ICFP Contest Underway

iseff writes "The ICFP Contest (reported first here) is now underway. There's probably still some time for us slackers to code up something for the first round. This year's problem is similar to the board game Cops and Robbers. What I find cool about this year is the split into two parts -- code the original spec, then wait, get a new spec, and modify. Plus, any language is accepted, even though it's a 'functional programming' contest."

The name of the game is

[ciroknight]

Artifical Intellengence.

It's often best practices to make a contest be a game programming contest; people like games. People like to code interesting projects. Luckily this puts them together.

Before you pass it off as "too simplistic" or not "deeper", that game probably has well over 10^30 different possible configurations, easily defeating similar games like Chess, and on par with games like Go.

These are the kinds of things that really bring out the talented coders.. people who can design the algorithms, people who can figure out the internals of the game, and not just the coders who write code for a living. I can't wait to see the results; I'd work on it myself if I could.

Re:Better game? Something other than a game?

[Anonymous Coward]

you are such a fucking liar. you wouldn't enter this contest ever, you just like to jerk off while reading slashdot. mental masturbation is not the same thing as being skilled

Re:Hackers are all robbers to management

[Anonymous Coward]

Why don't you shut the fuck up, you motherfucking moron? Huh?

Oh, great

[Rick and Roll]

Now people have a place to meet to break all the contest rules.

I am working on this as a solo programmer. I'm more into math and algorithms than the average state university C. S. graduate, but still not very good at math. So I don't expect to have a very great entry, but will enter anyway. It would be really nice to make it into the playoffs (you compete against mediocre judge's robots in the regular season, and have to beat them to get into the playoffs). I think I'll be lucky if any AI I add doesn't break the protocol code (disqualifying my robot).

I'm going to work into the wee hours of the morning both tonight and tomorrow night (I am in Arizona, so the contest started at 7:00 AM Friday and ends at 7:00AM Monday). I'll see what I get. If nothing else it will be a good learning experience - in fact it already has been good.

I've been following the mailing list. The most interesting devlopment was that someone discovered that the five cops could camp the six banks, because two banks were only separated by one intersection. The organizers released a new map to fix this.

It's an exciting contest.

Evolved algorithms

[-Harlequin-]

This seems like a suitable challenge to grow your program using mutation & selection and/or crossbreeding methods to create an evolved solution instead of a designed one. Set it up now, and leave some simulations running on a dedicated box or six, 24/7 until the competition. Then take your killer software to the competition.

The coolest bit would be when anyone asks "So, how does your program work?", to which you would answer "I haven't the faintest idea. It just does." :-)