Programming Competition

Our team is (as in, I am) thinking about hosting a programming competition on our site. This is what I do know about the format:

- After the 6 week build
- Language: C/C++
- Individual competition, not team based
- Enterance fee (all proceeds going to my team): Something $5 or below... (we need the money)

But, this is what I don't know:
- What type of problems?
- Robot-related or general algorithms?
- Everything (almost)!

Anybody have any ideas?

The site is: http://nrg.chaosnet.org/coder
[I know there is a thread about this already, but it's from last year, and not related to this competition]

[mtrawls]

Originally Posted by SilverStar

But, this is what I don't know:
- What type of problems?
- Robot-related or general algorithms?
- Everything (almost)!

Anybody have any ideas?

Hrm... I don't know how good participation would be. It sounds interesting to me (though I'm not indicative of others). I do have a few suggestions: traveling salesman problem, showing NP=P. An award of, oh say a million dollars seems reasonable!

On a more productive note, though ... I'd suggest something robotic related, but not necessarily related to this year's challenge. A maze algorithm, some other sort of autonomous program, various sensor inputs, etc. Maybe your robot starts randomly inside a field with a X (reflective tape) in it, and you have to find it somehow. Anything really. Now, the real challenge is to program a simulation system that takes submitted code (say in the form of a Robot_XX class that has some method Do_Whatever()) that interacts with the system, thereby making a consistent testing base for all involved. Wow, that sounds fun ... yeah, I really like that sort of thing, that's how bad I am. (I'd be more than willing to help out the design of such a system if you'd like ... after shipping the robot, of course )

[Ryan M.]

I don't know how complicated you want it, but you could do something like, your robot has to be able to find its way to the center of the field from any location. The robot would start in a known position, and then be driven around randomly. A button could then be pressed and the robot would have to locate the center of the field. You could include obstacles in known locations, but to make it complicated, the only sensors that could be used are encoders.

Just an idea.

[TimeOut]

There is a site out there called TopCoder that offers programming contests at least once a week using C++, Java, VB.net or C#. I imagine if some interprising young programmer were to approach the TopCoder company and explain what FIRST is all about they may host your programming contest for you!

On a side note, if you want some practice with your coding and algorithm skills take a look at www.topcoder.com and jump in with both feet.

Sean

Yeah, I know about TopCoder. Maybe I will approach them...

Ok, I think I have decided on some things:

The 1st NRG RoboCoder Competition

Last Updated 2-16-2004 8:51 PST

DISCLAIMER: The following content may change at any time - see the latest version at http://nrg.chaosnet.org/coder

WHO: Any FIRST team may participate. This is a team competition, not an individual one.
WHAT: Teams participate by creating programs in C or C++ that solve certain programming problems.
WHERE: On the internet, at http://nrg.chaosnet.org/coder
WHEN: Undecided, sometime after the build season and before the kickoff
HOW: Submit solutions on the web. These programs will be graded and results returned to the team.

RULES
1. Only FIRST teams may enter.
2. Each team can enter only once.
3. All participating teams may give a donation if they wish to. All donations will go towards the Newport Robotics Group, team #948, a non-profit organization.
4. Decisions made by the judge(s) (me and/or others) are final and may not be protested.
5. Team #948 may not enter.
6. Teams may receive assistance from any students/mentors/teachers on their own team. They may also consult books and/or websites, but no other human beings except those on their team.
7. You may use code that you have written in the past. However, you may not use any code you wrote in the past if you collaborated with anybody who is not on the team during the competition.
8. Code may not be used from the Code Repository, http://nrg.chaosnet.org/repository.
9. All questions should be e-mailed to nrg@sdf.lonestar.org - We will try to respond as soon as possible.
10. Any rule may be modified at any time for any reason by any of the judges.

Rules about program code
11. Do not use assembly (inline or otherwise).
12. Do not attempt to use any shell commands.
13. Do not open any files other than those specified in the problem.
14. Programs that run for longer than the time limit (specified in the problem) will be scored 0 points.
15. All programs will be tested agains multiple test cases. Each test case is worth a possibly different points.
16. A program earns points for a test case only if the answer completely matches the judge's answer.
17. All programs will be judged on a "Judging System." This system has not yet been decided on, but will probably be Visual Studio 6.0.
If a team breaks any of the rules, that team will be disqualified and any donations will not be refunded - DON'T CHEAT!

PRIZES
After all entries have been judged, a ranking will be posted at http://nrg.chaosnet.org/coder. Teams ranked 1st and 2nd will also be placed on the NRG website. 1st and 2nd place will also receive a electronic certificate to place on their own website. All prizes will be sent only to a team's Main Contact who must be 18 or older.

[pras870]

Wow, I'm sorry but I have to say something. Now I'm probably going to get flamed and ridiculed for saying this, but I must.

This has got to be one of the biggest jokes I have seen on these forums in quite some time. You want to sponsor a programming competition, yet you must pay an entry fee to be eligable? You keep 50% of the profit from all the entrys to go to your team right? And let me guess, you use those profits to fund your team to go to Nationals if you make it right? How about make it where there is no entry fee and teams do it for FUN. That is what FIRST is about, not trying to squeeze money out of teams to fund yourselves.

Go ahead and flame all you want, but personally, I am insulted by this.

Originally Posted by pras870

Wow, I'm sorry but I have to say something. Now I'm probably going to get flamed and ridiculed for saying this, but I must.

This has got to be one of the biggest jokes I have seen on these forums in quite some time. You want to sponsor a programming competition, yet you must pay an entry fee to be eligable? You keep 50% of the profit from all the entrys to go to your team right? And let me guess, you use those profits to fund your team to go to Nationals if you make it right? How about make it where there is no entry fee and teams do it for FUN. That is what FIRST is about, not trying to squeeze money out of teams to fund yourselves.

Go ahead and flame all you want, but personally, I am insulted by this.

I don't know but I was thinking of it being a fundraiser. But actually that's a good idea - I'll talk it over with my team's advisor.

Ok - how about this:

Teams can donate any money - if they want to.
All teams are eligible regardless of if they pay.
Prizes are still 35% and 15% of the money we receive in donations.

[pras870]

Personally, I wouldn't make money an object at all. How about having the teams that win have pride in what they did, instead of doing it for a reward?

Do you get any money for winning a regional or nationals? No, you get pride, which is all anyone truely needs. There is albsolutely no reason to have money involved in this besides personal gain. But, that's my opinion.

Ok - All monetary prizes have been removed.

[pras870]

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to come off sounding like a bad guy here, even though most of the time I do. I think this is a great idea, and have seen it done before on various other sites with great work submitted. I just feel in the spirit of FIRST there is no need to have money involved in anyway.

This can be another way that teams get money (as in, to participate in FIRST) - that's all I'm saying.

[pras870]

I realize that, but do you see where I'm coming from? I'm no against fund raising, I'm against fund raising where teams, for whatever reason, keep a portion of the proceeds.