Re: An attempt to revive Robocode

Billy Jones <[email protected]> Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:58:52 -0800 (PST)
Newsgroups gmane.comp.java.robocode
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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Thanks for the reply. I don't have a facebook account so I will ask a=20
friend to post on there.

> It would be great to have something like that for Robocode Tank Royale.

I tried Tank Royale and I think Python support is key. If there is enough=
=20
traction, I will be happy to run Tank Royale on the existing infra and set=
=20
up a separate ladder.

> I am thinking on letting people share robots from git using a central git=
=20
repo, where people must do a PR to add their bot so it is visible for=20
others.
> The PR is necessary to check for vulnerability and other security stuff,=
=20
and we need moderation of the PRs.

This is probably a lot of overhead for you (as a maintainer) and may also=
=20
discourage some people from uploading robots becaue it will expose their=20
strategies. For an online version (like the Arena) of Tank Royale, the=20
security risk could be solved by running robots in separate VMs since it's=
=20
built on WebSocket but this also means running the battles will be more=20
resource intensive and a bit slower.

Billy
On Monday, January 5, 2026 at 7:26:17=E2=80=AFAM UTC-8 fnl wrote:

> Hi Billy,
>
> This sounds really interesting! =F0=9F=98=8A
> Please also spread this on the Facebook group for Robocode:=20
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/129627130234
>
> And also take a look at Robocode Tank Royale (new platform for Robocode):
>
> https://github.com/robocode-dev/tank-royale
> https://robocode.dev/
>
> It would be great to have something like that for Robocode Tank Royale.
>
> I am thinking on letting people share robots from git using a central git=
=20
> repo, where people must do a PR to add their bot so it is visible for=20
> others.
> The PR is necessary to check for vulnerability and other security stuff,=
=20
> and we need moderation of the PRs.
>
> I don't hope Robocode is dead because I will stop developing on the =20
> Robocode Tank Royale, if that is the case.
>
> Cheers,
> - Flemming
>
>
> mandag den 5. januar 2026 kl. 12.38.15 UTC+1 skrev [email protected]=
:
>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> I am a longtime competitive programmer but have just recently discovered=
=20
>> Robocode which is honestly way more fun than the generic competitions I =
am=20
>> used to. However, I was surprised by the lack of active online competiti=
ons=20
>> (besides https://literumble.appspot.com which I think is a great and=20
>> generous contribution to the community).
>>
>> After a bit of thinking and tinkering with the Robocode "CLI", I decided=
=20
>> to build an Arena <https://robocode-arena.com/> with a continously=20
>> running ladder of robots. I have been experimenting with it for a month =
or=20
>> so now and thought I'd share it with everyone here in case anybody is st=
ill=20
>> Robocoding or wants to pick it up again.
>>
>> I also figured it would be fun to see what the current LLMs are capable=
=20
>> of when it comes to Robocode. So, I ran the following experiment=20
>> https://robocode-arena.com/blog/ai-experiment which some of you may find=
=20
>> interesting.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Billy
>
>

