MiniMap

I don't know if anyone has done anything like this before, but I've found it quite a useful debug tool. I have a RectangleGL? in the middle of the screen, with PointGLs? inside it, which move around as the bots do, making a scaled down view of the battlefield (I use a scale of 3:1, but you could use anything you like). I can then add things like my destination to it.

What makes this great, as opposed to just putting the destination on the full sized view, is that if the destination is outside the field (ie. my WallAvoidance isn't working properly) I can see where it is, whereas if I were using full size it would be off screen. It's much easier than printing co-ordinates and looking for negatives, and large values.

I've also thought that this could be extended. Imagine the screen divided into 9, with a mini map in one, a graph of your enemies movement in another (see StatGrapher), a graph of your movement, a scoreboard, a debug console (easier to work with than using the separate window), etc. All the information you could want in one screen. :-)

At the moment I have a very crude implementation, but I intend to write a tidier, ObjectOrientated? implentation over the Easter holidays (which started today). If people are interested I'll upload it.

Has anyone else done anything like this? -- Tango

No comments?

so this is like a really good debuging tool? i'd use it if you released it. --andrew

Yes, it is a debuging tool. I've been thinking about how to release it, and I think I know how to do it, and it should be down by the end of the easter holidays. -- Tango

I've started it, and have a simple version working. What kind of things would people like it to do? So far I've thought of a MiniMap, graphs and a text output. Anything else? -- Tango