AI Interface

This is a very early draft with some ideas taken from http://bwmirror.jurenka.sk/javadoc/bwapi/package-summary.html

This file shall provide information about the AI interface design.

General ideas

• An AI registers hooks for desired events

• The C++ engine triggers python AI functions when desired events occur

• The AI then can trigger actions on the controllable units

• Periodically (1 Hz?), the AI gets ticked to allow event independent decisions

Event types

Python interface basic events:

• on_start(GameInfo info)

• on_frame(Game game)

• on_end(Player winner)

Some AIs may prefer an event driven approach (rule based AI):

• on_unit_discover(Unit unit)

• on_unit_complete(Unit unit)

• on_unit_lost(Unit unit)

• many more…

Some AIs will need to simulate ticks into the future to help make decisions for the current tick. (min-max, MCTS, etc.)

Relevant structures for the AI

Remember: These are just some ideas for possible interfaces, they are not existent in the game yet.

struct game_info {
	int num_players;
	int map_size;
	int pop_limit;
	resources_type;
	map_view;
	starting_age;
	victory_mode;
}

class Game {
	Player[] allies();      // all the ally players that have not left or been defeated.
	bool     canBuildHere(Unit builder, TilePosition position, UnitType type);
	bool     canMake(Unit builder, UnitType type);
	bool     canResearch(Unit unit, TechType type);
	bool     canUpgrade(Unit unit, UpgradeType type);
	Player[] enemies();     // all the enemy players that have not left or been defeated.
	Unit[]   getAllUnits(); // returns all the visible units.

	// many more examples at: http://bwmirror.jurenka.sk/javadoc/bwapi/Game.html
}

class Player {
	string getName();   // returns the name of the player.
	Race   getRace();   // returns the race of the player.
	Unit[] getUnits();  // returns the set of units the player own.
	bool   hasResearched(TechType tech);
	int    getWood()    // Returns the amount of wood the player owns.
	// many more...
}

class Unit {
	// used to get information about individual units as well as issue orders to units
}

class Calculation {
	// used to get computation heavy calculations from the C++ engine
}