Osmos

[Fanter]

Idea is basically the same as in game.

The scheme of playing agent:


Initial position and Middle of the game:




World and rules:

At the start of the game we have N player spheres inside rectangular area. Agents can do two things:
1. Eject it's own substance to move (either LL(life layer) or SL(shield layer)
2. Fire attack substance from its AL(attack layer)

If two agents get in contact then two things can happen:
1. if first agent LL > second agent LL + SL then second agent will be absorbed
2. else they will bounce

Layer substance properties:
1. SL - shield layer. Very light substance,which protect agent from assimilation, can be ejected to move
2. LL - life layer. Medium weight substance. You need this substance to absorb enemy agents. For assimilation your LL must be greater then the sum of enemy LL and SL. Can also be ejected.
3. AL attack layer. Light substance. Can be fired at another agents. When absorbed, transforms into HL(heavy layer substance)
4. HL heavy layer. Heavy substance. Because of it's heaviness slows the movement of agent. Can't be ejected.

Besides the agents in random fashion little spheres of different layer substances will appear throughout the game area, which can be absorbed by direct contact with agent.

The winner is the last standing agent, or if time is out - the one with more LL.

[aerique]

Nice, I never thought of targeting Osmos for an AI challenge.

I'm not sure about the layers though. Osmos' simplicity by having just one layer is very tempting and might make for interesting games as well without adding the (perhaps needless?) complexity of the extra layers.

[Fanter]

Yes, I also thought of leaving just one layer, and it might be a way to go. Going to built a prototype and play with it a little.

Also here is another variation, it has the same osmos mechanics, only difference is that you have multiple agents, that can divide:

[aerique]

[Fanter]

Ok, took me already long enough.

So here is the first version with the limited functionality, it has one agent with stupid ai, two with no ai and one which you can control with keyboard arrow keys:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12577911/aigames/mergeai.jar

To run you should have java JRE 6.0+, double click must be enough.

Here is the source code:
https://github.com/Fanter/MergeAI

You may try to fiugre out how to write strategy by looking at the strategy package. If you have played at Russian AI cup you will find interface somewhat familiar.

The next thing I'm going to add ability to split, so from there it might become interesting.

[Fanter]

Here it is: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12577911/aigames/mergeai2.jar

Now agents can split, and ai was made just good enough so that you could have the feeling of the game.
What do you think about it?