Robocode

Robocode is an Open Source programming game, struggling at the virtual robot on a playing field against each other. It was developed by Mathew Nelson (originally from IBM ), currently Flemming N. Larsen is the main developer and makes updates and bug fixes. Next It is developed by the community. It was developed in order to learn the Java programming language in a playful approach can. Easy to use, and thanks to the examples provided a simple virtual robot can in a few minutes ( in English, in short: Bot) to be developed. The development of more complex bots but takes much longer to complete.

• 4.1 RR @ H Champions
• 4.2 Special bots

The game

The players write the software for a virtual robot ( a tank ), which then against other bots (from other players and therefore with other software ) competes on an also virtual 2-dimensional battlefield. The bots are able to move, shoot and take advantage of certain variables in their environment. Although the basic idea behind this game is very simple, it is very difficult to develop a good strategy for a win. The best bots therefore also have hundreds of lines of software code and pursue in its victory strategy such different approaches, such as statistical analysis, event-based routines or an artificial neural network.

In the game it comes to their own tank to be programmed so that it will be taken as little as possible and even as often as possible, the tanks of the opposing player hits. Winning condition is the last robot left on the game or to have destroyed all the robots of the opposing team in team games.

The game is not an online game, so it is not possible to discharge games over the Internet. But you can control a variety of programs ( some of which are present even as open source ) on the Internet, which you can then run it on his local machine. The control software runs in a shielded environment, ie there are no security risks when running foreign binaries. Can you take your own software against the foreign, can the effectiveness of own software testing.

Size limitations

In order to force programmers to limit the functionality of their bots, there are different robot classes that are characterized by different sizes of the binaries. In this way, it remains open even beginners to compete with established Robocode players.

We distinguish:

Leagues

There are several Robocode leagues, the most popular being:

Roborumble @ Home

Roborumble @ Home is a permanent league, which discharges three different disciplines in all classes. The disciplines are:

In modes 1-on- 1 and melee each robot occurs at least once against each other. In team mode divorce team after a defeat from (KO ) system.

Robocode Little League

The Robocode Little Leage specializing in limited size bots. The RLL is currently no longer active.

Some important bots

The best bots in all classes and disciplines (February 2006)

RR @ H Champions

Special bots

Particular technical interest are Shadow, who introduced the so-called 'Wave Surfing ' and Flood Mini, an open source Minibot, which established the StatisticalTargeting technology.

In recent years CassiusClay applies also open source, as one of the most sophisticated bots.

Phoenix, the current number of RR 2 @ H, showed for the first time a graphical debugging environment.