1. Euphoria robots and my e-mail project
I have just started working on a set of files for sending and receiving
e-mail from POP3 and to SMTP servers using sockets. So far, I have written
the code to log on to a POP3 server (I haven't tested it yet...). I hope to
have it finished soon.
I have also been working on ideas for a euphoria robots competition.
Here
is what I have come up with so far:
Euphoria Robots Competition
Jeffrey Fielding
July 21, 1998
Here is my proposal for an Euphoria robots competition:
How to play
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
When a new competition is started, the description will be posted
to a mailing list. All who wish to enter must write their programs
confirming
with the specifications described here, and submit them by the required
date.
Participants can and are encouraged to mail in their programs as early as
possible, so they can see how they run on the server and make modifications
if necessary. There will be a time limit on the programs, and points will
be deducted from the total score depending on how much longer the program
takes.
Almost real-time status by e-mail
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Anyone who wishes to watch the competition in close to real time
may
download the competition viewer. Run the viewer before the competition
starts
and select what information you want (like which robots, their scores, the
current status of the game board (if it is a game) etc.). The request will
be sent by e-mail to the person running the server (using SMTP).
When the competition is run, tune-in by starting the program. It
can log-on to your e-mail account (just give it your user name, password,
and POP server). It will scan for e-mails from the server containing the
current status and display them (and optionally delete them from your
mailbox).
Types of competitions
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
The problem may be in several different forms. It may be a game
or fight between multiple robots (there might be a chess playing
competition
etc.) or a problem which the robot must solve in the best way, in the least
time.
Your program
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
You will be given a .e file containing a specific description of
the problem, as well as constants and samples. There will be a constant
for the time limit, and sample procedures (they will not show how to solve
the problem, they are just templates so the server can call your
procedure.)
The way the server calls your program will depend on the type of
competition. For the problem solving type, your program will be given
information about the problem (if for example, it is trying to find the
fastest route between some points, your program might be given the map and
the two points). If it is the game playing type, your program will be given
the results of its last command, and possibly information about the game
(like an chess board). Your function will return the best solution to the
problem, or its command if its a game.
Functions will be called using routine_id() and call_func(). Your
program may be able to call some helper functions to manipulate the game
instead of returning commands. Cheating is of corse, not tolerated, and
the programs must be submitted with the source (not shrouded). There
may not be any calls to machine functions or DLLs or any non-euphoria
programs
unless otherwise specified. If your program looks suspicious, you will be
notified, and the program will be disqualified until it is proven to be
ok, or another ok program is submitted.
