How to Play Roboto

This is a very cool game to play with a friend you can trust. (Georgie and I pronounce it row-BOAT-oh, not row-BOT-oh.)

One person is the robot (Roboto Boy). The The other is the Computer Vision Controller (CVC).

Here’s what I wrote in my book:

Roboto Boy has to keep his eyes closed—no peeking!—while the CVC gives him directions. The object is for Roboto Boy to walk and move like a robot and get where he’s supposed to go without falling or crashing, and especially without opening his eyes.

This might sound like an easy game, but trust me, it is not. It’s almost impossible to keep your eyes closed. Something in your brain makes you want to open them. And the longer you keep them shut, the harder it gets.

Here are the commands:

Movement—Forward, Stop
Direction—Straight, Right, Left, Reverse
Speed/Amount—Full, Half, Mini

As an example, I will translate Georgie’s CVC commands to Roboto Boy (me) in the book.

(I was already walking as Roboto Boy when the CVC gave this sequence of commands.)

Straight Half = Continue in the direction you’re facing at half speed.
Right Mini = Keep walking at the same speed and turn a tiny bit to the right.
Stop = Stop (duh!)
Right Mini = Do not start walking, but turn a tiny bit to the right.
Forward Full = Begin walking in the direction you’re facing at full speed.

Georgie holds the record. With me as the CVC, he walked across a park for four minutes and three seconds without opening his eyes once!

Let me know how you do by commenting below. And if you come up with any new rules, please tell me.

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A girl named Margo commented that since girls can easily play this game, the robot should be called Roboto Kid, not Roboto Boy. My book is already printed, so there’s nothing I can do about that. But she is correct, so now Georgie and I say “Roboto Kid” always when we play. (Thanks, Margo.)