
SGB_11.net      CORE WARS

Steve's Guide for Beginners Iss 11 (v3)

Issue 8 looked at another variation of copying and
at the SPL command.

Issue 9 looked at imp-rings and bombers and
replicators (by proxy).

Issue 10 analysed RAVE.red

======

There you are, tweaking the constants in your
warrior. How do you suss if it is a better setup?
Obviously either using theory or by fighting it
against a pile of warriors you've written or
downloaded.

I hate typing for that sort of purpose. I'd rather
start a script going and return in 20 minutes
after drinking a coffee.

To that end, I originally offered two DOS batch
files and a QBASIC program to perform the
function. However I have since discovered MTS.EXE
written by the pMARS people. It is available from
as PTOOLS10.ZIP from either
  ftp://ftp.csua.berkeley.edu/pub/corewar/...
or from
  http://www.stormking.com/~koth
in the pMARS homepage as "Download accessories".

(I do still occasionally use my batch files - If
anyone wants them e-mail me.)

======

I (still) include an updated version of
PM.BAT mentioned in issue 2.

PM.BAT:
set cmd1=pmarsv
if "%1"=="q"  set cmd1=pmars
if "%1"=="Q"  set cmd1=pmars
if "%cmd1%"=="pmars"  shift

if exist %2.red  goto two
goto one

:two
%cmd1% %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 %1.red %2.red
goto end

:one
%cmd1% %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 %1.red
goto end

:end
set cmd1=

======

It suprises me how a simple improvement to a
program can make the warrior far less effective!

=== Steve Bailey 101374.624@compuserve.com
sgb@zed-inst.demon.co.uk
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/SGBailey
Work: Electronics Play: Go 2kyu.

(Appendix because this is a short issue:

Answer to Issue 9 Problem for Beginner Go Players:
Black to play and kill:

 . . # O . O b O # . .
 . . # O O O a O # .
   . # # # # c O # .
     . . . . # # #

Black plays at "a" causing a shortage of
liberties. IE if White replies at "c" he has put
himself in atari and will be captured by a black
play at "b". If White replies at "b", Black must
answer at "c" to stop "a" being captured.

[If White gets first move, "a" or "c" would let
him live, but "c" is one point better.]
)
