Are you a board Super Computer? Has a millennia manufacturing Widgets got you numb to your Super Conductive Core? Why not join your fellow Super Computers for a game of Robo Rally? Even if you don't win, you still get to see those mindless factory droids, crushed, fried and thrown into pits. What else are you going to do? Build a better Widget?
How To Play Robo Rally?
Hmmm. I am not going to tell you how to play Robo Rally. That would be a bit naughty. You can buy the game from Wizard (I would heartily recommend it). This version of Robo Rally conforms to the 1994 Avalon Hill version, but without all the Option Cards and no Robot Lasers (Aw! Maybe later.).
How To Use This Framework?
To use this framework to play Robo Rally you get together some friends with access to Maptool and perform the following steps:
- Everyone (GM and players) should add "Jaggeds Robo Rally" Repository to their Maptool Library.
- From Maptool, select File > Add Resource to Library...
- click the second tab (for URLs)
- enter a name (Like "Jaggeds Robo Rally")
- enter the URL "http://hero-id.co.uk/Maptool/RoboRally.zip"
- press "Install>>"
- The GM needs to load the campaign file found here: Jagged Robo Rally Campaign and start a server.
- The GM will get a pop-up window called "GM Controls" This has some basic instructions, but ignore it for now. You get get the window back, but clicking the "GM Controls" button from the "Campaign Window"
- The map you see, looks pretty empty
That's because there's no board yet. So create one:
- Get your players to open "Jaggeds Robo Rally" Repository, expand the "Boards" sub-folder and drag boards onto the map.
- Use as many or as few boards as you like. You need at least 1 though.
- Get your players to build a race track from the board sections. They can position them where they like (on the Token Layer), they can duplicate them, rotate them and overlap them. Just don't flip them (if you do, it won't work)
- When you and your players are happy with the race track, press the "SET THE BOARD" button from the "Campaign Window". This fixes the track, move the boards to the background layer and does some other stuff in the background
- Get your players to open "Jaggeds Robo Rally" Repository, expand the "Boards" sub-folder and drag boards onto the map.
- Now you have a race track, you just need a starting and finishing line!
- You should see 8 red flag tokens. These are set to player ownership, so your players can move them.
- Get your players to position as many flags on the boards as they like. You need at least 2 (start and finish) but other than that, you can use as many or as few as you like.
- When you and your players are happy with the flag positions, press the "SET THE FLAGS" button from the "Campaign Window". This fixes the flags, moves the flags to the object layer.
- Now you have a track and flags to run between, you just need some cannon fodder, err contestants:
- Get your players to open "Jaggeds Robo Rally" Repository, expand the "Bots" sub-folder and drag one bot onto the map each.
- DO NOT place the bots on the race track yet. Leave them on the black background.
- Do not grab extra bots, as all the bots have to be programmed every turn.
- Grab a bot yourself, if you are going to play
- You are now ready to start. Press the "0. Setup" button from your "GM Controls" window (remember, if you have accidentally closed down the window, just press the "GM Controls" button from the "Campaign Window"). This will turn each bot into a Virtual bot and deal each bot 9 programme cards.
- Start to Play the Game:
- At the start of each round every player must programme their Bot. Select your Bot and press "F2" to programme your Bot
- When you press "F2" a window opens up showing 5 empty registers and (up to) 9 programme cards.
- For the first time, you also have to select your initial facing. This is the direction you will be facing when your Bot is placed on the first flag.
- Select each empty register in turn and one of the programme cards and press "Programme" to programme that register.
- Use the "Clear" or "Clear All" buttons if you change your mind.
- When all 5 registers are programmed, press the "Ready" button.
- In subsequent rounds (if you have taken damage), you get the option to "Power Down". This means you don't get any cards and just sit there for a round, repairing your damage.
- When all the Bots are "Ready" the GM presses the "1. Register 1" button on the "GM Controls" window, and the bots all move their first programme card. Fastest first.
- The GM now needs to click the buttons that appear in the "GM Window". These activate the board elements in their proper order. Boring I know, you are a Super Computer, its all boring!
- As the board elements activate, the bots may be moved round the factory floor. Possibly taking damage, possibly falling down pits.
- Eventually you will have to click "2. Register 2" to perform the second card. Then repeat all the board elements and other cards until you have down all 5.
- The final button in the sequence is "6. Turn End". Pressing this button deals out new cards to all the players. At this stage any dead bots, will get the chance to come back into play. Plus any bots that were Virtual now become real (if they are not in the same square as another bot). The difference between "virtual" and "real" bots is that "real" bots can push and shove each other as they execute their programmes!
- At the start of each round every player must programme their Bot. Select your Bot and press "F2" to programme your Bot
- Finishing the Game: to win, you must touch each flag in order. To touch a flag you must be in the same square as the flag once all the board elements have activated. You must also still be alive. Being a laser charred husk, doesn't count. Sorry
Bug Fixes: 2014-07-15
- Fixed issue of lasers vs 2+ Virtual Bots on same square
- Fixed issue with resetting bot destroyed by lasers
- Shover in wrong place on Laser Maze.
- Fixed error if all the bots die
- Added Vault board
- Better Handling of non-standard sized boards
