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BWAPI 4.4.0

BWAPI 4.4.0 (release page) was released today (in my time zone). It fixes the known crashes of the recent version 4.3.0 and several other items, and extends getBuildUnit() to work in both directions.

Two fixes can affect how bots play. One is a correction of unit->getApproxDistance(), though it looks as though any error in the distance was very small. Still, perfect is better than good enough. The other is a correction to the buildability of map tiles: Fewer tiles are considered buildable. The note says it affects “some doodads” which cause a tile to be unbuildable; formerly, BWAPI thought you could build on them. I would be interested to know which map tilesets this affects—only certain tilesets, or maybe all of them but the doodads affected are relatively rare?

I’m sure I’m not the only author who will be waiting to see if this release is solid and is supported by tournaments (I expect it will be).

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Joseph Huang on :

All module bots will do better on SSCAIT as client bots are now timed and can frame timeout. Go Hannes!

McRave on :

The buildable tiles affected AIST due to the map Roadkill. Some of the tiles with skeleton doodads were marked as buildable. See this issue here that I updated and Hannes resolved:

https://github.com/bwapi/bwapi/issues/696

Jay Scott on :

Ah, that’s the issue; the commit didn’t link it. I see, the bug is pretty common, but it affects mainly places that bots don’t want to build in the first place. That’s how it avoided close attention for so long.

McRave on :

Yeah, it was really unfortunate if it affected my bot, but I didn't watch enough AIST games closely to see if it did. If I spawned at the 12 o clock position and tried to place a cannon at my natural choke, it would always freeze production because it tried to build on the doodad.

Jay Scott on :

There could be a burrowed unit on the spot, like a spider mine or a burrowed zergling. Of course that doesn’t happen early in the opening, but the bot must be ready for it. Do you handle that case only outside the opening build?

I wonder how many terran bots I could defeat with a burrow rush and burrowing where an add-on will go.... Burrow takes less time than zergling speed.

McRave on :

I actually do not handle that, but that would be an interesting exploit! I could definitely implement something to validate spots and mark them as invalid for x frames if it didn't work out.

You should add a Zergling speed/burrow timing into a Lurker turtle, where you block CC and factory addons, then beat SAIDA with it! :P

Jay Scott on :

I already have a burrow opening on ice, all I have to do is thaw it and add some exploitive behaviors. Hmm....

McRave on :

Clarifying; I do handle visible enemy units on building locations and when expanding I always bring a handful of units and detection, but early game I wouldn't handle it correctly.

Jay Scott on :

The CIG 2019 rules are posted, and they continue to say that only versions 3.7.4, 4.1.2, and 4.2.0 are allowed. It’s down to the tournament manager, of course. As far as I know, Dave Churchill has no particular reason to get the tournament manager updated and tested for version 4.4.0 in time for CIG, when AIIDE comes later.

https://cilab.sejong.ac.kr/sc_competition2019/?cat=11

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