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Thanks for the reply. I don't have a facebook account so I will ask a frien=
d to post on there.<br /><br />&gt; It would be great to have something lik=
e that for Robocode Tank Royale.<br /><br />I tried Tank Royale and I think=
 Python support is key. If there is enough traction, I will be happy to run=
 Tank Royale on the existing infra and set up a separate ladder.<br /><br /=
>&gt; I am thinking on letting people share robots from git using a central=
 git repo, where people must do a PR to add their bot so it is visible for =
others.<br />&gt; The PR is necessary to check for vulnerability and other =
security stuff, and we need moderation of the PRs.<br /><br />This is proba=
bly a lot of overhead for you (as a maintainer) and may also discourage som=
e people from uploading robots becaue it will expose their strategies. For =
an online version (like the Arena) of Tank Royale, the security risk could =
be solved by running robots in separate VMs since it's built on WebSocket b=
ut this also means running the battles will be more resource intensive and =
a bit slower.<br /><br />Billy<div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"auto" =
class=3D"gmail_attr">On Monday, January 5, 2026 at 7:26:17=E2=80=AFAM UTC-8=
 fnl wrote:<br/></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0 =
0 0 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">H=
i=C2=A0Billy,<br><br>This sounds really interesting! =F0=9F=98=8A<br>Please=
 also spread this on the Facebook group for Robocode:=C2=A0<a href=3D"https=
://www.facebook.com/groups/129627130234" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"nofollow"=
 data-saferedirecturl=3D"https://www.google.com/url?hl=3Den&amp;q=3Dhttps:/=
/www.facebook.com/groups/129627130234&amp;source=3Dgmail&amp;ust=3D17684476=
92408000&amp;usg=3DAOvVaw0IqYJzl8k9xFCr5DTX1c9e">https://www.facebook.com/g=
roups/129627130234</a><br><br>And also take a look at Robocode Tank Royale =
(new platform for Robocode):<br><br><a href=3D"https://github.com/robocode-=
dev/tank-royale" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"nofollow" data-saferedirecturl=3D=
"https://www.google.com/url?hl=3Den&amp;q=3Dhttps://github.com/robocode-dev=
/tank-royale&amp;source=3Dgmail&amp;ust=3D1768447692408000&amp;usg=3DAOvVaw=
0-Uiu-GJMRK6pfvUabIo1k">https://github.com/robocode-dev/tank-royale</a><br>=
<a href=3D"https://robocode.dev/" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"nofollow" data-s=
aferedirecturl=3D"https://www.google.com/url?hl=3Den&amp;q=3Dhttps://roboco=
de.dev/&amp;source=3Dgmail&amp;ust=3D1768447692408000&amp;usg=3DAOvVaw1UZLY=
CF5Blopo1QcM-n3DR">https://robocode.dev/</a><br><br>It would be great to ha=
ve something like that for Robocode Tank Royale.<br><br>I am thinking on le=
tting people share robots from git using a central git repo, where people m=
ust do a PR to add their bot so it is visible for others.<br>The PR is nece=
ssary to check for vulnerability and other security stuff, and we need mode=
ration of the PRs.<br><br>I don&#39;t hope Robocode is dead because I will =
stop developing on the=C2=A0

Robocode Tank Royale, if that is the case.<br><br>Cheers,<br>- Flemming<br>=
<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"auto" class=3D"gmail_attr">m=
andag den 5. januar 2026 kl. 12.38.15 UTC+1 skrev <a href data-email-masked=
 rel=3D"nofollow">[email protected]</a>:<br></div><blockquote class=3D=
"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204=
,204);padding-left:1ex">Hi everyone,<br><br>I am a longtime competitive pro=
grammer but have just recently discovered Robocode which is honestly way mo=
re fun than the generic competitions I am used to. However, I was surprised=
 by the lack of active online competitions (besides=C2=A0<a href=3D"https:/=
/literumble.appspot.com" rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank" data-saferedire=
cturl=3D"https://www.google.com/url?hl=3Den&amp;q=3Dhttps://literumble.apps=
pot.com&amp;source=3Dgmail&amp;ust=3D1768447692408000&amp;usg=3DAOvVaw0nQEw=
whDhHOOOUtFcaZJmd">https://literumble.appspot.com</a> which I think is a gr=
eat and generous contribution to the community).<br><br>After a bit of thin=
king and tinkering with the Robocode &quot;CLI&quot;, I decided to build an=
 <a href=3D"https://robocode-arena.com/" rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank"=
 data-saferedirecturl=3D"https://www.google.com/url?hl=3Den&amp;q=3Dhttps:/=
/robocode-arena.com/&amp;source=3Dgmail&amp;ust=3D1768447692408000&amp;usg=
=3DAOvVaw0UWu3jEObeDxaofP4T5kDA">Arena</a> with a continously running ladde=
r of robots. I have been experimenting with it for a month or so now and th=
ought I&#39;d share it with everyone here in case anybody is still Robocodi=
ng or wants to pick it up again.<br><br>I also figured it would be fun to s=
ee what the current LLMs are capable of when it comes to Robocode. So, I ra=
n the following experiment=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://robocode-arena.com/blog/=
ai-experiment" rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank" data-saferedirecturl=3D"h=
ttps://www.google.com/url?hl=3Den&amp;q=3Dhttps://robocode-arena.com/blog/a=
i-experiment&amp;source=3Dgmail&amp;ust=3D1768447692408000&amp;usg=3DAOvVaw=
3Ile9buJmHU8U1VrA9AGhU">https://robocode-arena.com/blog/ai-experiment</a>=
=C2=A0which some of you may find interesting.<br><br>Thanks,<br>Billy</bloc=
kquote></div></blockquote></div>

<p></p>

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