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951

Tournaments and Events / Re: Any GenCon or WBC news?

« on: August 09, 2011, 05:04:42 am »

An illustration how hugely different 2p, 3p and 4p games actually are:

Take the computer generated _Single Witch and _Single Moat strategies in the simulator and modify their buy rules a little by letting them buy 2 of the central card instead of 1 (so the Moat player actually opens Moat/Moat with $3/$4):

2 players (Witch against Moat)
The defender (15%) is a very big dog to the attacker (82%)

3 players (2 Witch players against 1 Moat player
The defender (21%) is a small dog to the 2 attackers (36%)

4 players (3 Witch players against 1 Moat player
The defender (37%) suddenly takes over and smashes his 3 attackers (19%)

952

Simulation / Re: Simulating Challenge - Harem

« on: August 09, 2011, 04:19:44 am »

53-42 against Davio's and 64-32 against BM:

Code: [Select]

<player name="BM Harem (Geronimoo)">
   <buy name="Province">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Gold"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Duchy">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="3.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Harem">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Gold"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Duchy">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="6.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Estate">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Gold"/>
   <buy name="Silver"/>
</player>

So you need Harems even sooner! After 1 Gold actually.

953

Simulation / Re: Simulator update request

« on: August 08, 2011, 09:54:29 am »

@DG: thx for noticing this. Resetting of the starting conditions after modifying a bot was actually a bug. Should be fixed in next release.

@Davio: the number choice used to be a textbox to fill in manually, but a combobox allows for very fast modifications just using your mouse AND it's more aesthetic

@Davio: you can already count "action cards" in your deck for Vineyard. Just use "count type in deck" and choose type "action"

@Dstu: I could also add an extra buy condition "count in (all) opponent's decks" similar to the "count in deck". About your "It is already clear that the game will end after this turn"-Condition: since the bot will not buy any cards that will result in a loss, it won't matter much if he goes nuts buying VP's if the game will end this turn because he will have already won... But maybe you had something different in mind. Please elaborate than (example???)

954

Simulation / Re: Simulator update request

« on: August 08, 2011, 09:53:52 am »

All "action" conditions (play rules) are hard coded and you can not change them. For two reasons: either picking the right action is trivial, or it's impossible to pick the right action for any given situation. So a choice has been made to hard code the play rules of the card in the simplest way which will cover most common situations. This has been discussed at length already and until some AI-wizard comes along it's going to remain this way.

This hand for example:
"Chapel, Silver, Copper Copper, Bishop"

The simulator sorts the actions in hand according to their "playingPriorityNumber". Bishop's is higher so that will be played (instead of Chapel). Then the Bishop-card implementation takes over and trashes the card in hand with the highest "trashPriorityNumber" which will be Copper.

955

Simulation / Re: Simulator update request

« on: August 08, 2011, 08:38:10 am »

For features: Is is possible to save and load the vxmls to/from disk?

This is already available: menu option "file"

956

Simulation / Simulator update request

« on: August 08, 2011, 07:51:44 am »

I'm working on a new release of my simulator. It will include this:

• Walled Village
• more than 20 number options (up to 100 and 0.5 included)
• extra buy conditions (count all cards in deck, count buys left)
• Colony game check box

If you are desperate for a feature, let me know now and I might still include it. Also I would like everyone to send me their own created bots so I might add them in the main program provided they are:

• significant improvement of an existing bot
• a competitive new bot
• a wacky strategy

Please add a small description of what your bot is trying to do (so I don't need to dissect the buy rules)

957

Game Reports / Re: Opening Response

« on: August 05, 2011, 05:00:44 pm »

I tried the X University, X-2 Council Room, Ghost Ship, Bishop, Mountebank deck that DG mentioned here:

http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201108/05/game-20110805-142325-bd460232.html

My opponent was a beginner, but the deck might be viable (and especially if your opponent opens Bishop/Silver). I think you should probably open Potion/nothing instead of Potion/Silver though to keep the deck size to a minimum (it doesn't need any money anyway).

