Issue 49 4 November, 1996
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Core Warrior is a weekly newsletter promoting the game of corewar. Emphasis
is placed on the most active hills--currently the '94 draft hill and the
beginner hill. Coverage will follow where ever the action is. If you have
no clue what I'm talking about then check out these five-star internet locals
for more information:
FAQs are available by anonymous FTP from rtfm.mit.edu as
pub/usenet/news.answers/games/corewar-faq.Z
FTP site is: ftp.csua.berkeley.edu /pub/corewar
Web pages are at: (Please note new Stormking's address)
http://www.koth.org/ ;Stormking
http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~pizza/koth ;Pizza
http://pauillac.inria.fr/~doligez/corewar/ ;Planar
Newbies should check the stormking page for the FAQ, language specification,
guides, and tutorials. Post questions to rec.games.corewar. All new players
are infinitely welcome!
If ftp.csua.berkeley.edu is unreachable, you can download pMARS at:
Terry's web page--http://www.infi.net/~wtnewton/corewar/
Planar ftp site--ftp://ftp.inria.fr/INRIA/Projects/para/doligez/cw/pmars
Fechter ftp site--ftp://members.aol.com/ofechner/corewar
A collection of Bezzi's hints in the first issues is available at:
ftp://ftp.volftp.vol.it/pub/pc/msdos/games/solutions/bbhints.zip
NEW: Beppe Bezzi web page - http://www.aspide.it/freeweb/Bezzi
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Greetings.
The optimisation of PMARS is currently being discussed in the newsgroup at the
moment. Perhaps we will see a new version soon (even if unofficial).
Round 5 of the tournament is this week. Good luck to all involved. The top 4
players go through to the semi-finals.
--Anton Marsden
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Current Status of the Internet Pizza Server ICWS '94 Draft Hill:
Hill Specs:
coresize: 8000
max. processes: 8000
duration: after 80,000 cycles, a tie is declared.
max. entry length: 100
minimum distance: 100
rounds fought: 200
instruction set: ICWS '94 Draft
The current ICWS '94 Draft hill:
# %W / %L / %T Name Author Score Age
1 39.7/ 22.2/ 38.1 unrequited love kafka 157.3 217
2 30.8/ 13.5/ 55.7 Return Of The Jedimp John K W 148.2 119
3 36.9/ 26.1/ 37.1 Gigolo Core Warrior staff 147.6 173
4 32.1/ 16.9/ 51.0 Trident^2 John K W 147.3 49
5 43.0/ 40.0/ 17.0 The Machine Anton Marsden 146.0 25
6 39.6/ 33.6/ 26.8 Tiberius 3.1 Franz 145.6 36
7 39.2/ 35.5/ 25.2 CC Paper 2 Franz 142.9 8
8 39.3/ 39.5/ 21.2 Damage Incorporated Anton Marsden 139.2 160
9 42.8/ 47.6/ 9.6 Memories Beppe 138.0 33
10 38.8/ 40.2/ 21.1 Instant Wolf 3.4 Edgar 137.3 180
11 29.9/ 22.5/ 47.7 Impish v0.2 Ian Oversby 137.3 158
12 40.9/ 44.5/ 14.6 Blur 2 Anton Marsden 137.3 296
13 31.0/ 25.3/ 43.7 Rosebud Beppe 136.6 970
14 38.9/ 42.3/ 18.8 Probe Anton Marsden 135.5 297
15 33.9/ 34.1/ 31.9 Nine Seven Six M R bremer 133.7 9
16 37.9/ 43.2/ 18.9 Silver Talon 1.2 Edgar 132.7 6
17 39.0/ 45.7/ 15.3 AK-47 Franz 132.4 11
18 40.7/ 49.4/ 9.9 Q^2 Miro Anders Ivner 131.9 347
19 38.3/ 45.3/ 16.4 Dr. Gate Q Franz 131.2 2
20 32.9/ 34.9/ 32.2 Falcon v0.3 Ian Oversby 131.0 202
21 32.8/ 35.0/ 32.1 Simple v0.4b Ian Oversby 130.6 248
22 39.0/ 48.0/ 13.0 Golden Gate 3 Franz 129.9 5
23 37.3/ 45.1/ 17.6 Goldfinch P.Kline 129.6 238
24 37.1/ 45.0/ 17.9 Silver Talon 1.1 Edgar 129.2 10
25 35.3/ 42.3/ 22.4 cryptos bjoern guenzel 128.3 1
Weekly age: 15 this week ( 13 last issue, 29 the week before )
New warriors: 8 Turnover/age rate 53%
Average age: 152 ( 173 last issue, 142 the week before )
Average score: 138 ( 136 last issue, 138 the week before )
The top 25 warriors are represented by 12 independent authors: Franz with 5;
Marsden with 4; Oversby and Edgar have 3; and Beppe and JKW have two.
