Our next contest is quickly approaching its start date, but before we actually kick this one off, we're going to let you review the rules and give us feedback in case there is anything we may have missed or needs to be explained in better detail. The next contest is called "GameDev: Arena". The idea will be to develop a bot AI to fight in deathmatch battles against other bots. The last bot standing at the end of the double elimination tournament is the winner. Bots will be programmed in C++ using a predefined bot template provided to you by GameDev.net through a "bot generator". Bots are compiled as DLL's, which are loaded and executed by the GameDev: Arena core executable. The interface specifics will be available at the start of the contest. Please note that we anticipate this to be a difficult contest. Entrants will probably not be able to program their bot AI using "traditional" AI techniques. Please review the rules at http://www.gamedev.net/community/contest/gdarena/ and post any feedback you have here. Do not email us. We will not reply to any emails about the contest. Kevin "Khawk" Hawkins
CEO and News Director, GameDev.net
Software Engineer, Raydon Corporation
Author, OpenGL Game Programming Contributing author, Game Development: Tricks of the Trade , "Using the UML in Game Development" Developer Diary

OMG a new contest!!!

VEry interesting, I''ll join

It''s probably way over my skill level, but I''m excited I hope I actually know enough to be able to participate.

Finally something challenging not consirned with GFX.I''m iiiiiiin.

"You losers better learn...NOONE CONTROLS OUR GOD DAMN LIFE!!!" - MANOWAR

Why C++ only? Other languages can generate DLLs. For instance "L33t War" (which was news here a long time ago) was a C++ program that used DLL files. For that I wrote a Delphi port (with additional Object Oriented Wrapper classes) without much problem. Without the extra wrapper it''s simply a matter of translating the header, an easy task.

Perhaps I should (finally) make a post about the need for a .NET style bytecode standard, so that we can start seeing some serious scripting possibilities in games .

awesome. I''d be interested in the play-for-fun one at least.

All entries must be received by the Midterm Entry Date. At this point, all bot DLL''s will be available for download. During the following two weeks, entrants are advised to adjust their bot strategies in response to other bots that have been entered. All official bot entries must be received by the Final Date.

What is to prevent people from submitting very basic bots and then basically rewritting their bot once they see the competition? And, even if it''s not intentional, what is someones "adjusted" bot turns out to be a basic rewrite? Perhaps this rule could be changed. Instead of allowing full bot editing after this point, only non-executable data files may be changed (though there would have to be clarification as far as scripting languages are concerned, since you could make your "bot" nothing more then a script reader)

quote: Original post by Michalson
Why C++ only? Other languages can generate DLLs. For instance "L33t War" (which was news here a long time ago) was a C++ program that used DLL files. For that I wrote a Delphi port (with additional Object Oriented Wrapper classes) without much problem. Without the extra wrapper it''s simply a matter of translating the header, an easy task.

Perhaps I should (finally) make a post about the need for a .NET style bytecode standard, so that we can start seeing some serious scripting possibilities in games .

Because I will be building the DLL''s myself, and I have to verify source code as well. All I own is VC++.

quote: Original post by Michalson
What is to prevent people from submitting very basic bots and then basically rewritting their bot once they see the competition? And, even if it''s not intentional, what is someones "adjusted" bot turns out to be a basic rewrite? Perhaps this rule could be changed. Instead of allowing full bot editing after this point, only non-executable data files may be changed (though there would have to be clarification as far as scripting languages are concerned, since you could make your "bot" nothing more then a script reader)

That''s actually the purpose. Source code will not be downloaded - only DLL''s and supporting data files. This makes it more challenging and levels the playing field.