958

Simulation / Re: Dominion Simulator available for download!

« on: August 05, 2011, 04:38:02 am »

As DStu said (and this has been mentioned several times) the simulator bot will not buy ANY card that causes it to lose the game.

959

Puzzles and Challenges / Re: Hunt for it, it's mine!

« on: August 01, 2011, 07:31:40 am »

It's quite easy to simulate (just modify the "_Single Mine" strategy buy adding a buy rule for Hunting Party between Silver and Mine). My current implementation of Mine will always trash the best treasure (especially important in Colony games to ensure we will get Platinums!). For this question I changed up Mine's play rules to see what is better:

Mine/Hunting Party 43- BM Envoy 48 -> Mine Coppers first
Mine/Hunting Party 42- BM Envoy 50 -> Mine Silvers first

So it appears Mining Coppers before Silvers is slightly better.

960

Game Reports / Re: Missing the critical moment or starting player "disadvantage"

« on: August 01, 2011, 06:12:44 am »

The title of the post seems to suggest that this board would favor the second player and that is so not the case!!

It is true that there is a small advantage going second when there are no +buys on the board and both players are strictly going for the Provinces (just simulate BM - Basic Money against itself and keep the player order fixed). But as soon as the first player decides to buy Duchies as well he keeps his advantage (which is significant when Minions are involved because on average he will have 6 to the second player's 4).

961

Puzzles and Challenges / Re: A drunken affair

« on: July 30, 2011, 04:57:07 am »

there are more than 10 Silvers and Golds in the supply at the start of the game (unlike the kingdom cards)

962

Dominion Articles / Re: Request: Golem

« on: July 30, 2011, 04:52:46 am »

Actually, this combo is already available in the simulator (COL - COMBO - Counting House/Golem). I didn't provide the Province-game version, because it was way too slow which is partly because the simulator plays the Golem anytime it can (it has the highest play priority).

Here's a Province version (only 25% against BMU )

Code: [Select]

<player name="Counting House/Golem">
   <buy name="Province">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Counting_House"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Duchy">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="4.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Estate">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Counting_House">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Golem"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Counting_House"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Golem"/>
   <buy name="Potion">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Potion"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="1.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Copper">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Silver"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Copper"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="8.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Silver">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Counting_House"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
</player>


963

Puzzles and Challenges / A drunken affair

« on: July 30, 2011, 04:30:50 am »

Puzzling is all the rage these days, so here’s one more. It’s fiendishly difficult, but should be a doozy if you’re smart, eager and young, which is likely because you’re reading this forum!

Here’s the situation: Ken0 (good friend of mine and a level 10-ish) and I have started a 2-player game on isotropic using the default card selection. The game is very friendly and we engage in some inane chatter.

Ken0: I just beat theory two games in a row
Geronimoo: wow, good job!
Geronimoo: he must have been pissed
Ken0: yeah, I’m too now
Ken0: cebelerating with my good fiernd Jack Daniesl
Geronimoo:
Ken0: stupid kebyaord

Amazingly Ken won against the bane of 5000 players, but I doubt he’ll be able to beat me in his current state. I manage to accumulate 5 Provinces and feeling pretty good about myself. Ken’s only green in sight is the little goblin dancing in front of his eyes, but he’s still able to win this game.

Here ‘s what’s left of the board at the start of my turn:

10 kingdoms:
1 City, 9 Bridge, 8 Gardens, 10 Ironworks, 9 Woodcutter, 9 Fishing Village, 8 Wharves, 9 Laboratory, 7 Pawns, 10 King’s Court

The other cards:
3 Provinces, 8 Duchies, 8 Estates, 10 Curses, 6 Golds are gone, 10 Silvers are gone, some Coppers are gone (Ken0 bought a few due to misclicks)

I buy the last City with my $5. The puzzle starts at Ken0’s turn. You wouldn’t believe it , but Ken0 (curse him!) will still win. However, he needs your help!