King Report: The Machine was KOTH for the majority of the week, but when Bodge
fell off the Hill it suffered and from then on unrequited love has been the
dominant warrior. Again the imp/stones are in control.
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94 - What's New
# %W / %L / %T Name Author Score Age
14 38.8/ 44.9/ 16.3 AK-47 Franz 132.8 1
22 36.7/ 44.1/ 19.3 Silver Talon 1.1 Edgar 129.3 1
11 33.6/ 31.5/ 34.9 Nine Seven Six M R bremer 135.6 1
15 34.8/ 37.2/ 28.0 CC Paper 2 Franz 132.4 1
9 39.9/ 41.3/ 18.8 Silver Talon 1.2 Edgar 138.5 1
17 40.6/ 46.3/ 13.1 Golden Gate 3 Franz 134.9 1
19 38.5/ 45.7/ 15.8 Dr. Gate Q Franz 131.4 1
25 35.3/ 42.3/ 22.4 cryptos bjoern guenzel 128.3 1
Franz has been busy this week with 4 new/updated warriors. Bremer is finally
back on the Hill :-) May his warrior live long and prosper. The most
significant new entry is probably Silver Talon, which is also doing very well
on the beginner Hill.
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94 - What's No More
# %W / %L / %T Name Author Score Age
26 36.3/ 45.4/ 18.3 Dr. Gate Q Franz 127.2 17
26 31.1/ 36.6/ 32.3 CC Paper 3.3 Franz 125.7 107
26 34.5/ 43.1/ 22.4 Instant Wolf Edgar 125.8 90
26 22.0/ 16.7/ 61.3 ompega Steven Morrell 127.3 406
26 34.4/ 40.4/ 25.2 Frogz Franz 128.3 172
26 38.4/ 49.4/ 12.3 Bodge 1 Robert Macrae 127.4 85
26 33.4/ 41.7/ 24.9 MI6 Philip Kendall 125.0 4
26 36.6/ 46.0/ 17.4 HAL 9000 Justin Kao 127.2 17
Morrell's only Hill warrior was kicked off this week as was Macrae's. Perhaps
we will see them back in force soon.
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94 - What's Old
# %W / %L / %T Name Author Score Age
13 31.0/ 25.3/ 43.7 Rosebud Beppe 136.6 970
18 40.7/ 49.4/ 9.9 Q^2 Miro Anders Ivner 131.9 347
14 38.9/ 42.3/ 18.8 Probe Anton Marsden 135.5 297
12 40.9/ 44.5/ 14.6 Blur 2 Anton Marsden 137.3 296
21 32.8/ 35.0/ 32.1 Simple v0.4b Ian Oversby 130.6 248
23 37.3/ 45.1/ 17.6 Goldfinch P.Kline 129.6 238
1 39.7/ 22.2/ 38.1 unrequited love kafka 157.3 217
20 32.9/ 34.9/ 32.2 Falcon v0.3 Ian Oversby 131.0 202
Falcon v0.3 is the new entry, ompega leaves us.
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HALL OF FAME
* means the warrior is still active.
