Where to Download Grobots and Which Platforms It Supports

Updated

You can download Grobots from its SourceForge project page (grobots.sourceforge.net), which lists four builds plus source code. The original game runs on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux, and a Java port by Mike Anderson extends it to more platforms, including Unixes and probably some phones. Grobots is free software distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL).

What the download page offers

The site's Download section states that Grobots is free software distributed under the GPL and that there are currently four builds. The excerpt begins describing the first build as Mac OS X but is cut off before naming the rest, so treat the full list of four as something to confirm on the download page itself rather than assume from this summary.

Beyond packaged builds, the site points to source and binaries, and the news item about the Java port links both source and an executable. If you want to build or modify the game yourself, the source route is the one to take.

Platform support at a glance

Platform How you get it Notes from the site
Mac OS X Native build One of the listed builds; the OS X build received a new icon in December 2013
Windows Native build Windows-specific fixes noted in 2012, including keyboard shortcuts, tournament length and nonfatal error dialogs, and improved window layout (patches from Mike Anderson)
Linux Native build The overview states the game runs on Linux
Other Unixes, possibly some phones Java port Mike Anderson's translation; simulation is complete, fast, and compatible with the C++ version

What to know about the Java port

The Java port is the easiest way to run Grobots on hardware outside the three main desktop platforms. According to the site's news entry (Devon, 20140724), the simulation is complete, fast, and compatible with the C++ version—it can run existing sides with essentially the same results. Some GUI windows are not yet implemented, notably the minimap, but the entry describes that as not a serious problem and calls the port already quite usable.

If you depend on the minimap or other GUI features, prefer a native build where one exists for your system.

Before you download: what you're getting into

Grobots is a real-time strategy programming game in which you write programs, called sides, to control teams of robots that forage, reproduce, and fight. Sides are written in a simple dialect of Forth. The site is candid that the learning curve is steep and the documentation is poor, though it is being moved to a wiki. The main discussion forum is the mailing list, and new sides can be sent there or posted to the wiki for tournaments.

Two practical notes from the site: maintenance from the original authors is sporadic, but you can maintain it yourself by downloading the source, and the authors like hearing from users but can be very slow to respond. If you hit a problem, the mailing list and wiki are more reliable than waiting on a direct reply.

Quick checklist

  1. Go to grobots.sourceforge.net and open the Download section.
  2. Pick the native build for Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux if one matches your machine.
  3. On other platforms, use the Java port's executable, or its source if you want to build it.
  4. Download the source as well if you plan to modify or maintain the game.
  5. Join the mailing list or check the wiki for documentation and tournament announcements.