There should be a "Match.inf" file that contains the following data:
The submitted code already deals with this without such a file.It searches the 'Bots' directory for bots (*botNameHere*.dat files) and whichever bots are present are automatically entered into the tournament. The bots .dat file already contains these elements:
Bot name
Bot specifications
Bot AI script files
Bot model
The arenas.dat file contains the information regarding which arenas will be competed in and in what order.
The random seed is unnecessary. Every program can just use the same seed, say seed 1, for example. The whole point of this project is to allow players to write AI and then see how it compares to other players AI. If you are going to throw in a bunch of randomness, then you are defeating the purpose of allowing the bots AI to determine the bots fate. The only use I see for randomness, is just in choosing each bots starting position.
there are rumors (unconfirmed) that same seeds give different results on some very rare occasions
It's not unconfirmed, it's true. Therefore, you can't rely upon random numbers unless you write your own random number algorithm. If the starting position can influence results then the AI isnt that great.
Absolutely not true. Imagine a 'good' bot that starts in close proximity (due to random placement) to three other bots. At the start of the tournament, the other three bots gang up on the 'good' bot, and terminate it immediately. There could be literally hundreds of scenarios of how the action plays out just depending on starting placement alone.That being said, I think that
have multiple matches with random layouts
this could be feasible except changing 'random layouts', to random (symmetrical) starting positions.To solve any disputes that arise over whos AI is the winner, the only real way that I can see this working is to just have the tournament take place on a predetermined computer, and have the results posted. Sure, we will attempt to write the game, so that others can play it out on their systems and (hopefully) watch the same events take place as on the 'official' one, but it's dang near impossible to guarantee (especially due to the randomness 'bug').
BTW, a lot of these things were already discussed in this or the previous threads. PLEASE go back and read them, so that we don't waste time reiterating topics we've already discussed. (sorry...)