Pos Name Author Age Strategy
1 Thermite II Robert Macrae 2262 Qscan -> bomber
2 Impfinity v4g1 Planar 1993 Stone/ imp
3 Jack in the box Beppe Bezzi 1620 P-warrior
4 Tornado 3.0 Beppe Bezzi 1567 Bomber
5 Torch t18 P.Kline 1539 Bomber
6 Chameleon Myer R Bremer 1437 P-warrior
7 Frontwards v2 Steven Morrell 1420 One shot scanner
8 Evol Cap 6.6 John Wilkinson 1299 Imp / stone
9 quiz Schitzo 1262 Scanner/ bomber
10 T.N.T. Maurizio Vittuari 1204 Bomber
11 Grilled Octopus v0.5 David Boeren 1154 P-warrior
12 Hazy Shade II John Wilkinson 1102 P-warrior
13 Stepping Stone Kurt Franke 1049 Qscan -> Vampire
14 Rosebud Beppe Bezzi 970 * Stone/ imp
15 Iron Gate 1.5 Wayne Sheppard 926 CMP scanner
16 T.N.T. pro Maurizio Vittuari 925 Bomber
17 Agony II Stefan Strack 912 CMP scanner
18 Barrage Anton Marsden 876 Qscan -> replicator
19 Blue Funk Steven Morrell 869 Stone/ imp
20 Flurry Anton Marsden 835 Qscan -> pwarrior
21 Thermite 1.0 Robert Macrae 802 Qscan -> bomber
22 Blue Funk 3 Steven Morrell 766 Stone/ imp
23 Night Train Karl Lewin 755 Replicator
24 Mirage 1.5 Anton Marsden 736 Scanner/ bomber
25 Blizzard Anton Marsden 713 Qscan -> replicator
No positional changes.
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Current Status of the Internet Pizza Server Beginner's Hill:
Hill Specs:
coresize: 8000
max. processes: 8000
duration: after 80,000 cycles, a tie is declared.
max. entry length: 100
minimum distance: 100
maximum age: At age 100, warriors are retired.
rounds fought: 200
instruction set: ICWS '94 Draft
Last challenge: Mon Oct 28 14:21:53 PST 1996
# %W / %L / %T Name Author Score Age
1 52.2/ 28.7/ 19.1 Silver Talon 1.1 Edgar 175.7 17
2 45.8/ 29.9/ 24.4 Microsoft Office '96 Justin Kao 161.6 13
3 43.0/ 30.7/ 26.3 HAL 9000 Justin Kao 155.3 29
4 45.4/ 37.0/ 17.6 Flamberge 101 Matt Lewinski 153.7 88
5 32.3/ 20.9/ 46.8 Dust 0.7 Justin Kao 143.7 84
6 30.8/ 18.7/ 50.5 The Lost Snail Edgar 142.9 16
7 38.4/ 36.3/ 25.4 MI6 Philip Kendall 140.5 10
8 40.2/ 40.3/ 19.6 Vivid Radiation 1.0 Matt Lewinski 140.0 20
9 30.2/ 21.6/ 48.1 Hammermill 4.0 Matt Lewinski 138.8 23
10 39.2/ 39.7/ 21.1 mayhem.q harleyQ2 138.8 87
11 35.2/ 33.0/ 31.8 Sandstorm Q/0.6c Ilmari Karonen 137.5 8
12 30.9/ 29.0/ 40.2 Scanitator 2.1 Christian Schmidt 132.8 3
13 31.3/ 30.4/ 38.2 Enough is enough Ilmari Karonen 132.2 81
14 36.0/ 39.9/ 24.1 Daemon of Zteentch Christian Schmidt 132.1 41
15 28.8/ 25.7/ 45.5 Plaster 1.0 Anonymous 131.8 11
16 28.9/ 27.7/ 43.3 Apocalypse Matt Lewinski 130.1 2
17 28.1/ 28.8/ 43.1 Throttle 2.0 Matt Lewinski 127.4 15
18 17.0/ 13.9/ 69.1 test 33 John K W 120.1 80
19 22.0/ 25.7/ 52.3 Vogon Poetry 0.2 Justin Kao 118.3 44
20 20.0/ 22.8/ 57.2 Papyrus 21 Justin Kao 117.2 12
21 28.9/ 43.7/ 27.4 Absolute Zero Matt Lewinski 114.1 4
22 24.7/ 39.0/ 36.2 Sarcasm 2.0 Matt Lewinski 110.5 37
23 7.2/ 4.2/ 88.7 Beast of Nurgle Christian Schmidt 110.2 42
24 15.8/ 24.7/ 59.5 Event Horizon 0.1 Justin Kao 106.9 1
25 15.8/ 26.4/ 57.7 Knight of Khoron Christian Schmidt 105.2 9
Top 25 Averages:
30.7/ 28.7/ 40.5 132.7 31
Silver Talon has a huge lead over the rest of the field.
