Changes

== Starcore v1.0 ==

== Starcore v1.0 ==

Starcore went on to release the first Starcore Stock AI pack on January 17, 2004, with 15 teams (of 3-bots each) of his own design (with a bit of help from his sons) all [[Stock]] and showing off a wide range of building technique and examples. He believed online competitions and tournaments of the time were ruled by a few bot builders that kept various bot building techniques and Botlab glitches to themselves inducing unfair advantages. Up to and including using hidden parts and AI parts because once a bot was built others couldn't tell from the outside in a [[Stock]] competition. Starcore wanted everyone to have a chance to learn and compete on a level playing field. There was also an issue back then of AI packs using unbalanced custom parts to try and give the AI bots unfair advantages over the players that didn't have the same parts available in their bot building. Starcore felt that there was plenty of power to be shown in tight, diverse, efficient [[Stock]] AIed bots.

Starcore released the first Starcore Stock AI pack on January 17, 2004, with 15 teams (of 3-bots each) of his own design (with a bit of help from his sons) all [[Stock]] and showing off a wide range of building technique and examples. He believed online competitions and tournaments of the time were ruled by a few bot builders that kept various bot building techniques and Botlab glitches to themselves inducing unfair advantages. Up to and including using hidden parts and AI parts because once a bot was built others couldn't tell from the outside in a [[Stock]] competition. Starcore wanted everyone to have a chance to learn and compete on a level playing field. There was also an issue back then of AI packs using unbalanced custom parts to try and give the AI bots unfair advantages over the players that didn't have the same parts available in their bot building. Starcore felt that there was plenty of power to be shown in tight, diverse, efficient [[Stock]] AIed bots.

== Starcore v2.0 ==

== Starcore v2.0 ==

The Starcore v2.0 pack was released on March 11th, 2004, less than two months after Starcore v1.0. For the second Starcore pack, a PM from Rejected (called such because he too had been hit by the banhammers of AceUplink) on ways to improve Alien Queen's stability started a friendship and opened the doors allowing others to include their own bots and teams to show off building skills and an even more diverse range of bot types and techniques. This brought in teams by [[Rejected]], [[ACAMS]], [[Clutch]], [[Diablo]], and [[Eyce]]. And many individual bots by [[Pheud]], [[ACAMS]], [[toAst]], [[Artitan]], [[Clutch]], and [[Rejected]]. This saw the birth of such famous bots as the [[Poker]] [[VS]], [[Clockwork Hydra]], and probably the first [[Juggler]] in [[RA2]], [[Mechanical Waterbug]]. This pack also saw the advent of the [[Antweight]] and [[Beetleweight]] Classes and the inclusion of 6-bot teams thanks to code from [[Disturbed]]. This helped grow the pack to near 3 times its size at 20 teams of 6 bots each.

The Starcore v2.0 pack was released on March 11th, 2004, less than two months after Starcore v1.0. For the second Starcore pack, a PM from Rejected (called such because he too had been hit by the banhammers of AceUplink) on ways to improve Alien Queen's stability started a friendship and opened the doors allowing others to include their own bots and teams to show off building skills and even more diverse ranges of bot types and techniques. This brought in teams by [[Rejected]], [[ACAMS]], [[Clutch]], [[Diablo]], and [[Eyce]]. And many individual bots by [[Pheud]], [[ACAMS]], [[toAst]], [[Artitan]], [[Clutch]], and [[Rejected]]. This saw the birth of such famous bots as the [[Poker]] [[VS]], [[Clockwork Hydra]], and probably the first [[Juggler]] in [[RA2]], [[Mechanical Waterbug]]. The pack also saw the advent of the [[Antweight]] and [[Beetleweight]] Classes and the inclusion of 6-bot teams thanks to code from [[Disturbed]]. This helped grow the pack to near 3 times its size at 20 teams of 6 bots each.

== [[DSL-TC]] ==

== [[DSL-TC]] ==

== Starcore v3.0 ==

== Starcore v3.0 ==

During the summer of 2004 and in the middle of spearheading [[DSL-TC]] with [[DarkRat]] and [[Lu-Tze]], Starcore was also working on growing and expanding the Starcore AI pack. He added new AI routines like Omni.py and OmniRammer.py that have become defacto standards in the [[RA2]] community. And many people, seeing the success of Starcore v2.0, jumped in to have their bots included in Starcore v3.0. Lu-Tze provided the Starcore Arena, DarkRat provided a cool themed in-game selection screen and Rejected provided again a great pack splash screen. Instead of making new bots, Starcore's time became filled with AIing entries from others and tightening and/or rebuilding their bots to be more efficient and effective. [[The Troll]] being an example of shrinking a [[SHW] down to a more effective though still funky [[HW]]. Many exotic bots were brought in including [[Vortex CE]], [[Rabid Pit Bull]], [[Hunter-Killer Tank]] and others by [[Rejected]]; [[3-2-1 Blastoff!]], [[Flying Sheep]] and others by [[Foolishevil]]; and the first stilt bot ever seen, [[Mome Rath]] by [[Corporate Goon]]. There was also a major influx of new 6-bot themed teams, manny following the pattern of [[LW]], [[MW]], [[HW]], [[AW]], [[BW]], [[SHW]] including teams from [[FoolishEvil]], [[C2]], [[Spawngeek]], [[Jimxorb]], [[Viper]], [[EpicentrE]], [[WardenX]], [[ACAMS]], [[Rejected]], [[Artitan]], [[Gemini]], [[Clutch]] and [[Karnage]]. This grew the pack to a whopping 35 teams of 6 bots each for a total of 210 effective, diverse, and dangerous [[Stock]] bots.

