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		PhIL's guide to Advanced T Robots Version 2
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		----------------- Intro ----------------
	This is a guide to working with ATR2 and programming robots for 
it. This guide is for those unacustom with programming, computers, and 
the logic and thinking that goes with them. Why someone like you would
be reading this is beyond me at the moment, but, eh, why not.  ATR2 is
a nice, if brutal, way to break into the programming field; It gives a 
clear goal, it doesn't beat around the bush, and there's room to grow.
Programming in ATR2 requires both knowledge of the system (which I'm 
working on) and a stratagy for the tank.  A programming wiz couldn't
write a good bot if he doesn't understand the concept of "dodge" and a
general couldn't either if he can't control the bloody lille thing. So 
it's balanced.



		--------- Steps to Enlightenment --------

Things to do:

	1: Have ATR2.  This is important. I got it at Necrobones.com
look under software, ai, or something like that. Whatever, just find it.


	2: Play.  I expect you to be like any inquisitive mind and play
with what you get.  Run all the executables (the ones with .exe) Some 
will work, some won't. Chill. You have to come to expect that.
Read some of the text files (txt) and push the buttons at the main screen.
		-see the lille ships moving around? this is the game
		-the progamming manual is a bit confusing eh?
		-know that Ed T. Toton the third made this.  hurrah

	3: Don't panic.  I did this the first time I read the manual. 
It's scary I know. But if you stick with it then you can start to make 
sense of it.  This guide should help.


Things to know:
	1. The program ATR2.exe or ATROBS.exe take robot files, (the .AT2
files) compiles them, (turns them into code it can use) and puts them 
into an arena where they both run simultaniously against each other.

	2. The .AT2 files can be opened in any old text veiwer, I perfer
Notepad. What can I say, I'm a purist.

	3. The Robot will do NOTHING without being told to. It can be 
told to remember the value of certain things, but won't keep an eye on it.
You have to tell it to look at it again if you want it to look at it again.

	4. Speed. speed is always a reletive thing. A simple AT2 program 
will be repeated over and over several times a second. 
 



				The Manual
				----------
Ok, for me, it's ATR2.doc (.doc as in document, meaning it's text) it's
about 102 KB and it opens in word, almost.  Word wants to install 
special, I ignore it, it opens fine. 
So I open it.
Oye.
The introduction is nice. It tells you what it is and gives some history.
good.
After that it gets a bit hectic. So let me help.

Skip the bit about running the program, it's easier then that.
Skip the bit about the specs of your tank and heat, for now.
Skip the bit about the hexidecimal number, you'll be back.
Glance at the first bit about programming your robot.
you'll see:
-"The programming language consists of  several basic types of statements."
This is important. 
Let me repeat that, THIS IS IMPORTANT, START READING HERE!
When it says statements it means anything in a .AT2 file. 
There are only five things in ATR2 that you need to know about:

There are Remarks. These are notes. Anything you see with a

		;

	after it can be read normally in your language of choice (if that
language is in fact ATR2 code then you'd have a very interesting file...)


There are Directives.  uh, ok, I guess these set up your bot before going
into battle. Like setting up your own personal variables, as in

		#def whateveryouwantrighthere
and
		#config partofyourship=somenumber

The #config option let's you detail your bot. ATR2 gives you twelve points
to assign various parts of your tank. 0 is worst, 5 is best. The various 
parts are: Weapon, Scanner, Armor, Engine, Shield, Mines, Heatsink. So if
you give Heatsink a 5, your tank will cool down faster.  This much is
written in the .doc, however, there are additional facts that hinder you.
If you give your weapon a 0, your shots will do less damage, but will also
move slower.  If you have less armor, you will also go faster. 
If you don't assign any points, your bot will have the standard setup.  


Commands. These are anything that you want done. If you want to add two
numbers, increse the throttle, or check which round you're in, you have
to use a command.  The list of commands are in the ART2.doc, PRINT THEM!
Two specific types of commands are the opo/ipo and the int. These are 
output/input and interups. They each have thier own list, find them and
PRTINT THEM TOO. I'll get to them later. 


There are Labels. These are markers that let you jump to other parts of
the code. They look like

		:1
or
		!label

There are more specific rules about which jump command can goto what and 
how and why, but I don't know them yet...










ok, when shifting my bots, the de-evolved one without the special toys
did better against the one's with, but the souped up one did best
agaist a skilled bot. So, what does this tell us? hell if I know...

int 5 does the same thing as ipo 1 but one cycle longer, and your speed
always goes towards dx


give some simple code for heat,
if it's still a problem, beef heatsink, or reduce weapon power


the request for input acutally performs a scan...