Starcraft AI blog

Here is a question of virtually no importance that nevertheless has me puzzled: What should I call my learning files?

For now, Steamhammer has an opponent model file for each opponent, named om_[opponent].txt. OM for opponent model. It makes sense, or anyway it makes as much sense as an arbitrary filename can. I like names that make sense.

The next learning data I want to add is opening models, so that Steamhammer can know the timings. With knowledge of both opponent strategies and its own opening strategies, it will be able to directly compare and find counters: Your attack comes at this time, which opening is ready at that timing? It will also be able to recognize which openings are similar to others, so that when it can’t match a strategy, finding good openings by trial and error is quicker.

What should I name the opening model files? Opponent models and opening models are both empirical data, and should be updated as games are played. But the unfortunate words “opponent” and “opening” are too much alike to abbreviate nicely. Should I start with “enemy” and “build order”? “Bot” and “strategy”? Most abbreviations seem unintuitive. My best idea so far is to rename the om_* files to bot_* and use the prefix open_ for openings. Maybe OK?

What’s your idea? Because, according to the bikeshed principle, everyone should have an opinion on this....