archive by month
Skip to content

AIIDE 2020 - what McRave learned

I got distracted, but I’m back. These tables aren’t what McRave learned exactly, they are what it recorded in its Info files, more like a summary of how McRave played given what it had learned. History files like these are rich with information and I wanted to extract more from them, but this will do for now.

The “opening” tables give McRave’s strategy as it represents it, build-opener-transition (see last post). The “enemy” tables represent the recognized enemy strategy in the same format. I like that the strategies of both sides are represented the same way, it’s elegant. The hierarchical representation has advantages for reacting to enemy strategies: McRave may be able to react to an aspect of its enemy’s plan, or to an enemy strategy that it only partially recognized.

Here’s a sample line from the file ZvZ Microwave Info.txt, the first game of 150, to give a taste of how much information there is.

Won,Destination,28:43,HatchPool,9Pool,LingRush,PoolLair,9Pool,1HatchMuta,4:07,2:45,3:31,1,Zerg_Larva,92,Zerg_Zergling,105,Zerg_Drone,18,Zerg_Overlord,73,Zerg_Mutalisk,36,Zerg_Scourge,30,Zerg_Larva,114,Zerg_Zergling,102,Zerg_Drone,12,Zerg_Overlord,34,Zerg_Mutalisk,14,Zerg_Scourge,4,Zerg_Cocoon,11,Zerg_Devourer


#1 stardust

openinggameswinsfirstlast
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchMuta1502%0149
1 openings1502%
enemygameswins
1GateCore,2Zealot,4Gate147%
2Gate,Main,4Gate1351%
2Gate,Main,DT10%
3 openings1502%


I think Stardust does not make dark templar, so the one DT game may be a strategy inference miss. It’s interesting that most of McRave’s wins came when Stardust was recognized as opening with gate-cybercore instead of with two gates.


#2 purplewave

openinggameswinsfirstlast
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchMuta1495%0149
PoolHatch,Overpool,3HatchSpeedling10%4545
2 openings1505%
enemygameswins
2Gate,Main,4Gate1446%
2Gate,Main,Corsair30%
2Gate,Main,ZealotRush30%
3 openings1505%


PurpleWave chose to play similarly to Stardust, not quite as successfully.


#3 bananabrain

openinggameswinsfirstlast
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchMuta13145%1149
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchSpeedling1050%0147
PoolHatch,Overpool,3HatchSpeedling944%24131
3 openings15045%
enemygameswins
1GateCore,2Zealot,Corsair2075%
1GateCore,2Zealot,DT862%
2Gate,Main,4Gate10%
2Gate,Main,Corsair3811%
2Gate,Main,DT425%
2Gate,Proxy,ZealotRush1050%
FFE,Forge,5GateGoon1747%
FFE,Forge,NeoBisu2462%
FFE,Forge,Speedlot1354%
FFE,Forge,Unknown20%
FFE,Forge,ZealotArchon1100%
FFE,Gateway,Speedlot10%
FFE,Nexus,5GateGoon425%
FFE,Nexus,NeoBisu786%
14 openings15045%


McRave’s plans were about equally successful, but it chose to go with mutalisks much more often than zerglings. I think that’s strategically correct, because BananaBrain is susceptible to the occasional ling bust but will play safely if zerg repeats it too often. Otherwise, BananaBrain is unpredictable as always. As I understand it, McRave does not try to directly predict the enemy strategy but only reacts to what it scouts, so unpredictability can confuse UCB but nothing worse.


#4 dragon

openinggameswinsfirstlast
HatchPool,12Hatch,2HatchMuta6018%0148
HatchPool,12Hatch,2HatchSpeedling30%24129
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchMuta190%3149
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchMuta6728%1147
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchSpeedling1100%4747
5 openings15021%
enemygameswins
2Rax,Expand,Unknown20%
2Rax,Main,1FactTanks20%
2Rax,Main,Academy30%
2Rax,Main,Unknown2722%
2Rax,Proxy,1FactTanks10%
2Rax,Proxy,Unknown20%
RaxCC,1RaxFE,1FactTanks1010%
RaxCC,1RaxFE,5FactGoliath4518%
RaxCC,1RaxFE,Unknown1258%
RaxFact,Unknown,5FactGoliath1436%
RaxFact,Unknown,Unknown250%
Unknown,Unknown,2Fact617%
Unknown,Unknown,Unknown234%
Unknown,Unknown,WorkerRush1100%
14 openings15021%


Dragon is the first opponent to push McRave into exploring most of its available strategies. Notice McRave only played PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchSpeedling once (about a third of the way through the tournament) even though it won, and even though PoolHatch and Overpool was its preferred stem. It shows a strong preference for mutalisk play.


