[simspark-devel] SimSpark automation

[Simon R. <sra...@st...>]

Does anybody use the current SimSpark in an automated environment, e.g. in a 
headless setup (no GUI) doing genetic optimization?

I'm having a list of problems:

- spark/plugin/inputsdl/inputsystemsdl.cpp tries to SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) 
although the server is supposed to run without an internal monitor and the 
input layer doesn't need video. This completely breaks the server when run 
from an SSH session. IMO the complete "if (!SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_VIDEO))" 
block can be removed.

- I have to put multiple installations in different locations if I don't want 
to fiddle with scripts all the time because paths are static. IMO the simspark 
binary should take a path to an initialization script on the command line and 
only use the default one if none is given.

- AFAICT there is no possibility to run a simulation without rules, e.g. to 
optimize a kick the ball always has to be in the same location and 
BeforeKickOff does not allow the client to run into the center. The environment 
also has to be reset. The only "solution" I could come up with is to restart 
the server after every run and/or create a monitor connection in parallel 
which tries to resets things.

- Is there a possibility to run the simulation as fast as possible while still 
using 20 ms timesteps? My solution would be to advance the simulation as soon 
as all present agents sent their commands for this step or the usual 20ms are 
over.


I "solved" most of the problems in some way or an other so depending on your 
feedback patches may already be ready.

--
regards
Simon Raffeiner

University of Applied Sciences Offenburg, Germany
Computer Science Department, RoboCup Team