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The Hint
Random Ramblings
This week I couldn't think of anything specific to discuss so you will have
to settle for a few mini-hints I could throw together. Just a note: for those
of you who want to write a hint, send it to one of us and we will probably
put it in an issue. It's difficult for us to come up with something different
every week, but we do the best we can with the time available.
Here is an article that Paul Kline sent to the newsgroup a while ago. I think
it's worth putting in CW for future reference.
------------------------------
>From Impfinity:
bomb&i dat <2667, <5334
stone&i spl #stone&i+bstep&i+magic&i, {-650
mov.i bomb&i, }stone&i
add.f #bstep&i-1, stone&i <---- cool
j&i djn.f stone&i, <i-50
Use add.f #a,b to store increments on the add line itself!
Change to add.x to put the larger increment on the b-operand
of the mov, making it a step-bomber.
---------
Want to decode an imp, but don't know whether it is
mov #a,2667
or
mov.i #2667,*0
Just point this instruction at the imp and pop that imp-step into its
b-operand:
mov.ab @0,@wherever
---------
Your one-shot scanner keeps attacking imp-code instead of bomber?
Changing your step from 13 to 2671 gives you an increment of 13 (3*2671=13)
and scans three times as many locations before detecting 3- or 9-point imps.
---------
Your one-shot uselessly attacks bomber decrements? Here's a version
that penetrates right through:
wScan add wIncr ,wGate ; increment pointers
seq }wGate ,>wGate ; take a look
sne.x *wGate ,@wGate ; ignore single decrements
djn.f wScan ,<-2001
[Editor's Note: this code will also penetrate through the last instruction of
a warrior, but to do otherwise means using a lot more code.]
---------
Want to kill Return of the Jedimp? John's warriors are very durable,
and I'm only scoring 45% wins against the latest :-). When I get
this thing working I'll let you know. It is NOT based on Harmony,
uses no magic numbers and has no core-clear. It is a new way of
thinking about the spiral problem.
Paul Kline
pk6811s@acad.drake.edu
------------------------------
Things I haven't tried but may be worth investigating:
- "core clears" > 100% c may be possible using MOV >gate,>gate but can they
be made to do something useful, eg. mutate into a "normal" clear?
- qscan -> pspace routine -> warrior may perform better against qscans.
- qscan -> non-booting warrior is also an option - one-shots are not as
effective as they once were. But make sure the main warrior is before the
qscan... if the warrior is a bomber it will also confuse one-shots.
Here is Damage Incorporated without qscan, just to make this issue less
empty :-) It's just Torch T18 with a d-clear.
;redcode-94
;name Damage Incorporated
;author Anton Marsden
;strategy Bomber
;assert CORESIZE==8000
step equ 54
count equ 2000
gate EQU (sp-7)
sp spl #-1-step,#-step ; spl half of the incendiary
in sub #step+step,1
msm mov sm,*tgt+(step*count)-17228
msp mov sp,@msm ; bomb alternately with spl & mov
tgt jmz.b in,#0 ; bombed with spl to start clear
clr mov wipe,>gate
cp djn.f clr,>gate
wipe dat <2667,wipe-gate+2 ; not sure if <2667 is used in the Hill
dat 0,0 ; version
sm mov step+1,>step+1 ; mov half of the incendiary
end sp
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Questions? Concerns? Comments? Complaints? Mail them to people who care.
authors: Beppe Bezzi <bezzi@nemo.it> or Myer Bremer <bremermr@ecn.purdue.edu>
or Anton Marsden <amarsden@comp.vuw.ac.nz> [this address will change soon]
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