ASSIGNMENT ONE: ROBOCODE Introduction

Robocode is an IBM product that allows you to write a AI-controlled battle tank in Java. You will build the AI control for a robot tank that must survive in combat against your evil classmates. Instructions
Group work: Work in a group of three members, and each member of the group must participate. Do not put your name against some work that you have not participated fully in.

Objectives
The aim is to get you to:

Practice using a new API from scratch Experience java programming in developing intelligence agents. Have some fun

D o wn L o a d i n g
You can obtain the program from http://sourceforge.net/projects/robocode/files/robocode/1.7.3.0/robocode-1.7.3.0-setup.jar/

What to submit in E-learning syst em. 1. Submit your Java source file(s), individually or in a zip or jar file, using your username as the package name to differentiate your robot from everyone else's. Do not submit a robot that you have copied from the web or from someone else, because then you will learn nothing. 2. Write up in a word processed document.

Compiled By: Mr Mwendia KCAU Lecturer 1

TASKS 1. Provide at most a 3 page write-up consisting of at least the following sections: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Goals. [2marks ] Percepts [2marks ] Sensors [2marks ] Effectors [2marks ] Actions [2marks ] Agents functions [3marks ] How dependent is your solution based on the specifics of the environment? If the environment were fully observable by your opponents would it change the effective of your strategy? How about if the battlefield was a different shape? With walls? Bullets moving differently? I am looking for a thoughtful analysis of the dependence of your solution to the environment. [3marks ] h. An algorithm describing what your robot is doing. This should not be pseudo-code but a step by step explanation of its behavior. [3marks ] i. Agent architecture [3marks ] j. What defensive strategies you are employing based on assumptions about the opponent's behavior. [3marks ]

2. Create your own Robot and Include Your group Name In The Title of the Submitted Document . The Name of your Robot Must Be "<Your_Gtid>_Robot".

Nb: Robocode calculates your score primarily based on the amount of damage you caused to other robots and the amount of time your robot survived. Sample robots are provided with Robocode. You can use these samples to guide the development of your own robot but do not submit them as your own. Your tank can be as simple or as sophisticated as you would like. Make sure to use a unique name for your robot, something like you user ID or team name will suffice. 3. Package your robot and submit it together with the write up.

REMEMBER: You are to create an autonomous robot, one that is not controlled by any human intervention!

Compiled By: Mr Mwendia KCAU Lecturer

T H E M A R K I N G CRITERIA

The assignment will be marked out of [40 marks]

You are being graded on your analysis and creativity:
1. 2.

Write-Up: [25 marks] Robots from all students will participate in a tournament and will be graded accordingly. Note that this means that your robot needs to do well against a group of other robots and not just one on one [5 marks]. Performance against default agents [5 marks].

3.

4.

Presentation - A 1-3 slide power point presentation giving the basics of your bot design. What makes your bot different? Why will it win? This must be short. [5 marks]

Compiled By: Mr Mwendia KCAU Lecturer