How do I create my robot army?

[EvaKnievel 2]

Ideally I'd like my robots to be able to build computers and assemblers, and then operate the assemblers to create more robots.

 

The reason for this being that I'd like to develop a program that allows robots to form hives that create more robots and which then split into move hives. 

Is this doable? It seems to be something avoided by design.

[Sangar 92]

I think it can be possible, but that depends a little on whether this should be 1) using only/mostly OC 2) the starting conditions, i.e. do you start with only a robot, or is it OK to start with a floppy disk with some additional programs in the robot's inventory?
 
The main hurdle is that you need a computer to start the assembler, so you'll have to have the robots build one. That part is relatively simple, given they have a crafting (and possibly inventory controller) upgrade. To turn the computer on they can sneak-activate it. The problematic part is getting some programs to run on the computer when starting with a robot. The robot would need to have a disk with some code to get the computer started - in the most simple case that code would just wait for network messages and execute them as Lua code, et voila, remote-controlled computer.

 

Now either you provide such a disk in the starting condition, in which case you should have all you need, unless I'm forgetting something; the computer could then duplicate that disk for more computers and so on. If not... the robot must have a disk drive as a container, so that is can write the code that will run on the computer to a floppy. And then the remaining problem becomes how to get the floppy into the robot's floppy slot and then from the robot to the computer - I think you'll either need a second robot for that, or some other mod that'll pipe the floppy into and out of the robot and into the computer.
 
There may be other (possibly even more straightforward) ways, but that's the only approach I could think of real quick

[EvaKnievel 2]

Thanks again