Re: [Bug-gnubg] Alternative weights files

[Michael Petch]

On 2012-09-19 05:39, Guido Flohr wrote:
> I have written a FIBS clone in Perl.  It also includes bot software for
> letting multiple instances of GNUBG play on it.  And I have scripts that
> make  the bots play against each other automatically.
> 
> One warning: I have never tested that on Windows.  You will probably
> need cygwin or msys to get it running.  It might now work at all.

In the case of GNUBG playing against itself on different levels (with
the same MET) is pretty trivial with a few lines of shell script or
python scripts. Slightly more complex if you want different METs but
still easy.

Set up the parameters of Player0 and Player1 in a copy of GNUBG through
the GUI (new match) to be GNU Backgammon players. Setup the skill level
of each players. Save settings. Now from a command line you can have the
bot play itself outside a GUI by simply starting a new match. Do this as
many times as you need for the simulation.

If you want differing METS (or are testing different version of GNUBG
against itself) set up a remote bot (using external interface). Set up
the parameters, launch it. Setup another bot in the GUI to point to
first instance (using the external interface settings in the GUI/New
Match/Modify player settings). Save and exit. Now create a loop in a
bash or python script (or language of your choice).

Where an intermediate server (like your BaldLies) would come in handy is
to have different bots from different manufacturers play that conformed
to a standard interface. In a way (as far as I recall) Dueller tried to
do this (but didn't implementing it with the overhead of FIBS as the
intermediary protocol).

Defining a standard (and open) interface (and something reasonably
simple) where bots can conform to a protocol whereby different types of
bots can play off against each other directly would be ideal. Much like
the Chess world.

-- 
Michael Petch
CApp::Sysware Consulting Ltd.
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