#6 microwave

openinggameswinsfirstlast
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchMuta1963%1127
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchSpeedling1457%21118
PoolLair,9Pool,1HatchMuta11484%0146
3 openings14779%
enemygameswins
HatchPool,12Pool,1HatchLurker1100%
HatchPool,12Pool,2HatchLing6100%
HatchPool,12Pool,3HatchMuta667%
HatchPool,12Pool,Unknown1377%
HatchPool,4Pool,LingRush250%
HatchPool,9Pool,LingRush2857%
HatchPool,9Pool,Unknown10%
HatchPool,Unknown,2HatchLing2186%
HatchPool,Unknown,3HatchLing1100%
HatchPool,Unknown,Unknown6100%
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchLing2100%
PoolHatch,12Pool,3HatchMuta10%
PoolHatch,12Pool,Unknown12100%
PoolHatch,4Pool,LingRush2100%
PoolHatch,9Pool,2HatchLing1100%
PoolHatch,9Pool,LingRush2100%
PoolHatch,Unknown,2HatchLing3100%
PoolHatch,Unknown,Unknown475%
PoolLair,9Pool,1HatchMuta3100%
PoolLair,9Pool,Unknown3100%
PoolLair,Unknown,Unknown1100%
Unknown,12Pool,3HatchLing1100%
Unknown,12Pool,3HatchMuta450%
Unknown,12Pool,Unknown967%
Unknown,4Pool,LingRush1100%
Unknown,9Pool,LingRush367%
Unknown,9Pool,Unknown475%
Unknown,Unknown,1HatchHydra1100%
Unknown,Unknown,3HatchMuta1100%
Unknown,Unknown,Unknown4100%
30 openings14779%


McRave’s play was similar against Microwave and Steamhammer: It chose the same builds in roughly similar proportions, and it found the opponent’s strategies to be highly diverse and difficult to recognize (notice all the Unknown values).


#7 steamhammer

openinggameswinsfirstlast
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchMuta3348%2149
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchSpeedling2255%1144
PoolLair,9Pool,1HatchMuta9561%0148
3 openings15057%
enemygameswins
HatchPool,12Pool,1HatchHydra10%
HatchPool,12Pool,1HatchLurker2100%
HatchPool,12Pool,1HatchMuta1100%
HatchPool,12Pool,2HatchLing4100%
HatchPool,12Pool,3HatchMuta250%
HatchPool,12Pool,Unknown825%
HatchPool,9Pool,2HatchLing617%
HatchPool,9Pool,3HatchMuta20%
HatchPool,9Pool,LingRush1233%
HatchPool,9Pool,Unknown875%
HatchPool,Unknown,1HatchHydra2100%
HatchPool,Unknown,2HatchLing888%
HatchPool,Unknown,2HatchMuta1100%
HatchPool,Unknown,Unknown4100%
PoolHatch,12Pool,1HatchLurker1100%
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchLing1100%
PoolHatch,12Pool,Unknown580%
PoolHatch,9Pool,2HatchLing250%
PoolHatch,9Pool,LingRush786%
PoolHatch,9Pool,Unknown10%
PoolHatch,Unknown,2HatchLing1100%
PoolHatch,Unknown,Unknown20%
PoolLair,12Pool,1HatchMuta650%
PoolLair,9Pool,1HatchMuta1050%
PoolLair,9Pool,Unknown1100%
PoolLair,Unknown,1HatchMuta714%
PoolLair,Unknown,Unknown3100%
Unknown,12Pool,1HatchHydra540%
Unknown,12Pool,3HatchMuta250%
Unknown,12Pool,Unknown875%
Unknown,9Pool,1HatchHydra250%
Unknown,9Pool,LingRush1100%
Unknown,Unknown,1HatchHydra3100%
Unknown,Unknown,3HatchMuta367%
Unknown,Unknown,Unknown1844%
35 openings15057%

#8 daqin

openinggameswinsfirstlast
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchMuta15065%0149
1 openings15065%
enemygameswins
FFE,Forge,5GateGoon580%
FFE,Forge,Speedlot12159%
FFE,Forge,ZealotArchon2100%
FFE,Gateway,Speedlot1100%
FFE,Nexus,Speedlot2190%
5 openings15065%


McRave never varied against DaQin. Why is that? It doesn’t seem to be due to elitism (that is, always choosing a plan that has shown itself “elite” aka good enough), because McRave tried two plans versus UAlbertaBot and both had a higher win rate.


