restrictions need to be placed on the computer so it is not invincible...

Originally Posted by William Hemsworth

In a game of Pong?

Making the bot really isn't difficult in a game such as this, the main functionality would be something like this:

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if (ball.y < bot.y) {
  bot.y -= 5;
}
if (ball.y > bot.y) {
  bot.y += 5;
}

if (ball.y < bot.y) { bot.y -= 5; } if (ball.y > bot.y) { bot.y += 5; }

As for making it an even game, just do some trial & error until the difficulty seems right.

Originally Posted by StuXYZ

If you are writing a Pong game, I think that you are going to learn a lot, so well done.

Second AI in Pong is interesting, there are at least three models:

(a) pure deterministic. That is the computer calculates exactly where is wants to be and tries to go there. TWO things need to be calculated in this (i) the ball position and (ii) the humans bat position because (normally, the edges of the bat give different angles to the ball exit tragectory).

(b) Pseudo random. The computer plays with perfect play but the information has a random error. It is often better to have larger random error from based on the distance that the ball is from the computers bat. The exact weighting value between 0 and 1 (ie. completely random and perfect info) give an excellent human/computer game play. [Adjust the value on each won point/game]

(c) Use a neural network to determine the position that the computer bat should go to, this again, can give excellent results, but the neural network can but untrained after each win to give excellent human/computer playability.

Just some thoughts on stuff I have tried in a couple of game simulations [not actually pong but very close]