Bot Battle
I created a new game that I'm calling Bot Battle. It's easy to play. Here is a quick overview...
Overview: Players program bots to move around a 3x3 grid which is represented by a number pad. Players score points by destroying the opposing bot, or by reaching the other side of the number pad. Players submit their bots to me via email <snip email>
Here are more extensive intructions:
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Since I can't insert an image here, I'll give the fixed-width text ("code" text) version of the playing area below:
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|Def|
--- --- ---
| 7 | 8 | 9 |
--- --- ---
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
--- --- ---
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
--- --- ---
|Off|
---Moving around: The Offense Bot starts at the bottom and moves first. The Defense Bot starts at the top and moves second. Both bots may have up to nine plausible moves: a bot may choose to not move, or a bot may choose to move exactly one space in any of the 8 directions (including diagonally). Bots may not move off the board, and each bot must initially leave its starting space and is not allowed to return to it. Each bot must have its last move be to the opposing bot's starting location. This final move is implied when programming the bot. A maximum of 100 moves is allowed.
Scoring points: If a bot attempts to move to a square already occupied by the opposing bot, then the opposing bot is destroyed. Destroying a bot is worth 2 points and ends the round. A bot receives 1 point for reaching the starting location of the opposing bot, and the round ends.
Programing the bots: This is easy. Just enter string of numbers that you want your bot to move to. You don't need spaces or commas. You should not include either starting space in your program. In your program, the final move to the opponent's starting space is implied.
Each player must program two bots, an Offense Bot and a Defense Bot. Each player's Offense Bot will play every other player's Defense Bot, and vise versa.
Example: In this example, a Defense Bot moves to square 8, then 9, then 5, then 4, then 1 (then the final move to the opposing starting space is implied).
[img]http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic498100.jpg[/img]
The above link shows a picture for the Defense Bot program "89541". (This image is also shown at the bottom of this post because I can't figure out how to make it appear right here)
If you wanted to hang out at space "9" for an extra turn, the Defense Bot program would be "899541" instead.
Non-Examples: Here are some example programs which are not allowed...
Bad Defense Bot programs:
258
(starts at the wrong end!)
9854
(needs to end on 1,2 or 3 to perform the implied final move)
Bad Offense Bot programs:
1469
(cannot move from '4' to '6', it's two spaces away)
2323{repeat "23" ten more times}548
(this is fine, but should be written as "232323232323232323232323548")
How do I play?: You must submit two valid Bot programs (one for your Offense Bot & one for your Defense Bot) to me at <snipped email>, with the subject "Bot Battle 1".
After I get enough entries, I will play every Offense Bot against every Defense Bot exactly once (except I won't play your own two bots against one another). The player with the highest overall number of points (Offense & Defense combined) is the winner. I will submit the results here.
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Send me an email <snipped email> if you have any questions or comments. I look forward to receiving entries.
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