R100K Software Challenge

[Mr.Jax]

Also giving this a bash.

@pookfuzz, I agree with you that the poles (and the way they work) are important. The fact that you get to a pole first (or second *nudge* nudge* *wink* *wink*) will be a game changer

Damn...I think I just gave a strategy away

[flowgearcoder]

There's an update available for the .net bot harness here http://www.flowgearcoder.net/2012/08...arness-update/

[Lazy]

Is there something wrong the the online test harness? I am a late arrival and can't get my LC to work, it's just a blank screen. Maybe I'm being silly but I doubt it.

[gkm]

I know one guy had that problem when running from Linux. Is that maybe what you are using?

[Lazy]

Nope, if I refresh a bunch of times I sometimes get a view that works, but then their own bot times out, lol. It doesn't seem to be working...

[Lazy]

...at best I get "ThelmaBot ran out of time". I never see my game....

This is frustrating as I'm digging and digging. It would have really helped if there was some output available to assist...

As it stands now I'm ripping most of my AI out to simply see if I can get the thing to work. I might have to enter "blindly".

[pookfuzz]

Nope, if I refresh a bunch of times I sometimes get a view that works, but then their own bot times out, lol. It doesn't seem to be working...

Thelmabot seems a bit broken at the moment. I also get blank screens or it claims my bot takes too long ( which is only possible if their timing measuring routines are crap).

Fortunately I had tested an earlier version a week ago and everything seemed to run ok. My guess is the test system is under quite a lot of strain at the moment with people trying to test last minute changes.

Anyway, good luck to all those who entered. Sadly the fun part is now over and its now into the crappy waiting to see how we did part.

[Lazy]

Thelmabot seems a bit broken at the moment. I also get blank screens or it claims my bot takes too long ( which is only possible if their timing measuring routines are crap).

Fortunately I had tested an earlier version a week ago and everything seemed to run ok. My guess is the test system is under quite a lot of strain at the moment with people trying to test last minute changes.

Anyway, good luck to all those who entered. Sadly the fun part is now over and its now into the crappy waiting to see how we did part.

Thanks mate, I just decided to blindly enter. I started early with the competition but then life forced my attention elsewhere. So now to try to test it, I stripped out all my pruning, removed my attack algo and I'm not sure it's saving data correctly. So I'm stuck with a basic defensive AI, that has at least a good wall hugging ability. Heck I don't even know if it works.

Alas, at least I entered

Best of luck to you too!

[pookfuzz]

Thanks mate, I just decided to blindly enter. I started early with the competition but then life forced my attention elsewhere. So now to try to test it, I stripped out all my pruning, removed my attack algo and I'm not sure it's saving data correctly. So I'm stuck with a basic defensive AI, that has at least a good wall hugging ability. Heck I don't even know if it works.

Alas, at least I entered

Best of luck to you too!

You should perhaps just play your bot against itself, if its doing anything wrong its usually pretty obvious to spot. You don't need to use a harness, you can just swop the board around after each run.


The below python code swops the board file.

import sys

f = open(sys.argv[1])
lines = f.readlines()
lines=''.join(lines)

lines=lines.replace('YourWall','zWall')
lines=lines.replace('You','zyou')
lines=lines.replace('OpponentWall','YourWall')
lines=lines.replace('Opponent','You')
lines=lines.replace('zWall','OpponentWall')
lines=lines.replace('zyou','Opponent')

f = open(sys.argv[1], 'w')
f.write(lines)
f.close()

Its how I did 99% of my testing, plus if you keep older versions of your bot you can get them to play against each other to see which is better.

[Lazy]

You should perhaps just play your bot against itself, if its doing anything wrong its usually pretty obvious to spot. You don't need to use a harness, you can just swop the board around after each run.


The below python code swops the board file.

import sys

f = open(sys.argv[1])
lines = f.readlines()
lines=''.join(lines)

lines=lines.replace('YourWall','zWall')
lines=lines.replace('You','zyou')
lines=lines.replace('OpponentWall','YourWall')
lines=lines.replace('Opponent','You')
lines=lines.replace('zWall','OpponentWall')
lines=lines.replace('zyou','Opponent')

f = open(sys.argv[1], 'w')
f.write(lines)
f.close()

Its how I did 99% of my testing, plus if you keep older versions of your bot you can get them to play against each other to see which is better.

Agreed, it is the best way to do it. I have been playing my LC against itself since yesterday, but the inability to test it on their server is concerning, especially since it gives you no indication as to what is wrong or why it isn't working.

I have checked and re-checked it and even created a [new] separate harness which completely mimics what I expect their referee would do, so that I don't bargain on my original harness to be correct. So since it works on my system and passes all unit tests I have to assume it will work. I hate that assumption, I know better

[gkm]

Entelect just sent out an e-mail saying their test site is overloaded, so I guess testing it yourself is your only option for the moment. And the competition closes in 40 minutes.

[Lazy]

Entelect just sent out an e-mail saying their test site is overloaded, so I guess testing it yourself is your only option for the moment. And the competition closes in 40 minutes.

I've made my call, stopped development and entered what I have. It's a 50/50 whether it will work or not I recon.

gkm & pookfuzz, thank you for the genuine effort to help and provide meaningful information. I really appreciate it

[gkm]

The submission time has just been extended to tomorrow morning 8am. (I just received an e-mail.)

[pookfuzz]

Did Entelect post the ranking/results of the first round like they promised? I can't seem to find anything anywhere.

[gkm]

It has just been posted on the challenge web page.