Elevator Saga Help and API documentation

About the game

This is a game of programming!
Your task is to program the movement of elevators, by writing a program in JavaScript.

The goal is to transport people in an efficient manner.
Depending on how well you do it, you can progress through the ever more difficult challenges.
Only the very best programs will be able to complete all the challenges.

How to play

Enter your code in the input window below the game view, and press the Apply button to start the challenge.
You can increase or decrease the speed of time by pressing the and buttons.

If your program contains an error, you can use the developer tools in your web browser to try and debug it. If you want to start over with the code, press the Reset button. This will revert the code to a working but simplistic implementation.
If you have a favorite text editor, such as Sublime Text, feel free to edit the code there and paste it into the game editor.
Your code is automatically saved in your local storage, so don't worry - it doesn't disappear if you accidentally close the browser.

Basics

Your code must export two functions called init and update. Like this:

export function init(elevators, floors) {
	// Do stuff with the elevators and floors, which are both arrays of objects
}

export function update(deltaTime, elevators, floors) {
	// Do more stuff with the elevators and floors
	// deltaTime is the number of game seconds that passed since the last time update was called
}

These functions will then be called by the game during the challenge.
init will be called when the challenge starts, and update repeatedly during the challenge.

Normally you will put most of your code in the init function, to set up event listeners and logic.

Code examples

How to control an elevator

elevator.goToFloor(1);
Tell the elevator to move to floor 1 after completing other tasks, if any. Note that this will have no effect if the elevator is already queued to go to that floor.
if (elevator.currentFloor() > 2) {
	// Do something
}
Calling currentFloor gets the floor number that the elevator currently is on. Note that this is a rounded number and does not necessarily mean the elevator is in a stopped state.

Listening for events

It is possible to listen for events, like when stopping at a floor, or a button has been pressed.

elevator.on("idle", (event) => {
	elevator.goToFloor(0);
});
Listen for the "idle" event issued by the elevator, when the task queue has been emptied and the elevator is doing nothing. In this example we tell it to move to floor 0.
elevator.on("call", (event, floorNum) => {
	// Someone pushed a floor button in the elevator
});
Listen for the "call" event, issued when a passenger presses a button inside the elevator. This indicates that the passenger wants to go to that floor.
floor.on("call", (event, direction) => {
	if (direction === 'up') {
		// Someone pressed the up button
	} else {
		// Someone pressed the down button
	}
});
Listen for the "call" event, issued when a passenger pressed the up button on the floor they are waiting on. This indicates that the passenger wants to go to another floor.

API documentation

Elevator object

Property Type Explanation Example
goToFloor function Queue the elevator to go to specified floor number. If you specify true as second argument, the elevator will go to that floor directly, and then go to any other queued floors.
elevator.goToFloor(3); // Do it after anything else
elevator.goToFloor(2, true); // Do it before anything else
stop function Clear the destination queue and stop the elevator if it is moving. Note that you normally don't need to stop elevators - it is intended for advanced solutions with in-transit rescheduling logic. Also, note that the elevator will probably not stop at a floor, so passengers will not get out.
elevator.stop();
currentFloor function Gets the floor number that the elevator currently is on.
if (elevator.currentFloor() === 0) {
	// Do something special?
}
goingUpIndicator function Gets or sets the going up indicator, which will affect passenger behaviour when stopping at floors.
if (elevator.goingUpIndicator()) {
	elevator.goingDownIndicator(false);
}
goingDownIndicator function Gets or sets the going down indicator, which will affect passenger behaviour when stopping at floors.
if (elevator.goingDownIndicator()) {
	elevator.goingUpIndicator(false);
}
maxPassengerCount function Gets the maximum number of passengers that can occupy the elevator at the same time.
if (elevator.maxPassengerCount() > 5) {
	// Use this elevator for something special, because it's big
}
loadFactor function Gets the load factor of the elevator. 0 means empty, 1 means full. Varies with passenger weights, which vary - not an exact measure.
if (elevator.loadFactor() < 0.4) {
	// Maybe use this elevator, since it's not full yet?
}
destinationDirection function Gets the direction the elevator is currently going to move toward. Can be "up", "down" or "stopped".
destinationQueue array The current destination queue, meaning the floor numbers the elevator is scheduled to go to. Can be modified and emptied if desired. Note that you need to call checkDestinationQueue() for the change to take effect immediately.
elevator.destinationQueue = [];
elevator.checkDestinationQueue();
checkDestinationQueue function Checks the destination queue for any new destinations to go to. Note that you only need to call this if you modify the destination queue explicitly.
elevator.checkDestinationQueue();
calls array Read-only. Gets the currently pressed floor numbers as an array.
if (elevator.calls.length > 0) {
	// Maybe go to some chosen floor first?
}
getPressedFloors function Deprecated. Use calls instead. Gets the currently pressed floor numbers as an array.
if (elevator.getPressedFloors().length > 0) {
	// Maybe go to some chosen floor first?
}
Event Explanation Example
idle Triggered when the elevator has completed all its tasks and is not doing anything.
elevator.on("idle", (event) => {
	// Do something
});
call Triggered when a passenger has pressed a button inside the elevator.
elevator.on("call", (event, floorNum) => {
	// Maybe tell the elevator to go to that floor?
});
willPassFloor Triggered slightly before the elevator will pass a floor. A good time to decide whether to stop at that floor. Note that this event is not triggered for the destination floor. Direction is either "up" or "down".
elevator.on("willPassFloor", (event, floorNum, direction) => {
	// Do something
});
arrive Triggered when the elevator has arrived at a floor.
elevator.on("arrive", (event, floorNum) => {
	// Maybe decide where to go next?
});
floor_button_pressed Deprecated. Use call instead. Triggered when a passenger has pressed a button inside the elevator.
elevator.on("floor_button_pressed", (event, floorNum) => {
	// Maybe tell the elevator to go to that floor?
});
passing_floor Deprecated. Use willPassFloor instead. Triggered slightly before the elevator will pass a floor. A good time to decide whether to stop at that floor. Note that this event is not triggered for the destination floor. Direction is either "up" or "down".
elevator.on("passing_floor", (event, floorNum, direction) => {
	// Do something
});
stopped_at_floor Deprecated. Use arrive instead. Triggered when the elevator has arrived at a floor.
elevator.on("stopped_at_floor", (event, floorNum) => {
	// Maybe decide where to go next?
});

Floor object

Property Type Explanation Example
number number Gets the floor number of the floor object. Read-only.
if (floor.number > 3) {
	// Do something
}
floorNum function Deprecated. Use number instead. Gets the floor number of the floor object.
if (floor.floorNum() > 3) {
	// Do something
}
Event Explanation Example
call Triggered when someone has pressed the up button at a floor. Note that passengers will press the button again if they fail to enter an elevator. Direction is either "up" or "down".
floor.on("call", (event, direction) => {
// Maybe tell an elevator to go to this floor?
});
up_button_pressed Deprecated. Use call instead. Triggered when someone has pressed the up button at a floor. Note that passengers will press the button again if they fail to enter an elevator.
floor.on("up_button_pressed", (event) => {
	// Maybe tell an elevator to go to this floor?
});
down_button_pressed Deprecated. Use call instead. Triggered when someone has pressed the down button at a floor. Note that passengers will press the button again if they fail to enter an elevator.
floor.on("down_button_pressed", (event) => {
	// Maybe tell an elevator to go to this floor?
});