Description
1 Problem Statement:
In this assignment, you will code a bot to play and win the game of Othello. Given
a board configuration and a turn, your bot will return a valid move. The game
ends when neither of the players can make a valid move. The player with maximum
number of coins is the winner.
2 Specifications:
The following programming language and system(OS) has to be used for completing
the assignment.
• Programming Language: C++
• System: 64-bit Linux distribution.
3 Instructions:
3.1 Setting up the framework:
A framework (Desdemona.zip) has been provided to you that lets two bots compete against each other.
1. Extract the contents of Desdemona.zip into a suitable directory.
2. Set up the framework by executing a make clean command in the root of this
directory which removes the older bin,lib and obj directories and then execute
a make command to generate the executables and libraries needed for coding
your bot.
3.2 Coding the bot:
1. You will modify MyBot.cpp to return a valid move whenever the function
play is called. The source file is located at (./bots/MyBot).
2. All other source files are to be left untouched.
3. The Makefile is also provided at this location. Use it to generate a .so file
by executing the command make from the location ./bots/MyBot.
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4. You can test your bot against another bot by executing the command “./bin/Desdemona
././”
5. By convention, the first bot is BLACK and the second RED.
6. A random bot (./bots/RandomBot) has been provided for testing.
7. At the end of the game, a game.log file is created that contains the sequence
of moves made.
8. The bots being submitted must have NO print statements.
9. If a bot returns an invalid move, it will be disqualified.
3.3 Helper Functions:
The following functions have already been written to assist you:
• bool OthelloBoard::validateMove( Turn turn, int x, int y )
Returns true if the passed move (x,y) is valid for the passed turn, false otherwise.
• bool OthelloBoard::validateMove( Turn turn, Move move )
Returns true if the passed move is valid for the passed turn, false otherwise.
• void OthelloBoard::makeMove( Turn turn, int x, int y )
Updates the board configuration by making the move (x,y); throws an exception if the move is not valid.
• void OthelloBoard::makeMove( Turn turn, Move move )
Updates the board configuration by making the specified move; throws an
exception if the move is not valid.
• listOthelloBoard::getValidMoves( Turn turn )
Returns a list of valid moves that can be made given the turn.
• int OthelloBoard::getBlackCount()
Returns the number of black coins on the board.
• int OthelloBoard::getRedCount()
Returns the number of red coins on the board.
• void OthelloBoard::print( Turn turn )
Prints the turn, the board configuration, and the number of black and red
coins. ’X’ is BLACK, ’O’ is RED, and unfilled locations are blank.
3.4 Time constraints:
Each bot can take at most 2 seconds to return a move. If this time limit is exceeded,
the bot causing the timeout will be disqualified.
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3.5 Tournament Details:
Bots submitted by all groups/individuals will be contestants. In both the trial
round and final round, each bot will play against every other bot twice; once as the
first player (black), and once as the second (red). At the end of the tournament,
each bot will be given a rank based on the total points scored.
4 Evaluation:
Based on the outcome of the game, an individual/group will score the points per
game as mentioned below:
Win/Lose
• Winner: 64 + (Number of coins placed on the board)
• Loser: Number of coins placed on the board.
Draw
• Both the teams will get points equal to number of coins placed on the board.
Disqualification
• Disqualifying team: -64 + (Number of coins placed on the board)
• Opponent team: 64 + (Number of coins placed on the board)
5 Submissions:
• Trial Round:
Upload a single .so file with the name .so or .so
(eg: 23.so or CS17B001.so)
• Final Round:
Upload a zip file containing your source code(i.e MyBot.cpp), report as well as
the .so file. The zip file should be named as .zip
or .zip (e.g 23.zip or CS17B001.zip)
