BWAPI bots monthly tournaments

[krasi0]

If there is enough interest, I am planning to organize monthly BWAPI bots tournaments. For example the last weekend of each month. There might be or not any prizes depending on whether there will be any sponsors (I might give out some personal money as a motivator though). More participation conditions will be further announced. Here are some as a start:
1) Participants are allowed to use any other open source bot's code, e.g. Skynet, UAlbertaBot, AIUR, etc. as long as they give the original author credits and announce this with their subscription
2) Hopefully matches will be streamed online.
3) Beating a 4-5 pool bot, e.g. gaudabot - http://bots-stats.krasi0.com/botDetails.php?id=24 in BO 5 or 7 is required for participation.
4) ...

Any ideas are appreciated. Please post a reply to this topic if you intend to participate or at least have huge interest in watching the games live.

[bajadulce]

Really cool. Have a definite interest to watch!
$$$ prizes! BWAPI-krasi0-paypal

#1) allowing participants to use/tweak existing source is a great idea.

If I can get my act together w/ setting my comp back up for this stuff, would love to submit something down the road.

[krasi0]

The paypal idea is a good one although I've heard about lots of cases when PP freezes one's funds so I am reluctant to use my personal account for the purpose. I might need to dig into this deeper for alternative options.

[telamon]

Very interesting. Maybe drop requirement #3( beat 4-pool). Doesn't the 2010 Overmind lose to early cheese? Why have a requirement at all - people aren't going to risk humiliation by submitting a bot they know is bad.

[krasi0]

Well, from past experience it turns out that some people just submit anything that moves the initial workers around and doesn't achieve a lot during the game. I think it's a good approach to stimulate bot developers to have at least a basic reactive and scouting bot before participating. This would ensure general AI improves other than keeping at a low level for years. 4-5 pool seems like a good threshold although it has turned out to be a somewhat hard challenge for Terran bots including mine. But http://bots-stats.krasi0.com/botDetails.php?id=27 Chronos_aiide_2010 kinda deals with it properly (21 / 25) so why wouldn't newer bots do so, too? BTW Overmind is excelent vs the zergling rush (43 / 22) and it's very old now, without any improvements during the past few years. I am NOT saying to deal with any cheese possible. Just the basic 4-5 pool rush.