Make Ken win before he passes out, so be quick! Really, really quick! No, actually much quicker than that! Use as few turns as possible!

Apart from the 5 Provinces I’m not going to tell you the rest of my deck’s contents, nor Ken’s. You can figure that out for yourselves.

You may assume perfect shuffle luck for Ken0 and awful luck for Geronimoo…

No spoilers, there are hints built into the puzzle

964

Variants and Fan Cards / Re: Warehouse/Chapel odds

« on: July 27, 2011, 02:18:01 pm »

I was trying to find a game where Warehouse/Chapel was the opening, and I found this game. ...

I've never seen theory's strategy before, but it's extremely strong for basically a 3 card deck deck (2 Coppersmith, Tactician) getting 4 Provinces consistently in <12 turns:

Code: [Select]

<player name="Coppersmith/Tactician">
   <buy name="Province">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Tactician"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Coppersmith"/>
         <operator type="greaterOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Duchy">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="5.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Estate">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="1.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Tactician">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Tactician"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="1.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Coppersmith">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Coppersmith"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Warehouse"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Warehouse">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Warehouse"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Province"/>
         <extra_operation type="plus" attribute="1.0" />
      </condition>
   </buy>
</player>

It beats just about any other Province oriented strategy, but gets crushed by attacking strategies.

965

Game Reports / Re: How would you play this setup?

« on: July 26, 2011, 08:21:46 am »

Remake's implementation is quite bad, but this is how it's played:

-only play it if you have at least 2 of these: Copper, Curse, Estate
-if it's played, it goes through the hand and will give priority to Remake cards that give something in return (so probably Estates if you have Silver or any $3-cost in your buy rules)

the last part is quite buggy as I've just seen so you shouldn't really include Remake in your simulations.

966

Game Reports / Re: How would you play this setup?

« on: July 26, 2011, 07:31:05 am »

Simulating this is not easy, because of some suboptimal NV plays (drawing everything from the mat when $ reaches 8 and no Provinces need to be bought instead of waiting for 9 for Platinum).

You probably made a mistake in your buying rules, because the simulator will only empty the Native Village mat if this will result in a buy that's higher up in your buy rules. If you want, I can edit your bot (just copy/paste it from the VXML-button).

967

Puzzles and Challenges / Re: 4 provinces in 10 turns

« on: July 26, 2011, 05:21:38 am »

It's all very easy with perfect shuffle luck, but what about finding a strategy that can consistently get 10 in 4 turns?

I managed to create a simple bot that averages 4 Provinces in <12 turns. It opens Quarry/Chapel, buys 1 more Quarry (Talisman proved a little slower) and goes on to empty the Grand Markets before going for the Provinces. I'm quite sure a human player can average close to 10 turns using this as a base strategy with some more help (Pawns, King's Courts, Bridge...)

Code: [Select]

<player name="4 Provinces in 12 turns">
   <buy name="Quarry">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Quarry"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Chapel">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Chapel"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Grand_Market"/>
   <buy name="Province"/>
   <buy name="Market"/>
   <buy name="Peddler"/>
</player>


968

Game Reports / Re: Retrospective Board Analysis

« on: July 26, 2011, 04:15:09 am »

This board isn't very friendly to the Simulator since it's bad at playing Warehouse and horrible at playing Remake.

969

Variants and Fan Cards / Re: Smithy Variation

« on: July 26, 2011, 04:04:30 am »

I programmed this variation into my simulator and found 2 of these Smithies (+money) would beat Grand Envoy 63% - 35%. If you up the cost to $5 it's still beating Envoy 49-41, at $6 it loses 32-63.

It's funny how this variant still doesn't make Village/Smithy viable.

970

Dominion General Discussion / Re: Is grand smithy improved by treasury?

« on: July 24, 2011, 03:46:46 am »

Treasury/Smithy will indeed beat the simple Smithy but you need to buy Duchies a little later (if there are 4 Provinces left). Try it out for yourself with my simulator (use the VXML button):

Code: [Select]

<player name="Grand Smithy/Treasury">
   <buy name="Province">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Gold"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Duchy">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="4.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Estate">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Gold"/>
   <buy name="Treasury"/>
   <buy name="Smithy">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Smithy"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Silver"/>
</player>


971

Dominion General Discussion / Re: When do you go for luck?

