FIBS Board backgammon forum

Backgammon => News & events => Topic started by: Tom on November 20, 2009, 08:24:38 PM

Title: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: Tom on November 20, 2009, 08:24:38 PM
I have been running the 10 GammonBots for a while now and wonder how long people have to wait for matches.

Do we need more playing bots?
Some Stronger Bots?
Some Weaker bots?

I am sure my server could handle a few more, but there is at least one other person with a machine and is interested in hosting.

Tom
Title: Re: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: adrian on November 20, 2009, 10:04:51 PM
My oppinion is that the bots should not wait for resuming the saved games. I had enough about  I am waiting for a player to resume. Invite me again in X seconds if I am not playing. The attempt to resume should come from the bot dropper. If he doesn't , he cannot play with that bot again.
Weaker bots are welcome imo. Make 4 of them available only for lower rated players, below 1500.
Title: Re: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: socksey on November 21, 2009, 02:11:29 PM
I'm with adrian on this one.   ;)  The bots always seem to be busy or waiting.   :unhappy:  I'd play them more often if they were not so highly rated and if I didn't have to wait for them.  Why not have some in the 1800 range, 1700 range, and 1600 range while you're at it?   :mellow:

socksey



Every dark cloud has a silver lining, but lightning kills hundreds of people each year who try to find it. - Lithograph from Despair.com
Title: Re: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: Tom on November 21, 2009, 06:05:44 PM
I like it.

Maybe some about 1600 bots that allow players below 1800 to play

thanks
Title: Re: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: PersianLord on November 24, 2009, 07:34:25 AM
I would appreciate increasing the number of the bots & removing the 'waiting' feature of them.

But as of weak bots for weak players, I think this will develop bad habits for them and might well stall their improvement. If you're a weak player, the last thing you need is to play & win a weaker player than yourself and get satisfied with it.

Regards
Title: Re: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: dorbel on November 24, 2009, 08:12:56 AM
Some people may not realise that you can download bots to play at home. Gnu is a free download as is Monte Carlo. You can download jellyfish free as a play-only version. BgBlitz isn't free, but is very useful at $46. Is the attraction playing for rating points? As every bot is dropped several times a day they are perpetually under-rated, thus offering poor value in the struggle for points. More bots will just be more opportunities for droppers of course. Not that I am objecting to more or weaker bots, but playing humans is IMO always more fun!
Title: Re: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: ah_clem on November 24, 2009, 05:21:30 PM

My take is that if I want to play a bot I'll play gnubg.  No offense intended, it just that the bots on FIBS don't interest me.

BTW, you have your work cut out for you to build a lower rated bot.  My understanding is that it's pretty hard to model the common mistakes mediocre humans make; the low rated bot will probably just make obvious (to a human) blunders.  That said, I'd be interested in your approach and might play the dumbed down bots a few times out of curiousity.
Title: Re: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: adrian on November 24, 2009, 06:30:00 PM
Quote from: dorbel on November 24, 2009, 08:12:56 AM
Playing humans is IMO always more fun!
:devil:
Right ! Priceless when I win because of my skill and they say at the end of the match something like "I never saw such dice on fibs , ridiculous"
Title: Re: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: Tom on November 27, 2009, 03:30:26 AM
Quote from: adrian on November 20, 2009, 10:04:51 PM
My opinion is that the bots should not wait for resuming the saved games. I had enough about  I am waiting for a player to resume. Invite me again in X seconds if I am not playing. The attempt to resume should come from the bot dropper. If he doesn't , he cannot play with that bot again.
Weaker bots are welcome imo. Make 4 of them available only for lower rated players, below 1500.

I agree I will reduce that time to 10 seconds.

Title: Re: Playing Bots on FIBS
Post by: Tom on November 27, 2009, 03:34:00 AM
Quote from: dorbel on November 24, 2009, 08:12:56 AM
Some people may not realise that you can download bots to play at home. Gnu is a free download as is Monte Carlo. You can download jellyfish free as a play-only version. BgBlitz isn't free, but is very useful at $46. Is the attraction playing for rating points? As every bot is dropped several times a day they are perpetually under-rated, thus offering poor value in the struggle for points. More bots will just be more opportunities for droppers of course. Not that I am objecting to more or weaker bots, but playing humans is IMO always more fun!

Maybe I will add a plug for GNUBG in the welcome messages, mentioning you can play and not lose rating points...

I believe the bots are immune from dropped match penalties, FIBS knows they are bots.

tom