Is the programming contest too hard?
 

There doesn't seem to be much response, so I'm curious.

Re: Is the programming contest too hard?
 

The programming contest is obscure and abstracted to a level that is confusing and meaningless. It makes assumptions that are known to be untrue, and can't really be applied in a practical manner to Dominions II. While surely an interesting programming contest for a class of CS students, I don't quite see how it really applies too well to Dominions II. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Is the programming contest too hard?
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">...hmm, that's sort of what it was supposed to be. Coming up with problems that are simple, yet useful to Dominions II, is very difficult - one or the other would be easier.

Re: Is the programming contest too hard?
 

If I had the ability to devote time to code; I'd be all for it. I don't think the Contest is an issue, it's first finding an adequate problem then spur conversation and ways to solve it then do a group programming session.

You picked the wrong question Cherry, you should have said "Fix this" and then go from there.

Re: Is the programming contest too hard?
 

Hmm. Well, there are two problems.

1) The AI does a bad job of site-searching.
2) It would be convenient if you could tell a mage to "go search for sites", then ignore him, and he'd do something intelligent.

This might solve both problems. However, it's only one of many, many possibilities, and the fact that a 3rd-party solution would not be useful unless integrated by IW (unlike, say, a 3rd-party map-editor or god-file manager) poses a new problem.

There are all kinds of things that can be done, of course, but nobody has given any suggestions...

Re: Is the programming contest too hard?
 

Well, if you want a problem to solve (though I don't know if IW wants any help with it)

AI Improvements:

1.) Changing the mage to research to combat instances (including specialty mages/battlefield spells).

2.) What types of mages go in what types of armies. Troop composition vs Mages vs surviability.

3.) Utilizing "Teleport" and "Cloud Trapeze" tactics in combination with Provincial Summon Spells (Includes Gateway).

4.) AI builds SC's out of Summonable creatures (Demons, Bane Lords, etc) including adequate equipment based on type and slot and uses them in appropriate fashions.

5.) Diplomacy (it's a big one)

Re: Is the programming contest too hard?
 

None of those are things that could be done without the source code, and thus, are not valid for a contest...

Re: Is the programming contest too hard?
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">So the contest will be in assembly, then.

Re: Is the programming contest too hard?
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Bah. Real Programmers write in machine code! http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/mel.html

I vote that we hold the programming contest in either PostScript or Algol 58.

Re: Is the programming contest too hard?
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Bah. Real Programmers write in machine code! http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/mel.html

I vote that we hold the programming contest in either PostScript or Algol 58. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">My vote goes to MIX http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif