1. Contest 2 Announcement
Hooray, progress!
(Sorry, my wife was going to Italy, I didn't have much free time to
program. Now she's gone, I could get some work done.)
The contest is started!
Unfortunately, I don't have SSH access from work, so until I get home,
you can get the framework, rules, and examples here:
http://empire.iwireweb.com/forums/index.php?download=38
Looking forward to seeing your entries.
--
MrTrick
2. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
Patrick Barnes wrote:
>
> Hooray, progress!
> (Sorry, my wife was going to Italy, I didn't have much free time to
> program. Now she's gone, I could get some work done.)
>
> The contest is started!
>
> Unfortunately, I don't have SSH access from work, so until I get home,
> you can get the framework, rules, and examples here:
> <a
> href="http://empire.iwireweb.com/forums/index.php?download=38">http://empire.iwireweb.com/forums/index.php?download=38</a>
>
> Looking forward to seeing your entries.
>
> --
The includes in eubots.ew need "..\"s. Trace is turned on in engine.exw, which
will slow it down for us practicing at home.
Am I the only one that hates unit handles? Complicated my code quite a bit.
Before I could mask off my units with:
my_units = (arena = metrics[IDENTITY])
Now I've got all these functions to extract their positions, I've got to keep
track of the handles, etc. Ok, done complaining...
3. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 17:45:34 -0800, Andy Serpa <guest at rapideuphoria.com>
wrote:
> The includes in eubots.ew need "..\"s. Trace is turned on in engine.exw,
> which will slow it down for us practicing at home.
Oops, fixed both of those errors now (not necissary to re-download if
you already have it, just fix those things above)
> Am I the only one that hates unit handles? Complicated my code quite a bit.
> Before I could mask off my units with:
>
> my_units = (arena = metrics[IDENTITY])
Hey, neat trick. Might be slow though...
> Now I've got all these functions to extract their positions, I've got to keep
> track of the hndles, etc.
Well, rather than iterating through the map looking for your units,
you can just look in the units sequence. Much easier! I don't think
you really need to 'keep track' of much anymore.
The main reason that the handles were added is that it makes
differentiating the units possible. Before you didn't know which unit
was which, now you can see what each unit did last turn, and whether
they were successful at it!
I figure that'll help strategy...
--
MrTrick
4. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
Patrick Barnes wrote:
>
> > Am I the only one that hates unit handles? Complicated my code quite a bit.
> > Before I could
> mask off my units with:</font></i>
> >
> > my_units = (arena = metrics[IDENTITY])
> Hey, neat trick. Might be slow though...
>
Not compared to looping through the units sequence, making a list of positions,
and then adding them one at a time to a mask. The old way, I had to loop through
the mask to make a list of units afterward, but it was easier because it didn't
have all the subscripts of the units sequence. Now I can't tell me from the
enemy without referring to units. Before it was just:
ME = (arena = IDME)
ENEMY = (arena > 0 and arena != ME)
WALLS = (arena = WALLS)
Nice and Euphorian, you see.
> > Now I've got all these functions to extract their positions, I've got to
> > keep track of the hndles,
> etc. </font></i>
>
> Well, rather than iterating through the map looking for your units,
> you can just look in the units sequence. Much easier! I don't think
> you really need to 'keep track' of much anymore.
>
But I *need* those arena-shaped masks like above. At least til I figure out a
better way to do what I'm doing.
> The main reason that the handles were added is that it makes
> differentiating the units possible. Before you didn't know which unit
> was which, now you can see what each unit did last turn, and whether
> they were successful at it!
> I figure that'll help strategy...
>
I'm just giving you a hard time. It'll be fine...
BTW, did I read somewhere that you will be releasing the submissions (shrouded)
as they come in? So if I give you an entry tomorrow, everyone else has a month
to figure out how to reliably beat it whilst holding their own submissions back
until the last minute so no one ever sees them?
5. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 18:43:27 -0800, Andy Serpa <guest at rapideuphoria.com>
wrote:
> BTW, did I read somewhere that you will be releasing the submissions
> (shrouded) as
>they come in? So if I give you an entry tomorrow, everyone else has
a month to figure out
> how to reliably beat it whilst holding their own submissions back until the
> last minute so
>no one ever sees them?
It's a compromise. If all that people have to test their entries
against are my stupid drones, then nobody has any real-world battle
experience, as each person is bound by their own paradigms.
I would be releasing rankings throughout the period of the
competition, but you're right, those that choose to hold their cards
close to their chest have an advantage here.
Another thing I have been contemplating is a way to save the match, so
that is can be seen in 'replay' mode. I could write a program to do
this, and make the .replay files available from the website, rather
than the programs themselves. That way, you couldn't tell how your
program would do against the competitor, unless you submitted it.
As an aside, if anyone wants to make slightly smarter drones and send
them to me, I'll gladly add them to the distribution. Maps as well -
they're REALLY easy to make.
Also, any pledges towards the prize pool are welcome.
