This repository contains the source code for the server part of our Zappy project implemented in C.
To execute the server, you will need to set multiple flags:
-p PORT: Specifies the port number.-x width: Specifies the width of the world.-y height: Specifies the height of the world.-n name: Specifies the name of the teams.-c limit: Specifies the limit of clients for each team.-f frequency: Specifies the frequency of updates. (optional)
To connect to the server, you will need to use the same port (you can use, for example, telnet or nc). When connecting, you will receive a WELCOME\n message from the server. After that, you can choose to become a GUI client by sending GRAPHIC or join a team with one of the names given in the parameters and become an AI client.
To provide the client with information about what's happening on the server (including any errors), I created a logger method to convey error information. Here is the syntax:
file.c - function: error messageBy default, logs are written to channel 2 (error), but this can be changed in the future with admin commands.
There is a list of ressources and variable that can be use in command by the GUI client or in response from the server, here is the list:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| X | Width or horizontal position |
| Y | Height or vertical position |
| q0 | Resource 0 (food) quantity |
| q1 | Resource 1 (linemate) quantity |
| q2 | Resource 2 (deraumere) quantity |
| q3 | Resource 3 (sibur) quantity |
| q4 | Resource 4 (mendiane) quantity |
| q5 | Resource 5 (phiras) quantity |
| q6 | Resource 6 (thystame) quantity |
| id | Player id |
| O | Orientation: 1(N), 2(E), 3(S), 4(W) |
| L | Player or incantation level |
| e | Egg id |
| T | Time unit |
| N | Name of the team |
| R | Incantation result |
| M | Message |
| i | Resource number (example: food == 0) |
To communicate with the server, you can use the following commands to get information about the current world:
| Command | Description | Server response |
|---|---|---|
help\n |
See all available commands | help message |
msz\n |
Map size | msz X Y\n |
bct X Y\n |
Content of a tile | bct X Y q0 q1 q2 q3 q4 q5 q6\n |
mct\n |
Tiles content of the map | bct * n_tiles |
tna\n |
Names of all the teams | tna NAME\n * n_teams |
ppo #id\n |
Show player's position | ppo #id X Y O\n |
plv #id\n |
Show player's level | plv #id L\n |
pin\n |
Show player's inventory | pin #id X Y q0 q1 q2 q3 q4 q5 q6\n |
sgt\n |
Show time unit | sgt T\n |
sst\n |
Modify time unit | sst T\n |
(X and Y for pin is not used)
You will also automatically receive some calls from the server when an AI performs an action. Here are all the possible actions:
| Server Messages | Description |
|---|---|
pnw #id X Y O L N\n |
Connection of a new player |
pex #id\n |
Expulsion |
pbc #id M\n |
Broadcast |
pic X Y L #id #id . . . \n |
Start of an incantation (by the first player) |
pie X Y R\n |
End of an incantation |
pfk #id\n |
Egg laying by the player |
pdr #id i\n |
Resource dropping |
pgt #id i\n |
Resource collecting |
pdi #id\n |
Death of a player |
enw #e #id X Y\n |
An egg was laid by a player |
ens #e X Y\n |
An egg was created at the start (NEW) |
ebo #e\n |
Player connection for an egg |
edi #e\n |
Death of an egg |
seg N\n |
End of game |
smg M\n |
Message from the server |
suc\n |
Unknown command |
sbp\n |
Command parameter |
When executing an action, the client will need to wait a certain amount of time depending on the action. This time is regulated by the frequency (freq) that represents 1 / freq (in seconds).
For example, if the time is 7/f and f = 1, the player will need to wait 7 seconds.
As an AI client, to communicate with the server, you can use the following commands to interact with your player:
| Command | Description | Time Limit | Server Response |
|---|---|---|---|
Help\n |
See all available commands | help message | |
Forward\n |
Move up one tile | 7/f | ok\n |
Right\n |
Turn 90° right | 7/f | ok\n |
Left\n |
Turn 90° left | 7/f | ok\n |
Look\n |
Look around | 7/f | [tile1, tile2, ... ]\n |
Inventory\n |
Show player inventory | 1/f | [food n, linemate n, ...]\n |
Broadcast text\n |
Broadcast a message | 7/f | ok\n |
Connect_nbr\n |
Unused team slots | 7/f | value\n |
Fork\n |
Fork a player | 42/f | ok\n |
Eject\n |
Eject players from tile | 7/f | ok\n or ko\n |
| Death of a player | dead\n |
||
Take resource_idx\n |
Take a resource | 7/f | ok\n or ko\n |
Set resource_idx\n |
Drop a resource | 7/f | ok\n or ko\n |
Incantation\n |
Start level up | 300/f | See description below |
When starting an Incantation, the server checks if the player has all the resources and other players required to level up. If everything is in order, the server sends Elevation underway\n to the client. After that, it waits for 300/f seconds. If at the end of this period the player can still level up, the server sends Current level: k\n. If any step fails, the server sends ko\n.
To add some options, I have decided to implement admin commands to change some information about the simulation in real time. To perform admin commands, you need to /login password before executing any other admin commands.
The password is very strong and difficult to guess, but here’s a hint: I love cats.
Here is a list of variables that can be used in commands by the admin client:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| x | X position on the map |
| y | Y position on the map |
| player_id | ID of the player |
| msg | Message to be sent |
| resource | Resource to be used (e.g., food, linemate, or all) |
| quantity | Quantity of the element to be used |
| team_name | Name of a team |
| true/false | Should be true or false |
| level | Level to be defined |
And here is all the commands:
| Command | Description | Server Response |
|---|---|---|
/clients player_id* |
List all connected clients or one precise | List of clients or ko\n |
/send_ais msg |
Send a message to all AIs | ok\n or ko\n |
/send_guis msg |
Send a message to all GUIs | ok\n or ko\n |
/set_inventory player_id resource quantity |
Set the quantity of a given resource in the inventory | ok\n or ko\n |
/tp player_id x y |
Teleport a player to a tile | ok\n or ko\n |
/kill player_id |
Kill a player | ok\n or ko\n |
/set_level player_id level |
Set the level of a player | ok\n or ko\n |
/quit |
Stop the server | ok\n |
/clear |
Clear the shell | ok\n |
/pause |
Pause the event loop | ok\n |
/play |
Start the event loop | ok\n |
/restart |
Restart the world | ok\n |
/set_teams_slots team_name quantity |
Change the number of available slots for a team | ok\n or ko\n |
/set_freq value |
Change the refresh rate | ok\n or ko\n |
/no_refill true/false |
Enable/disable world refill | ok\n or ko\n |
/no_food true/false |
Enable/disable food management | ok\n or ko\n |
/set_tile x y resource quantity |
Set the quantity of a resource on a tile | ok\n or ko\n |
/clear_tile x y resource |
Clear a resource on a tile | ok\n or ko\n |
/fork team_name x y |
Create a new "egg" for a team at the given coordinates | ok\n or ko\n |
/incantate x y level |
Simulate an incantation of the given level at the position | ok\n or ko\n |
/broadcast x y msg* |
Simulate a broadcast from the given coordinates | ok\n or ko\n |
/set_logger_output filename |
Change the output channel | ok\n |
Note: Commands marked with * have optional arguments.
For each command, the size limit is MAX_BUFFER (4098), and for some listed below, the limit is BIG_BUFFER (65535):
- When a GRAPHIC client connects, to get all the players and all the eggs on the world
- For a
Broadcastcommand from an AI client - For the
Lookcommand from an AI client - For the
mctcommand from a GRAPHIC client - For server messages, but in this case, the server never sends any