Show HN: Handkommando – Real-time multiplayer RPS game

Show HN: Handkommando – Real-time multiplayer RPS game(handkommando.discodev.se)

19 points by handkommando 12 years ago | 19 comments

dblotsky 12 years ago |

There have definitely been classic RPS AI competitions, but I wonder how different the intelligent agents that play this real-time variation would be. I'd love to do an AI contest for this game!

DanBC 12 years ago | |

I had a very quick webs search, and found this page: (http://aitopics.org/topic/roshambo-rock-paper-scissors)

That has some links to other competitions, and seems like a nice very simple introduction the topic.

I would love to see the results of AI competitions from the HN community. Perhaps someone should set up a website with a variety of challenges?

You can do rock paper scissors in 27 characters (not lines!) of PERL.

http://codegolf.stackexchange.com/questions/11188/rock-paper...

bayesianhorse 12 years ago | |

RPS AI is pretty stupid because there is no strategy that can beat a balanced strategy consistently.

Without the human element, there is no strategy or skill involved.

dblotsky 12 years ago | | |

True. It's the more basic of the games out there. However, I'd still say that there are lots of interesting things to learn and practice implementing for RPS. For example, it's about the simplest adversarial environment you can fathom. Also, the human aspect of the game is definitely still there, and it still seeps through the AI written by the humans, of which your own AI can take advantage. :)

mvikramaditya 12 years ago |

I'm not sure whether its timing based or whether you just need to mash buttons like hell? If it is turn based it makes sense, but not much I can do with 300 ms latency as I watch the bar flying by getting redder and redder.

edit: Seems like its just button mashing. Seems hard to keep up the mashing with high latency, as the other person just plain reacts almost half a seconds before you.

epaga 12 years ago | |

No, you simply hold down the key you want. No mashing. I have been easily beating guys who seem to be hitting the keys as quickly as possible.

mvikramaditya 12 years ago | | |

Thanks, its not very clear. And the mashing just gets harder as you see the red increase. You just helped some people avoid RSI :)

bayesianhorse 12 years ago |

Probably the simplest possible multiplayer game that is actually fun... once you get the point of the game...

epaga 12 years ago |

Just got whooped 11-2 against someone who knew what he was doing. Easily the most fun I've had losing 11-2 in anything ever.

koala_advert 12 years ago |

How do you increase your rating? I've got an 18/3 win/loss ratio, but I'm still at the default 1500.

Kiro 12 years ago |

Do you mind telling us a bit about the stack? How do you prevent cheating by just forging server requests?

handkommando 12 years ago | |

Client: JQuery/mobile, Backbone (models) Server: Scala, Play, Akka, PostgreSQL

Server keeps true state of the game, both players send inputs from which the server calculates the score (new state) which then is pushed back out to the players.

evolve2k 12 years ago |

Gave it a go on my iPhone held vertically, got a game started but got confused, what do you have to do?

epaga 12 years ago | |

The "help" button explains it pretty well, I thought - in a sense it's "perpetual" Rock Paper Scissors. Q beats W, W beats E, E beats Q. As you hold down one of those keys, if the other guy is holding down a key that beats you, you start losing (and vice versa).

I really like this concept, quite the fun idea.

SilkRoadie 12 years ago | |

I am not certain but I think you mash 3 buttons. The player who presses these buttons the fastest win's

handkommando 12 years ago | | |

Certainly a viable strategy, although as other commentators have pointed out - it's easily countered by simply holding down only one button and thus forcing opponent to stop mashing and find the correct counter move.

qznc 12 years ago | | |

Paper-Scissors-Stone => Q-W-E

There is a help button top-right.

Bjoern 12 years ago |

Screenshots?

tbarbugli 12 years ago |

how is that supposed to be of any interest or fun to play ?