#9 zzzkbot

openinggameswinsfirstlast
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchMuta1662%1127
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchSpeedling1050%40105
PoolLair,9Pool,1HatchMuta12488%0149
3 openings15083%
enemygameswins
HatchPool,4Pool,LingRush2100%
HatchPool,9Pool,LingRush580%
HatchPool,Unknown,2HatchHydra2100%
HatchPool,Unknown,2HatchMuta1100%
PoolHatch,9Pool,LingRush10%
PoolHatch,Unknown,Unknown2100%
Unknown,4Pool,LingRush3586%
Unknown,9Pool,LingRush6887%
Unknown,9Pool,Unknown967%
Unknown,Unknown,1HatchHydra3100%
Unknown,Unknown,Unknown2268%
11 openings15083%

#10 ualbertabot

openinggameswinsfirstlast
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchMuta9980%0149
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchSpeedling5198%3147
2 openings15086%
enemygameswins
1GateCore,0Zealot,4Gate3093%
1GateCore,0Zealot,DT10100%
1GateCore,Unknown,DT6100%
2Gate,Main,ZealotRush16100%
2Rax,Main,MarineRush989%
2Rax,Main,Unknown2241%
HatchPool,Unknown,1HatchHydra6100%
HatchPool,Unknown,2HatchHydra4100%
HatchPool,Unknown,2HatchLing8100%
HatchPool,Unknown,2HatchMuta4100%
HatchPool,Unknown,Unknown4100%
PoolHatch,Unknown,Unknown1100%
RaxCC,8Rax,Unknown838%
RaxFact,Unknown,Unknown6100%
Unknown,4Pool,LingRush9100%
Unknown,9Pool,LingRush1100%
Unknown,Unknown,1HatchHydra1100%
Unknown,Unknown,Unknown5100%
18 openings15086%

#11 willyt

openinggameswinsfirstlast
HatchPool,12Hatch,2HatchMuta10267%0149
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchMuta60%6142
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchMuta4163%3146
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchSpeedling10%44
4 openings15063%
enemygameswins
2Rax,Main,1FactTanks10%
2Rax,Main,Academy3100%
2Rax,Main,MarineRush250%
RaxCC,1RaxFE,1FactTanks9349%
RaxCC,1RaxFE,5FactGoliath10%
RaxCC,1RaxFE,Unknown786%
RaxCC,Unknown,Unknown20100%
Unknown,Unknown,2Fact333%
Unknown,Unknown,Unknown2085%
9 openings15063%

#12 ecgberht

openinggameswinsfirstlast
HatchPool,12Hatch,2HatchMuta8387%0149
HatchPool,12Hatch,2HatchSpeedling2979%12142
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchMuta60%11133
PoolHatch,12Pool,2HatchSpeedling3100%3032
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchMuta1650%1113
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchSpeedling13100%27101
6 openings15079%
enemygameswins
2Rax,Expand,Unknown1883%
2Rax,Main,Academy10%
2Rax,Main,MarineRush10%
2Rax,Main,Unknown1947%
2Rax,Proxy,Unknown786%
RaxCC,1RaxFE,1FactTanks1100%
RaxCC,1RaxFE,Unknown3985%
RaxCC,8Rax,Unknown2090%
RaxCC,Unknown,Unknown2181%
RaxFact,Unknown,2Fact1100%
RaxFact,Unknown,2PortWraith10100%
RaxFact,Unknown,Unknown7100%
Unknown,Unknown,Unknown540%
13 openings15079%


Ecgberht is a tricky opponent. I think McRave tried every plan that was enabled—mostly with success, to be sure.


#13 eggbot

openinggameswinsfirstlast
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchMuta10100%18148
PoolHatch,Overpool,2HatchSpeedling14099%0149
2 openings15099%
enemygameswins
2Gate,Proxy,ZealotRush1989%
CannonRush,Unknown,Unknown16100%
Unknown,Unknown,Unknown115100%
3 openings15099%

Trackbacks

No Trackbacks

Comments

Paul Goodman on :

"It’s interesting that most of McRave’s wins came when Stardust was recognized as opening with gate-cybercore instead of with two gates."

Pretty sure 7% of 14 games comes out to just one game, right?

Jay Scott on :

Oh, yeah! McRave had 3 wins total versus Stardust, so it’s not actually meaningful. Thanks!

McRave on :

Cool to see it dissected like this and shows the variance that some bots display.

I had 1 plan enabled from the start for ZvP, 2 plans enabled for ZvZ and 3 plans enabled for ZvT (I accidentally enabled Overpool). The rest of the plans are reactions where we record the new plan rather than initial plan. When my bot reacts and changes it's build/opener/transition, it changes the start of game selection so that learning will account for the actual plan rather than intended plan. I allow reactions up to a certain point depending on the build, where once you've gone down that path it's too late to react.

An example of this is BananaBrain opening with a proxy 2Gate, I change my strategy to a 2HatchLing flood that ignores the Zealots and runs past them to his main. We see an exact match of 10 detections of it and 10 reactions to change to 2HatchLing.

Add Comment

E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.
CAPTCHA

Form options

Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.