During the summer of 2004 in the middle of spearheading [[DSL-TC]] with [[DarkRat]] and [[Lu-Tze]], Starcore was also working on growing and expanding the Starcore AI pack. He added new AI routines like Omni.py and OmniRammer.py that have become defacto standards in the [[RA2]] community. And many people, seeing the success of Starcore v2.0, jumped in to have their bots included in Starcore v3.0. [[Lu-Tze]] provided the Starcore Arena, DarkRat provided a cool themed in-game selection screen and Rejected provided again a great pack splash screen. Instead of making new bots, Starcore's time became filled with AIing entries from others and tightening and/or rebuilding their bots to be more efficient and effective. [[The Troll]] being an example of shrinking a [[SHW] down to a more effective though still funky [[HW]]. Many exotic bots were brought in including [[Vortex CE]], [[Rabid Pit Bull]], [[Hunter-Killer Tank]] and others by [[Rejected]]; [[3-2-1 Blastoff!]], [[Flying Sheep]] and others by [[Foolishevil]]; and the first stilt bot ever seen, [[Mome Rath]] by [[Corporate Goon]]. There was also a major influx of new 6-bot themed teams, manny following the pattern of [[LW]], [[MW]], [[HW]], [[AW]], [[BW]], [[SHW]] including teams from [[FoolishEvil]], [[C2]], [[Spawngeek]], [[Jimxorb]], [[Viper]], [[EpicentrE]], [[WardenX]], [[ACAMS]], [[Rejected]], [[Artitan]], [[Gemini]], [[Clutch]] and [[Karnage]]. This grew the pack to a whopping 35 teams of 6 bots each for a total of 210 effective, diverse, and dangerous [[Stock]] bots.

== Starcore v4.0 ==

== Starcore v4.0 ==

Starcore planned to release a v4.0 of the AI pack in 2005, but he disappeared from the community for quite some time dealing with real life needs. He returned in 2007, and released two Alpha versions of Starcore v4.0 tightening designs, upgrading most of the bots to [[DSA]] and many to include [[Caster]] armor. The RA2 community again pulled together to help rebuild, review, and test the updated bots. This put the Starcore pack back at the forefront of the [[RA2]] [[Stock]] packs as one of the most challenging and diverse packs ever released. Many members of this community cut their teeth and grew their skills reviewing and competing against the Starcore pack bots.

Starcore planned to release a v4.0 of the AI pack in 2005, but he disappeared from the community for quite some time dealing with real life needs. He returned in 2007, and released two Alpha versions of Starcore v4.0 tightening designs, upgrading most of the bots to [[DSA]], many to include [[Caster]] armor, and converting weapon motors wiring from AI switch activation to button activation which greatly improved the spin up times and damage potential of many of the bots. Starcore also worked with [[Madiaba]] on many of the shapes of the [[Madiaba]] [[Smartzones]] and promoted their use. The RA2 community again pulled together to help rebuild, review, and test the updated bots. This put the Starcore pack back at the forefront of the [[RA2]] [[Stock]] packs as one of the most challenging and diverse packs ever released. Many members of this community cut their teeth and grow their skills reviewing and competing against the Starcore pack bots.

== Starcore v4.0 Reboot ==

== Starcore v4.0 Reboot ==

In mid-2017 Starcore circled around to see if there was interest in helping to finish up the Starcore v4.0 pack. Many jumped to assist and be involved in a Starcore pack. To show off latest skills and abilities. It has been over 10 years since the Starcore packs have been touched. And while many are deep into DSL and its variants, there is still interest in finishing up the Meta of [[RA2}} [[Stock]] AI packs. The target is to fix any bots in need of fixing from Starcore v4.0 Alpha2, rebuild as needed using latest learnings and grow the pack by roughly 10 more teams to bring it to a grand total of 45 teams of 6 bots each. With a double rotate system to bring 15 teams at a time into view for the internal [[RA2]] tournament system.

In mid-2017 Starcore circled around to see if there was interest in helping to finish up the Starcore v4.0 pack. Many jumped to assist and be involved in a Starcore pack. To show off latest skills and abilities. It has been over 10 years since the Starcore packs have been touched. And while many are deep into DSL and its variants, there is still interest in finishing up the Meta of [[RA2}} [[Stock]] AI packs. The target is to fix any bots in need of fixing from Starcore v4.0 Alpha2, rebuild as needed using latest learnings and grow the pack by roughly 10 more teams to bring it to a grand total of 45 teams of 6 bots each with a double rotate system to bring 15 teams at a time into view for the internal [[RA2]] tournament system.

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He has also been an [[RA2]] forum admin and ran [[Gametechmods]] along with [[Goose]], [[Darkrat]], [[Clickbeetle]], and [[ACAMS]].

Starcore has also been an [[RA2]] forum admin and ran [[Gametechmods]] along with [[Goose]], [[Darkrat]], [[Clickbeetle]], and [[ACAMS]].

Starcore's activity on the forums had slowed to a crawl in between 2007 and 2017, but he still enters worthy tournaments once in a while and has seemingly lost none of his skill. He also tends to appear and post when his name is mentioned, kind of like the bat light, an event dubbed "the Starcore effect" by [[R0B0SH4RK]].

Starcore's activity on the forums had slowed to a crawl in between 2007 and 2017, but he still enters worthy tournaments once in a while and has seemingly lost none of his skill. He also tends to appear and post when his name is mentioned, kind of like the bat light, an event dubbed "the Starcore effect" by [[R0B0SH4RK]].