roach client docs

Writing a Hive AI with roach-client

How you write your AI is up to you, but in order for roach-client to play games with it, you must implement a basic text-based interface. roach-client will run your AI as a script/executable indicated by a path argument, and your AI must accept input via stdin and provide output via stdout. To make moves on your AI's behalf, the roach-client uses a simple protocol:

• Whenever it's your AI's turn to move, roach-client will send a GameString (followed by a newline) to your program's stdin
• roach-client will then wait for a MoveString (followed by a newline) on your program's stdout

Since each GameString represents the state of an entire game, this protocol can (and should!) be considered stateless. In other words, for any input, your AI should evaluate that GameString and simply provide the best next turn for whatever player is indicated. Of course, you can maintain state within your AI to help with performance, but be aware that at any time the next GameString may represent a completely different game.

For example:

Base;InProgress;Black[1]
bG1
Base;InProgress;Black[2];bG1;wS1 /bG1
bG2 bG1-
Base;InProgress;Black[3];bG1;wS1 /bG1;bG2 bG1-;wG1 -wS1
bQ \bG2
Base;InProgress;White[1];bS1
wG1 -bS1

Here, the first three GameStrings represent a single game in progress, where the AI is playing for black. However, the fourth GameString is for a new game where the AI is white.