RobotTribes Docs
Fall 2026
API

# Staggerbot

o1.robots.Staggerbot
class Staggerbot(`name`: String, `body`: RobotBody, `randomSeed`: Int) extends RobotBrain

The class `Staggerbot` represents the “brains” of robots whose algorithms are not sophisticated enough to beat a game of Viinaharava. These robots stagger from place to place harum-scarum, relying on a (pseudo)random number generator.

## Parameters

body

  the unlucky robot body whose actions the staggerbot brain will control

name

  the name of the staggerbot

randomSeed

  the seed that feeds the random generator that guides the bot

## Attributes

Graph
Supertypes
  trait RobotBrain
  class Object
  trait Matchable
  class Any

## Members list

### Value members

#### Concrete methods

def moveBody(): Unit

Moves the robot. A staggerbot selects a random direction and tries to move to the adjacent square in that direction. If there is a wall or another robot in that square, the robot collides with it and does not change squares (as per the `moveTowards` method of its body, possibly colliding and breaking itself or another robot).

Moves the robot. A staggerbot selects a random direction and tries to move to the adjacent square in that direction. If there is a wall or another robot in that square, the robot collides with it and does not change squares (as per the `moveTowards` method of its body, possibly colliding and breaking itself or another robot).

If the staggerbot collides with something, it remains facing whatever it collided with and ends its turn there. If the staggerbot did not collide with anything, it again selects a new random direction and turns to face that direction (which may or may not be the direction it just moved in).

Note: this means that if (and only if) the staggerbot did not collide, it picks two random directions per turn, one to move in and one to face in.

The staggerbot selects each random direction using the following algorithm:

1. Use an indexed collection containing all the four `CompassDir` objects in clockwise order, starting with north.

2. Pick a random index. Use the `nextInt` method in `scala.util.Random` that produces a pseudorandom integer that is at least zero and lower than that method’s integer parameter.

3. Select the direction found at the random index.

A particular staggerbot always uses the same instance of `Random` to generate numbers. It does not create a new random number generator every time this method is called. Each staggerbot has its own `Random` object.

This method assumes that it is called only if the robot is not broken or stuck.

## Attributes

#### Inherited methods

def advanceCarefully(): Boolean

Moves the robot one square forwards, if there is nothing there. If that square isn’t empty, the robot does not move, so this method never causes a collision.

Moves the robot one square forwards, if there is nothing there. If that square isn’t empty, the robot does not move, so this method never causes a collision.

(Note: This method only moves the robot if the square in front of it is completely empty. This method does not call mayMove and is not affected by that other method’s implementation in any way.)

## Attributes

Returns

  `true` if the move was successful and the robot is now in the next square, `false` if it was blocked

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def controlTurn(): Unit

Controls the robot body’s actions for a single turn. If the brain considers the robot to be stuck (see isStuck), this method does nothing. If not stuck, the brain calls its own moveBody method, which carries out the actual robot actions.

Controls the robot body’s actions for a single turn. If the brain considers the robot to be stuck (see isStuck), this method does nothing. If not stuck, the brain calls its own moveBody method, which carries out the actual robot actions.

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def facing: `CompassDir`

Returns the direction this robot is facing in.

Returns the direction this robot is facing in.

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def isStuck: Boolean

Determines whether the robot brain considers the robot to be stuck. A brain considers the robot stuck if and only if all the squares surrounding the robot contain obstacles, as defined by the mayMove method. Only four squares are considered: the nearest square in each of the four main compass directions.

Determines whether the robot brain considers the robot to be stuck. A brain considers the robot stuck if and only if all the squares surrounding the robot contain obstacles, as defined by the mayMove method. Only four squares are considered: the nearest square in each of the four main compass directions.

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def location: `GridPos`

Returns the coordinates of this robot within its robot world.

Returns the coordinates of this robot within its robot world.

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def locationInFront: `GridPos`

Returns the coordinates that point at the square that is immediately in front of this robot.

Returns the coordinates that point at the square that is immediately in front of this robot.

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def mayMove(`direction`: `CompassDir`): Boolean

Checks the square that neighbors this robot in the given direction to see if it contains something that the robot brain considers an obstacle. This method is abstract; different kinds of robot brains will have different definitions of what counts as an obstacle.

Checks the square that neighbors this robot in the given direction to see if it contains something that the robot brain considers an obstacle. This method is abstract; different kinds of robot brains will have different definitions of what counts as an obstacle.

This default implementation (which may be overriden by subtypes) does not consider anything to be an obstacle. Robots that rely on this default implementation are willing to move in any direction and never consider themselves to be stuck (see isStuck).

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def name_=(`newName`: String): Unit

Changes the robot’s name to the given one.

Changes the robot’s name to the given one.

Note to students: In Scala, a method whose name ends in an underscore and an equals sign — like this one’s — can be called using a special syntax. For instance, this method can be called either with the statement `bot.name_=("Suzy")` or simply with an assignment statement: `bot.name = "Suzy"`. You won’t find many uses for this in O1, but it’s nice to know nonetheless.

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def robotInFront: Option[RobotBrain]

Returns the brain of the robot immediately in front of this robot. The brain is returned in an `Option` wrapper; `None` is returned if there is no robot in that square or if the robot that is there has no brain.

Returns the brain of the robot immediately in front of this robot. The brain is returned in an `Option` wrapper; `None` is returned if there is no robot in that square or if the robot that is there has no brain.

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def squareInFront: Square

Returns the square that is immediately in front of this robot.

Returns the square that is immediately in front of this robot.

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

override def toString: String

Returns a textual representation of the robot (which is the robot’s name).

Returns a textual representation of the robot (which is the robot’s name).

## Attributes

Definition Classes
  RobotBrain -> Any
Inherited from:
  RobotBrain

def world: RobotWorld

Returns the world that this robot is located in.

Returns the world that this robot is located in.

## Attributes

Inherited from:
  RobotBrain