8/26/2023 0 Comments Anki drive starter kit video![]() For example, our app had a placeholder for a "Race" mode that is "Coming soon…"Įach Anki Drive car has its own strengths, weaknesses, and support items. Antuan Goodwin/CNETĪnki says that this "Battle" mode and a "Practice" mode where the AI players don't shoot back are the only gameplay types available, but also states that it will add more game types via app updates over time. Vehicles have transmitters and sensors at the front and rear end that work like virtual weapons. The first to a predetermined score (5, 10, or 15 disabled opponents) wins the game. Meanwhile, the other human players and AI players will be shooting back. Thanks to the infrared track codes, the cars can steer themselves around the track, leaving the player to control vehicle speed, lane changes, and weapons systems by swiping, tapping, and tilting their iOS device. The object of the game is to race around the track, disabling your opponents' vehicles with "pulse blasts" fired by tapping the paired iPhone. Gameplay is basically laser tag on wheels. AI difficulty can be adjusted between "easy," "medium," and "hard" to match the player's skill level. Any cars not operated by a player can be assigned to the Anki Drive AI (artificial intelligence), so you'll have competitors, even if you choose to play solo. Players can reactivate them by tapping small grey buttons on the vehicles' undercarriages.Īfter selecting a play mode, players will then be asked which of the available vehicles they would like to command. If left to idle for too long between games, the cars will automatically shut themselves off. Up to four cars can be used at a time and up to four drivers can play together, each with their own device. The after launching the Anki Drive app your iPhone will automatically seek and pair with Anki Drive cars in the area via Bluetooth Low Energy. We were able to download an early release of the app for testing and to spend time playing against the AI and other local players in our San Francisco office. The Anki Drive app is required to run the hardware and is available for free in the iOS App Store as of October 23, 2013. The cars can't be used nor the game played without these markings, so take care to keep the track clean and in good condition. ![]() Look closely and you can see the faint infrared markings, like grooves on a vinyl record. The cars read these codes as they move along to know where they are and where other cars are on the course and to help them maintain their "lane" without player intervention. Look closely and you can just barely make the pattern out, like the grooves on a vinyl record. In addition to being coated with a slightly tackier surface that better helps the cars' tires to grip, the track is also covered with special patterned codes visible via infrared. If you look carefully, it becomes clear why. The Anki Drive system's included instructions make it clear that this track is to be treated with care, not stepped on, folded, or cleaned with chemicals. However, there's more to the track than just an average vinyl banner. At 102 inches long by 42 inches wide, it takes up a lot of floor space. ![]() The track - basically an oval course with a slight infield bow on one side - is printed on a large, vinyl sheet that is unrolled and laid flat on the floor. But to figure out how they work, we'll have to take a closer look at the track itself. This is how the Anki Drive cars can tell where they are on the track and what to do next. Peering into this square opening, you can see what looks like an LED and a small camera lens. However, because the system supports up to four cars per game, four micro USB tips on that cable would have been nice.įinally, there's the track sensor, which is located between the front wheels on the cars' underbellies. The included three-headed micro USB charging cable allows three cars to be recharged, simultaneously. Each car takes about 8 to 10 minutes to charge, according the the included literature, and will run for about 20 minutes before needing to juice up again. The cars can be stored in their charging stations to prevent damage when unused. Just ahead of the rear wheels are the copper contacts that receive power from the charging station, which is a black clamshell case for the vehicle with a semi-transparent cover and micro USB port out back. The software is also smart enough to know if the tires have gotten dirty and can alert the player via the app to clean them. You could accomplish a similar result with a strip of tape, but it's nice to see this attention to detail included in the box. If the rubber rear wheels get dirty, players can clean them with the included tire cleaning pad: a tacky, semi-adhesive pad that pulls dirt and dust off of the rubber when rolled over it.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |