Project overview

Welcome to GearShiftGamer Hackathon project. This overview includes everything you need to know about this project along with links to important resources and people.

Project description

The implementation of the Play-by-wire hackathon challenge https://github.com/Eclipse-SDV-Hackathon-Chapter-Two/challenge-play-by-wire

Our goals

• work with the Eclipse SDV ecosystem
• learn new stuff
• networking
• having fun

Steps

1. Define the inputs
   • Player 1 uses the Xbox gamepad
   • Player 2 uses an in-car joystick, simulated by a Raspberry Pi
2. Choose a game
   • Blobby Volley 2
     • https://sourceforge.net/projects/blobby/
     • C++ source code
3. Develop the solution architecture
   • Diagram
4. Define the interfaces
5. Implement the necessary modules, test it
6. Create the pitch slides

Team

Role	Name
Team member	Lukas Langer
Team member	Muzi Xu
Team member	Sebastian Probst
Team member	Ilja Stasewitsch
Team member	Pavel Spakowski

Task tracker

We use this task tracker to keep track of team tasks: https://app.slack.com/lists/T02MS1M89UH/F081NGQ3UPL

Key resources

1. SDV hackathon repository
2. SDV product list
3. Game Blobby Volley 2
   1. Dependencies sudo apt-get install build-essential libsdl2-dev libphysfs-dev libboost-all-dev
4. Ankaios
5. Ankaios Dashboard
6. Kuksa
7. Podman
8. Python
9. Visual Studio Code
10. JetBrains PyCharm

Tool stack

• Linux OS (host OS for both Raspberry Pi's and laptop)
• C++ (game source code)
• Python 3 (adapter implementation)
• Podman (containerization of components)
• Ankaios (orchestration of the containers)
• Kuksa (communication between different nodes)
• Visual Studio Code and JetBrains PyCharm

Hardware Setup

• Xbox Gamepad
• Joystick
• Display
• Local WLAN
• 2x Raspberry Pi as
  • HPC
  • Door ECU
• Linux laptop with x86 processor architecture as
  • Gaming unit
• Dedicated laptop for dashboard showcase

Showcase/Presentation

1. Set the stage
2. Present the business case
3. Start all modules
4. Use both input interfaces to play the game
5. Give an outlook to perspectives

Architecture

Important architecture decisions

Game

For purposes of the Hackathon challenge, a game should be chosen. The following criteria should be fulfilled:

• multiplayer
• compatible with ARM and/or x86 processor architectures (source code open in the best case)
• support for Linux
• simple controls
• good attraction potential

The game Valley Blobby 2 was chosen.

Transport layer

We use Kuksa gRPC client to transport signals.

Signal definition

We use some existing signals for transport controls from the input devices to the game.

Xbox-Controller:

Signal name	Purpose
Vehicle.Acceleration.Longitudinal	Move left
Vehicle.Acceleration.Lateral	Move right
Vehicle.Acceleration.Vertical	Jump

Adafruit-Joystick

Signal name	Purpose
Vehicle.AngularVelocity.Roll	Move left
Vehicle.AngularVelocity.Pitch	Move right
Vehicle.AngularVelocity.Yaw	Jump

Containerizing

Every module is set in a Docker container. The container configuration is set by corresponding .dockerfile.

We use Podman for creation of and managing the containers.

An Ankaios instance is used for container orchestration.

Implementation toolstack

We use Python 3 and IDE's Visual Studio Code and JetBrains PyCharm for code developing.

Adaptation signals for game

We simulate keyboard controls for both players.

Player 1 uses the following keys:

Key	Purpose
A	Move left
D	Move right
W	Jump

Player 2 uses the cursor keys:

Key	Purpose
←	Move left
→	Move right
↑	Jump

We use calls for Linux tool xdotool to fake the keystrokes if corresponding signals are received.

For simulation of the human key pressing, we send every keystroke 30 times with a delay of 1 ms.

str_left = f'xdotool type --delay 1 "{30*'A'}"'

How-to's

How to install Ankaios

curl -sfL https://github.com/eclipse-ankaios/ankaios/releases/latest/download/install.sh | bash -

How to configurate Ankaios Server

The content of [Service] /etc/systemd/system/ank-server.service has to be edited as:

[Service]
Environment="RUST_LOG=info"
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/ank-server --insecure -a {HOST_IP_ADDRESS:25551} --startip-config /etc/ankaois/state.yaml

How to configurate Ankaios Agent

The content of [Service] /etc/systemd/system/ank-agent.service has to be edited as:

[Service]
Environment="RUST_LOG=info"
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/ank-server --insecure -s {HOST_IP_ADDRESS:25551} --name {AGENT_NAME}

How to set agent with YAML file manifest

The content of /etc/ankaios/state.yaml has to be edited.

Add databroker manifest in /etc/ankaios/state.yaml:

apiVersion: v0.1
workloads:
  databroker:
    runtime: podman
    agent: agent_databroker
    runtimeConfig: |
      image: ghcr.io/eclipse/kuksa.val/databroker:0.4.1
      commandArgs: ["--insecure"]
      commandOptions: ["--net=host"]

Add joystick manifest in /etc/ankaios/state.yaml:

apiVersion: v0.1
workloads:
  joystick:
    runtime: podman
    agent: agent_joy
    runtimeConfig: |
      image: joystick_adapter //here you have to replace with your own image path
      commandArgs: ["--insecure"]
      commandOptions: ["--net=host"]

How to start Ankaios Server

Log into the host machine that runs the server.

Activate the server with command:

sudo systemctl start ank-server

How to start Ankaios Agent

Log into the host machine that runs the agent. First run

sudo systemctl start ank-agent

And then run

ank-agent -k -s {HOST_IP_ADDRESS:PORT_NUMBER} -n {AGENT_NAME}

An obligatory Ai-generated team picture