Artificial Intelligence (AI) ordinarily indicates intelligence of a computer, which imitates and is similar to human intelligence. The AI field researches how to make computers do consideration, studying, and self-development as human do. In general, AI is related with other computer science fields. Online games are also results of computer science, and they have AI functions. Gamers can play games with their friends, but they can also play with the computer. The computer plays the game like a human being, actually much like a skilled human player.
Last month, the Science War between KAIST and POSTECH was held and there was an AI game competition. AI is always held in the Science War. It is a competition of artificial intelligence for a specific game. Each team uses its AI that it already made for the game in advance. Actually, the game for AI changes every year, so the rule of “this year” is only applied to the 2014 game.
The game used for this year is “Slime Craft.” Whichever team owns more slime at 300th turn is the winner of the game. To increase the number of slimes, gamers try to obtain resources and build a house, while killing the enemy. There are two kinds of collision strategy to cause damage to the enemy. One of them is collision between slimes and slimes. When slimes of both teams collide, both of them disappear along with any resources they are transferring. The other strategy is collision between resources of slimes and enemy. When a slime with a resource collides with a resource, both resources disappear. KAIST and POSTECH teams also used those strategies in the Science War. If the number of slimes of each team is same at the 300th turn, the owner with more resources becomes the winner. The rule is somewhat complicated to understand, but the game progress is visible on the screen with different colors of each team’s slimes. Since slimes are produced in the house made of obtained resources, counting slimes, houses, and amount of resources can help the audience understand the current progress. The occupied area of slimes has different color coded, so it is very easy to count. The game is a three-game match and uses three forms of artificial intelligence.
AI players of the Science War are recruited through Facebook, PosB, and POVIS bulletin board. To be an AI player, candidates have to compete against each other, using AI files they made themselves. Finally, three teams among the candidates are selected as the Science War players. Quite frankly, there are a few students who are interested in AI because it does not have stimulating factors like in Legend of League (LOL). Also, it is difficult to explain the complicated game rules to all members of the audience. The AI running time is very short, 30 minutes, which also makes explaining the rules difficult. So, it is hard to understand the game if the audience misses the turning point of the critical moment.
Every year, some Postechians participate in AI as a representative of POSTECH in the Science War, and it is an interesting subject related to IT. So, it is valuable for many Postechians to pay more attention to it.