« on: July 24, 2011, 03:26:24 am »

In the long run it's probably better to not depart from optimal strategy even if you got a little unlucky in the early turns.

972

Simulation / Re: Simulating Challenge #3: Quarry/Chapel

« on: July 22, 2011, 09:58:56 am »

The reason this one does so well is because it always goes for the super trimmed deck of 1 Platinum, X Markets, X Labs as fast as possible. It doesn't bother buying Silvers or Golds because they just get in the way. The Whishing Wells are basically free.

Strange. I thought I started with something like that and it didn't work out.

It didn't work for me either at first until I moved the Quarries to the top of buying priority.

973

Simulation / Re: Simulating Challenge #3: Quarry/Chapel

« on: July 22, 2011, 05:09:51 am »

This one does even better (goes for the mega turn where it buys 2 Colonies):

Code: [Select]

<player name="SimCha3.2-Geronimoo">
   <buy name="Colony">
      <condition>
         <left type="countAvailableMoney"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="20.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Colony">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Colony"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Province">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Colony"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="4.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Duchy">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Colony"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="4.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Estate">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Colony"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="1.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Platinum"/>
   <buy name="Quarry">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Quarry"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Market">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Platinum"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Laboratory"/>
   <buy name="Market"/>
   <buy name="Gold"/>
   <buy name="Chapel">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Chapel"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
      <condition>
         <left type="countAvailableMoney"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="5.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Wishing_Well">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Wishing_Well"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="1.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
</player>


974

Simulation / Re: Simulating Challenge #3: Quarry/Chapel

« on: July 22, 2011, 04:38:16 am »

For the second game, this bot crushes your bot and the improved Chapel/Lab bot (almost 9 to 1):

Code: [Select]

<player name="SimCha3.2-Geronimoo">
   <buy name="Colony">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Platinum"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Province">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Colony"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="4.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Duchy">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Colony"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Estate">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Colony"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Platinum">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Platinum"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Quarry">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Quarry"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Market">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Platinum"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Laboratory"/>
   <buy name="Market"/>
   <buy name="Platinum"/>
   <buy name="Gold"/>
   <buy name="Chapel">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Chapel"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
      <condition>
         <left type="countAvailableMoney"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="5.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Wishing_Well">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Wishing_Well"/>
         <operator type="greaterThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="1.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
</player>

The reason this one does so well is because it always goes for the super trimmed deck of 1 Platinum, X Markets, X Labs as fast as possible. It doesn't bother buying Silvers or Golds because they just get in the way. The Whishing Wells are basically free.

975

Simulation / Re: Simulating Challenge #3: Quarry/Chapel

« on: July 20, 2011, 04:41:44 am »

For the first game, I made a bot that beats yours by a small margin (52-47):

Code: [Select]

<player name="SimCha3.1-Geronimoo 2">
   <buy name="Province">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Grand_Market"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Duchy">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="4.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Estate">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInSupply" attribute="Province"/>
         <operator type="smallerOrEqualThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Grand_Market">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Copper"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="4.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Quarry">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Quarry"/>
         <operator type="smallerThan" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="2.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
   <buy name="Chapel">
      <condition>
         <left type="countCardsInDeck" attribute="Chapel"/>
         <operator type="equalTo" />
         <right type="constant" attribute="0.0"/>
      </condition>
   </buy>
</player>

The reason this performs a little better is due to a glitch in the programming of the Chapel card. If you have this hand [Chapel, Copper, Copper, Copper, Quarry] the Chapel card will think you can buy a Grand Market and not trash anything. I added a little buy condition to make sure Chapel trashes all the Coppers in that case. I don't think there's much you can do to improve the second player's win rate because the strategy is so reliant on getting as many Grand Markets as possible.