Competition description and rules

The task

The competition task is to create a computer game bot which is indistinguishable from a human player. Those entries that pass this test will share the major prize of A$7,000 cash, and will also be offered a trip to 2K Australia's studio in Canberra. If the major prize is not won, a minor prize of A$2,000 plus a trip to the studio will be awarded. A member of the winning team (either major or minor) will be invited to visit 2K Australia's studio, at 2K Australia's expense, up to an amount of A$5,000, in addition to the cash prize.

The competition will be run in Seoul, South Korea at the 2011 IEEE Conference on Computational Intelligence and Games, August 31 - September 3, 2011.

To participate in the finals, one team member must register for and attend the conference.

The game used for the competition will be based on a modified version of the DeathMatch game type for the First-Person Shooter, Unreal Tournament 2004. This modified version provides a socket-based interface (called Gamebots) that allows control of bots from an external program. In addition, several extra modifications will be made especially for the competition:

  • Chatting will be disabled (this is not a chatbot competition!)
  • Some aspects of the game play will be modified to faciltate the competition.

To enter

Competitors must advise their intention to enter the competition on or before the end of July 2011, by email to the competition organisers. Some of the final rounds will take place in August, leading up to the conference, and the remainder at the conference itself. If there are a large number of entries, the organisers reserve the right to carry out qualification trials to select the entries to take part in the finals. The programs for the trials need not be final versions.

Other conditions of entry are:

  • Individuals or teams may enter.
  • No-one can enter more than one bot (either as an individual or as part of a team).
  • No-one associated with 2K or with the organisation of the competition may enter.
  • Entrants must affirm that they have intellectual rights to their entry and that it and its components comply with all artistic licenses.
  • Entrants younger than 18 years of age must provide a written statement of permission by at least one parent or guardian.
  • Entrants must be willing to allow videos/mpegs of their entries in action at the competition to be published and become public domain.

Testing protocol

The precise details of judging for 2010 have yet to be finalised. Note that the in-game judging system is different from that used in 2010, and at the recent human-like bot competition.

Judging will be done using an in-game judging system. We have set up a server so that teams can test their bots in the same environment and using the same system that will be used for the final judging. Point your UT2004 client or your bots at the BotPrize server (195.242.237.18).

The system is based on a modification to the Link Gun. It is now used by players to "tag" other players as either human or bot. The primary mode applies the BOT tag, which the secondary mode applies the HUMAN tag. Once an opponent is tagged, the player will see the word BOT or HUMAN as a label on the opponent's avatar. Players can change their judgement at any time by using the Link Gun again. Judgements have no effect on player health, or on game scores.