--
MrTrick
6. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
Patrick Barnes wrote:
>
> On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 18:43:27 -0800, Andy Serpa <guest at rapideuphoria.com>
> wrote:
> > BTW, did I read somewhere that you will be releasing the submissions
> > (shrouded) as
> >they come in? So if I give you an entry tomorrow, everyone else has
> a month to figure out
> > how to reliably beat it whilst holding their own submissions back until the
> > last minute so
> >no one ever sees them?
>
> It's a compromise. If all that people have to test their entries
> against are my stupid drones, then nobody has any real-world battle
> experience, as each person is bound by their own paradigms.
> I would be releasing rankings throughout the period of the
> competition, but you're right, those that choose to hold their cards
> close to their chest have an advantage here.
>
> Another thing I have been contemplating is a way to save the match, so
> that is can be seen in 'replay' mode. I could write a program to do
> this, and make the .replay files available from the website, rather
> than the programs themselves. That way, you couldn't tell how your
> program would do against the competitor, unless you submitted it.
>
That might be better. I would hate to submit early just to have my program's
weaknesses discovered and exploited by someone not submitting at all until the
end.
>
> As an aside, if anyone wants to make slightly smarter drones and send
> them to me, I'll gladly add them to the distribution. Maps as well -
> they're REALLY easy to make.
>
> Also, any pledges towards the prize pool are welcome.
My earlier versions will be rather drone-like. I'll probably send you a few
with 1-dimensional strategies.
Why not have an "entry fee" (one per person, not per program) of a month's worth
of EuBucks? And if anyone else with lots of EuBucks to go around wants to pledge
more, they can.
7. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 19:41:58 -0800, Andy Serpa <guest at rapideuphoria.com>
wrote:
> > Another thing I have been contemplating is a way to save the match, so
> > that is can be seen in 'replay' mode. I could write a program to do
> > this, and make the .replay files available from the website, rather
> > than the programs themselves. That way, you couldn't tell how your
> > program would do against the competitor, unless you submitted it.
> >
> That might be better. I would hate to submit early just to have my program's
> weaknesses > discovered and exploited by someone not submitting at all until the
> end.
Okay, I'll update the rules page tonight.
> My earlier versions will be rather drone-like. I'll probably send you a few
> with >1-dimensional strategies.
Wonderful. 
> Why not have an "entry fee" (one per person, not per program) of a month's
> worth of >EuBucks? And if anyone else with lots of EuBucks to go around wants to
> pledge more, >they can.
I would, but I don't want to bar those who are not registered users.
--
MrTrick
8. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
You might find that if using drone_v1, it crashes as soon as a unit dies....
Change line 33 of drone_v1.exw to: if sequence(units[i]) and
units[i][ID] = id then
and it'll be fixed.
Again, the change has been added to the framework if you haven't
downloaded it yet:
http://empire.iwireweb.com/forums/index.php?download=38
--
MrTrick
9. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
Patrick Barnes wrote:
>
>
> > Why not have an "entry fee" (one per person, not per program) of a month's
> > worth of >EuBucks?
> And if anyone else with lots of EuBucks to go around wants to pledge more,
> >they can.</font></i>
>
> I would, but I don't want to bar those who are not registered users.
>
Oh yes, I forgot that not everyone has the 3 EuBucks. Well, I hearby pledge
mine for December...
10. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
contest #2 looks and reads like a rather interesting, well thought out and
provocative contest.
so i don't want to sound naggingly picky, but as long as your engine calls for
"include win32lib" -- and maybe a few other things -- i'm not going to be able to
play. i am not into d/l-ing the windows library, et al, with all its set up
details, because i'm not into EU Windows programming and i don't want to be.
it's not because i don't like Microsoft... well, yes it is.
am i the only one with this problem? as i read the 60 or so EUforum messages
from Topica every day (HINT: Rob, update the Topica
how-many-messages-to-expect-daily stats), i see a whole range of users -- from
Linux to DOS to Windows. a bound .exe sure would help.
thanks,
--
jon
p.s. if i can play you can have my 6 Eubucks, for Dec and Jan.
11. Re: Contest 2 Announcement
Alright, making a bound engine isn't a problem. I have made sure that
eubots doesn't need win32lib, at least.
Gimme 10 minutes, and I'll have it up on my site.
On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 23:14:50 -0800, jxliv7 <guest at rapideuphoria.com> wrote:
>
> posted by: jxliv7 <jxliv7 at hotmail.com>
>
> contest #2 looks and reads like a rather interesting, well thought out and
> provocative contest.
>
> so i don't want to sound naggingly picky, but as long as your engine calls for
> "include win32lib" -- and maybe a few other things -- i'm not going to be able to
> play. i am not into d/l-ing the windows library, et al, with all its set up
> details, because i'm not into EU Windows programming and i don't want to be.
>
> it's not because i don't like Microsoft... well, yes it is.
>
> am i the only one with this problem? as i read the 60 or so EUforum messages
> from Topica every day (HINT: Rob, update the Topica
> how-many-messages-to-expect-daily stats), i see a whole range of users -- from
> Linux to DOS to Windows. a bound .exe sure would help.
>
> thanks,
>
> --
> jon
>
> p.s. if i can play you can have my 6 Eubucks, for Dec and Jan.
>
>
>
>
>
--
MrTrick
