I Like Trains Game

Overview

I Like Trains Game is a multiplayer game where players take on the role of train operators, navigating a shared game world to collect passengers, strategically expand their trains, and skillfully avoid collisions. Built with Python and Pygame, the game employs a client-server architecture to enable networked gameplay, offering a blend of strategic decision-making and real-time reactions.

The student's objective will be to modify the agent.py file (and only this one) to remotely control a train managed by a server according to his environment. The agent must make travel decisions for the train, as well as the game board with the Pygam Library.

Requirements

• Python 3.10

Setup Instructions

Follow these steps to set up and run the game:

1. Create a virtual environment

After cloning the project and entering the folder with cd .\i_like_trains\, enter:

python -m venv venv

2. Activate the virtual environment (every time before starting the project)

On Windows

.\venv\Scripts\activate

On macOS/Linux

source venv/bin/activate

3. Install the necessary dependencies

After activating the virtual environment, install the necessary dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Execute the client

To execute the client locally, use the following command:

python client.py

Same thing if you want to connect to a distant machine:

python client.py <ip_adress>

Logging System

The game uses Python's built-in logging system to help with debugging and monitoring. Change the logging level in the logging.basicConfig function in the agent.py file.

Available log levels (from most to least verbose):

• DEBUG: Detailed information for debugging
• INFO: General information about game operation
• WARNING: Indicates potential issues
• ERROR: Serious problems that need attention
• CRITICAL: Critical errors that prevent the game from running

Logs are displayed in the console and include timestamps, module name, and log level.

Agent Details

The Agent is the intelligent controller for each train in the game. It's responsible for a variety of tasks, including:

Initialization (__init__)

The student is not supposed to modify this part

• State Initialization: Initializes the agent's state, including:
  • all_trains: A dictionary containing information about all trains in the game.
  • agent_name: The unique identifier for this agent.
  • all_passengers: A list of passenger positions in the game.
  • send_action: A function to send actions (direction changes, respawn requests) to the server.
  • grid_size, screen_width, screen_height: Game world dimensions.
  • directions: A list of possible movement directions.
  • current_direction_index: The agent's current movement direction.
  • is_dead: A flag indicating whether the train is currently dead.
  • waiting_for_respawn: A flag indicating whether the agent has requested a respawn but hasn't yet been added back to the game.
  • death_time: The time when the train died.
  • respawn_cooldown: The remaining time before the train can respawn.

Collision Avoidance (will_hit_wall, will_hit_train_or_wagon)

• will_hit_wall(): Determines if moving in a given direction from the current position will result in hitting a wall.
• will_hit_train_or_wagon(): Determines if moving in a given direction from the current position will result in a collision with another train or a wagon.

Passenger Management (get_closest_passenger, get_direction_to_target)

• get_closest_passenger(): Finds the closest passenger to the train's current position (current_pos).
• get_direction_to_target(): Determines the best direction to move in order to reach a given target_pos from the current position (current_pos), considering only the valid_directions.

Movement and Decision Making (get_valid_direction, is_opposite_direction)

• get_valid_direction(): Determines a valid direction for the train to move in, considering:
  • Avoiding walls and collisions.
  • Moving towards the closest passenger, if any.
  • Avoiding moving in the opposite direction.
• is_opposite_direction(): Checks if a given new_direction is opposite to the train's current direction.

GUI Rendering (draw_gui)

• draw_gui(): Draws the game state on the screen, including:
  • The train and its wagons.
  • Other trains and their wagons.
  • Passengers.
  • The agent's score.
  • A "Train dead" message and respawn cooldown timer if the train is dead.

State Update (update)

The student is not supposed to modify this part

• update(trains, passengers, grid_size, screen_width, screen_height): Updates the agent's state based on information received from the server:
  • Updates the all_trains, all_passengers, grid_size, screen_width, and screen_height attributes.
  • Handles the train's death and respawn logic:
    • If the train is not in the all_trains list and is not waiting to respawn, it's marked as dead.
    • If the train is dead, it checks if the respawn cooldown has expired.
    • If the cooldown has expired and manual respawn is enabled, it displays a "Press SPACE to spawn" message.
    • If the cooldown has expired and manual respawn is disabled, or if the space key is pressed, it sends a respawn request to the server.
  • If the train is alive, it calls the get_valid_direction method to determine the best direction to move in and sends the corresponding action to the server.

Communication (send_action)

The student is not supposed to modify this part

• send_action(direction): Sends the agent's action (direction change or respawn request) to the server.

In summary, the Agent class encapsulates all the logic required for a train to make decisions, avoid collisions, collect passengers, render its state on the screen, and communicate with the server.