The Battlecode Programming Competition

Overview

This course is conducted as an artificial intelligence programming contest in Java. Students work in teams to program virtual robots to play Battlecode, a real-time strategy game. Optional lectures are provided on topics and programming practices relevant to the game, and students learn and improve their programming skills experientially. The competition culminates in a live Battlecode tournament. This course is offered during the Independent Activities Period (IAP), which is a special 4-week term at MIT that runs from the first week of January until the end of the month.

Syllabus

1. Introduction to Battlecode.
2. Writing Your First Player.
3. Navigation.
4. Git Repository.
5. Swarms, Artillery, and Mines.
6. Numerical Strategy.
7. The Lost Lecture.
8. Lessons from the Sprint Tournament.