R100K Software Challenge

[Shrap]

Finally, a decent coding competition for South African developers

http://challenge.entelect.co.za

"Calling all software developers! Entelect Software in association with NAG magazine brings you the Entelect R100K Challenge. Create a worthy AI opponent in the game of Light Bikes (Tron) and stand to win R100 000 in cash!"

 

[hellfire]

And that's why a software company run by engineers is super cool

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Hehe Charles Pritchard's company, my old Microprocessor Engineering lecturer. Cool dude

 

[zamicro]

Nice challenge.

 

[hellfire]

Hehe Charles Pritchard's company, my old Microprocessor Engineering lecturer. Cool dude

Took me for Automation and Control I

 

[Solitude]

That's such a nice idea for a competition! Will go have a look at it tonight. Thanks for the share Shrap.

 

[Messugga]

I'd like to take part, but it would be a futile exercise I suspect, as I reckon it will be dominated by a couple of hardcore AI people. Ah well, still very cool and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it.

 

[iAmThePope]

I'd like to take part, but it would be a futile exercise I suspect, as I reckon it will be dominated by a couple of hardcore AI people. Ah well, still very cool and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it.

Imma give it a bash regardless. I have never done AI Should be fun

 

[nakedpeanut]

Pretty cool.. Started on it last night...

Anyone know whether or not the file will have a UTF-8 BOM..I assume it does

 

[Faultyboy]

Excuse my ignorance but which version of the game is this for? Do they all use the same state.file system to determine the game play?

 

[Faultyboy]

That's such a nice idea for a competition! Will go have a look at it tonight. Thanks for the share Shrap.

On scanning Google for a bit this is actually an overused idea... but still cool..

 

[Entelect]

The spherical playing field is the subtle difference. Good luck

 

[Faultyboy]

The spherical playing field is the subtle difference. Good luck

Can you please specify which version of the game this is for. Some of us haven't played any of them. On searching Google you quickly realize that there are lots of different versions from many different sources.. I want to start coding on this but I don't feel like spending a few days downloading different Tron games just to see which is the right one.. This is suppose to be a coding contest not a riddle... ta.

 

[Entelect]

Can you please specify which version of the game this is for. Some of us haven't played any of them. On searching Google you quickly realize that there are lots of different versions from many different sources.. I want to start coding on this but I don't feel like spending a few days downloading different Tron games just to see which is the right one.. This is suppose to be a coding contest not a riddle... ta.

"The basic game idea of the Tron lightcycle game is that you drive a fast futuristic bike, called a lightcycle. It leaves a wall where it goes, so the arena turns into a labyrinth after some time. The goal is to force the enemies to hit a wall while you should try to avoid this for yourself, of course. The last player alive is the winner."

Remember snake on the old Nokia's? Like that with 2 players...turn-based...

The difference with this particular one is that the playing field is a sphere so there are no outside/existing walls.

Here's another example but with outside walls on a 2D surface: http://www.guzer.com/games/fltron.php/

 

[Faultyboy]

Thanks but I understand the concept of the game. What I'm asking is where do you get your game.state file from? Are you using Tron Evolution to create the state file to test your bot against? or are you using one of the following?

Tron: Deadly Discs
Tron: Solar Sailer
Adventures of Tron
Discs of Tron
Tron 2.0
Space Paranoids
Tron: Evolution(Battle Grids)

Or is it a case of not even using a game and just using the Bot to create and 'play' the state file to test it itself...
Do all versions of this game use the same state.file concept to save data? Then it won't matter which is used.
Which one do I need to use?

 

[Solitude]

I only quickly scanned through the rules part of the site but it doesn't look like it mentions a specific program. Most likely the bots will play against each other. Or you as a person can play against a bot. If there isn't a graphical interface to play against a bot then I'll see if I can create one for us on Saturday. No promises though, free time is limited.

Plus I may be completely wrong though and there may actually already be such a program to just plug the bot into. Will have to go read properly tonight.

 

[Faultyboy]

I only quickly scanned through the rules part of the site but it doesn't look like it mentions a specific program. Most likely the bots will play against each other. Or you as a person can play against a bot. If there isn't a graphical interface to play against a bot then I'll see if I can create one for us on Saturday. No promises though, free time is limited.

Plus I may be completely wrong though and there may actually already be such a program to just plug the bot into. Will have to go read properly tonight.

That sounds awesome... Ill keep my fingers crossed...

Yeah I see how it would work just playing the bots against each other but then all the bots game.state files should be somewhat uniform or structured the same so that all the bots are compatible.. I would like to play the game a bit and retrieve the state.file to see what it looks like to create my bot around it..

Hope I'm making sense..

 

[Entelect]

That sounds awesome... Ill keep my fingers crossed...

Yeah I see how it would work just playing the bots against each other but then all the bots game.state files should be somewhat uniform or structured the same so that all the bots are compatible.. I would like to play the game a bit and retrieve the state.file to see what it looks like to create my bot around it..

Hope I'm making sense..

Hi Guys,

Each 'bot' will indeed face off against other 'bots' in a tournament style face-off. We will provide the custom 'broker' program which initiates each move and provides the current game state file to each bot. We will also be providing a 3D game interface which can be viewed online (this will come in the next few weeks) and will be useful for testing your bot with.

It won't be necessary to download any external games or programs - as long as you code your player to the specification and make sure that the game.state file format is consistent with the technical specification.

Again, once the test-bed is up and running this should give you a good opportunity to make sure your player works!

 

[Faultyboy]

Hi Guys,

Each 'bot' will indeed face off against other 'bots' in a tournament style face-off. We will provide the custom 'broker' program which initiates each move and provides the current game state file to each bot. We will also be providing a 3D game interface which can be viewed online (this will come in the next few weeks) and will be useful for testing your bot with.

It won't be necessary to download any external games or programs - as long as you code your player to the specification and make sure that the game.state file format is consistent with the technical specification.

Again, once the test-bed is up and running this should give you a good opportunity to make sure your player works!

Thank you , you should probably add this info the the website so others don't get confused..

It will be an interesting project.. Can't wait

 

[Entelect]

Thank you , you should probably add this info the the website so others don't get confused..

It will be an interesting project.. Can't wait

Thanks Faultyboy - we are in the process of adding a FAQ to the site which will have all this and more. Should be up this evening. in the mean time if anyone has any Q's please contact us on challenge@entelect.co.za.