RS Components - Tweet Race

Sounds like RS had to find something for a work experience person to do and they came up with this project. Why on earth don't they do something more creative with a strategy element rather than a moronic small movement per tweet if I understand correctly. Glad to see the Erik has popped in to add some poetry to this disorganised competition.
I would add that hardly any of my students (18 to 22 years old) use Twitter apart from the odd one who uses it for job searches. So who is a typical user - must be more than just geeks but I haven't found one yet

Anyway I have my bot network ready to send a million tweets in the first second of the competition, so put your money on the blue car (only joking)
In fact, it reminds me of the minature horses in 60s amusement arcades on the pier where the competitors had to get balls into a hole, marked run or trot, to move their horse forward a notch ... or something like that
Edit, not very clear but this is the best pic I could find:

Cheers
Chris

PS Whilst I'm here, maybe RS might deign to divert some of their work experience people to deliver my Raspberry Pi for which they relieved me of my pennies 7 weeks ago
(yes I know the order said despatch might take 9 weeks but why take my money if you knew that?)

Hi Sam,

The above was done in Ultimate Racer 3.0: http://www.uracer.org/ur30/UR30.htm

If you are actually going to buy one though I think Track Power is easier to use and prettier http://www.trackpower.net/eng.htm
Nb they are not compatible with each other. Both have limited demo versions.

Scalextric own track designer is free but has bugs and I have never managed to complete a track plan: http://www.scalextric.com/track-designer/.
However, there's a new Scalextric iPhone app which I haven't tried: http://www.scalextric.com/scalextric-app-f...touch-and-ipad/

Cheers
Chris

Hi Sam,

I've swapped a couple of half pieces for a straight:


From the original idea by RichG

According to UR3 (unverified!):
16*Radius 4 curves (C8235). 30*Radius 3 curves (C8204); 6*Half Straights (C8207); 1*Quarter Straight (C8200); 16*Straights (C8205)
2,79m*2,80m. Track1 = 15,58m; Track 2= 16,07m

There are always trolls who will moan about the lanes being unequal. Maybe a handicap can be built into the program on the shorter lane?

Chris

It's a bank holiday today in France so it's your lucky day.

Eh voila, equal tracks:



According to UR3 (unverified!):
17*Radius 4 curves (C8235). 29*Radius 3 curves (C8204); 4*Half Straights (C8207); 1*Quarter Straight (C8200); 15*Straights (C8205)
2.83m*2.66m. Track1 = 15.19m; Track 2= 15.19m

Cheers
Chris

The design winner is only 18 (Tom Speller)! Here's his design (not necessarily the final version?):


Source: blog

Source: Twitter

and fwiw, the code on his blog (not the final version):
CODEint track1 = 10; // track 1 PWM pin
int input1 = 0; //this is a interrupt input not a digital number (digital pin 2)
volatile int count1 = 0; // tweet counter for track 1
int car1Speed = 0;

int setReset1 = 1;

long track1Time = -500;

int speedSet1 = 0;

int track2 = 11; // track 2 PWM pin
int input2 = 1; //this is a interrupt input not a digital number (digital pin 3)
volatile int count2 = 0;
int car2Speed = 0;

int setReset2 = 1;

long track2Time = -500;

int speedSet2 = 0;

int carTime[] = {500, 450, 400, 300, 150}; // the amount of time the car will run on each tweet.

int carSpeed[] = {120, 160, 190, 210, 230};

int serialValue[] = {0,0};

int changeSet[] = {30, 60, 120, 250};

void setup(){

pinMode(track1, OUTPUT);
attachInterrupt(input1, track1input, FALLING);

pinMode(track2, OUTPUT);
attachInterrupt(input2, track2input, FALLING);

Serial.begin(9600);

}

void loop(){

if(Serial.available() > 0){

int data = Serial.read();
int currentNumber = 0;

if(data == '<'){

while(data != '>'){

data = Serial.read();

if(data >= '0' && data <= '9'){
serialValue[currentNumber] = serialValue[currentNumber] * 10 + data - '0';
}

if(data == ','){
currentNumber = 1;
}
}
Serial.flush();
}
}

if(serialValue[0] > 0){
count1 = count1 + serialValue[0];
serialValue[0] = 0;
}
if(serialValue[1] > 0){
count2 = count2 + serialValue[1];
serialValue[1] = 0;
}

if(count1 > 0){
Serial.print(count1);
Serial.print(" , ");
Serial.println(count2);

if(count1 > changeSet[3]){
speedSet1 = 4;
}else if(count1 > changeSet[2]){
speedSet1 = 3;
}else if(count1 > changeSet[1]){
speedSet1 = 2;
}else if(count1 > changeSet[0]){
speedSet1 = 1;
}else{
speedSet1 = 0;
}

if(setReset1 == 1){
analogWrite(track1, carSpeed[speedSet1]);
track1Time = millis();
setReset1 = 0;
}

if(setReset1 == 0){
if(millis() > track1Time + carTime[speedSet1]){
analogWrite(track1, 0);
count1 = count1 - 1;
setReset1 = 1;
}
}

}

if(count2 > 0){
Serial.print(count1);
Serial.print(" , ");
Serial.println(count2);

if(count2 > changeSet[3]){
speedSet2 = 4;
}else if(count2 > changeSet[2]){
speedSet2 = 3;
}else if(count2 > changeSet[1]){
speedSet2 = 2;
}else if(count2 > changeSet[0]){
speedSet2 = 1;
}else{
speedSet2 = 0;
}

if(setReset2 == 1){
analogWrite(track2, 120);
track2Time = millis();
setReset2 = 0;
}
if(setReset2 == 0){
if(millis() > track2Time + carTime[speedSet2]){
analogWrite(track2, 0);
count2 = count2 - 1;
setReset2 = 1;
}
}
}

}

void track1input(){
count1 = count1 + 1;
}

void track2input(){
count2 = count2 + 1;
}