grid (the maze your opponent is trying to navigate) and your open grid (where you are trying to navigate the maze made by your opponent). You should not show your paper to your opponent at any time in the game.
- Space to write down your robot's program each turn.
- Space to mark your robot's health.
SETUP
Each player marks an "X" in 20 spaces on their secret grid as crates. There are two rules for creating your maze:
- You may not place a crate in space A-1 (the entrance, in the upper right corner) or J-10 (the exit, in the lower left corner)
- You must be able to trace a path from A-1 to J-10 without crossing though any spaces marked as crates. The path may only move up, down, left and right, not diagonally.
In the example, O represents empty spaces on the maze, X represents a crate. This is an illegal maze because the crates in spaces A-2, B-3, C-4, D-3, E-3, F-2, and G-1 make it impossible to get from A-1 to J-10. To make this maze legal, one of these crates must be moved to another space.
TURN ORDER
The players should randomly choose who will go first and remember who was chosen, this may be important at the end of the game. On each turn you will do the following:
Create Your Program
1. The program consists of commands for the robot; up, down, left and right are the only available commands.
Up is a move away from row J and towards row A. Down is a move away from row A and towards row J. Left is a move away from column 10 and towards column 1. Right is a move away from column 1 and towards column 10.
2. Your program may be 1 to 4 commands long.
You may repeat any one command as many times as you want, but the total number of commands may not be greater than 4. The order of the commands is important, because the robot must execute the commands in the order you give them.
3. You may have the robot run the program 1 to 4 times.
Each time the robot runs the program, it attempts to move in the commanded direction and then goes on to the next command. If you order your robot to run the program more than once, then after completing the program, the robot will start the program again at the first command and do so until the program has been run the number of times you chose.
Be careful when making your program because after you have decided to start, it is illegal to skip a command, change the program, or stop before all commands have been run.
Run Your Program
When you have completed your program and written it down, tell your opponent the program, how many times your robot will run the program, and the current position of your robot at the start of your turn. It is now time to run your program.
Tell your opponent the space your robot is in, the command your robot is trying to follow and the space your robot is trying to move to. Your opponent will till you what happens to your robot, based on his or her hidden grid. There are three possible outcomes of each command:
1. Clear
If the space your robot is trying to enter has no crate, then your robot moves into the new space and continues on to the next command in the program. You should mark a line on your open grid to show the path of your robot. Your opponent should also track the movements of your robot on his or her hidden grid.
2. Crate
If the space your robot is trying to enter has a crate you must mark one point of damage to your robot and continue on to the next command. You should mark the location of the crate on your open grid.
3. Wall
If your robot tries to move off of the grid, then it has hit a wall. Mark one point of damage to your robot and continue on to the next command.
Remember that it is illegal to skip a command, stop your program, or change your program even if you know the next command will cause damage to your robot.
After your robot has completed your program the correct number of times, your turn is over and it is now your opponent's turn.
ENDING THE GAME
The game ends when one of the following conditions are fulfilled:
- Your robot has reached space J-10. If at any time your robot enters space J-10 your turn immediately ends and you have won; or
- Your robot has taken 20 points of damage. This can happen even in the middle of a turn. Likewise, if at any point your robot has taken 20 points of damage, you immediately stop your program and your opponent wins. These two conditions that end the game are the only exception to the rule that all commands of your program must be followed.
