A Genetic Programming-Based Low-Level Instructions Robot for Realtimebattle
Juan Romero,
Antonino Santos,
Adrian Carballal,
Nereida Rodriguez-Fernandez,
Iria Santos,
Alvaro Torrente-Patiño,
Juan Tuñas,
Penousal Machado
Affiliations
Juan Romero
CITIC-Research Center of Information and Communication Technologies, University of A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain
Antonino Santos
Department of Computer Science and Information Technologies, Faculty of Computer Science, University of A Coruña, Campus Elviña s/n, 15071 A Coruña, Spain
Adrian Carballal
CITIC-Research Center of Information and Communication Technologies, University of A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain
Nereida Rodriguez-Fernandez
CITIC-Research Center of Information and Communication Technologies, University of A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain
Iria Santos
CITIC-Research Center of Information and Communication Technologies, University of A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain
Alvaro Torrente-Patiño
Department of Computer Science and Information Technologies, Faculty of Computer Science, University of A Coruña, Campus Elviña s/n, 15071 A Coruña, Spain
Juan Tuñas
Department of Computer Science and Information Technologies, Faculty of Computer Science, University of A Coruña, Campus Elviña s/n, 15071 A Coruña, Spain
Penousal Machado
Centre for Informatics and Systems of the University of Coimbra (CISUC), DEI, University of Coimbra, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal
RealTimeBattle is an environment in which robots controlled by programs fight each other. Programs control the simulated robots using low-level messages (e.g., turn radar, accelerate). Unlike other tools like Robocode, each of these robots can be developed using different programming languages. Our purpose is to generate, without human programming or other intervention, a robot that is highly competitive in RealTimeBattle. To that end, we implemented an Evolutionary Computation technique: Genetic Programming. The robot controllers created in the course of the experiments exhibit several different and effective combat strategies such as avoidance, sniping, encircling and shooting. To further improve their performance, we propose a function-set that includes short-term memory mechanisms, which allowed us to evolve a robot that is superior to all of the rivals used for its training. The robot was also tested in a bout with the winner of the previous “RealTimeBattle Championship”, which it won. Finally, our robot was tested in a multi-robot battle arena, with five simultaneous opponents, and obtained the best results among the contenders.
