[agents] Multi-Agent Programming Contest (MAPC 2011) -- CfP

[Jomi Fred Hubner]

=== CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS ===============

   Multi-Agent Programming Contest (MAPC 2011)
   http://www.multiagentcontest.org/2011

========================================



1. AIMS AND SCOPE

This competition is an attempt to stimulate research in the area
of multi-agent system development and programming by
1. identifying key problems,
2. collecting suitable benchmarks, and
3. gathering test cases which require and enforce coordinated action
that can serve as milestones for testing multi-agent programming
languages, platforms and tools.



2. HISTORY

The Multi-Agent Programming Contest was initiated in 2005 and since
then it has passed through three distinct phases. The first phase began in
2005 with the "food-gatherers"-scenario, where a pre-specified multi-agent
system had to be implemented. These MASs were later examined in order
to determine the winner. From 2006 - 2007 we ran the "goldminers"-scenario.
This time we provided the environment by means of an online-architecture,
and automatically determined the winner. Then from 2008 - 2010 we ran
the "cows and cowboys"-scenario. Again on the same online-architecture,
but this time with a slightly changed objective.



3. THE FOURTH PHASE: "AGENTS ON MARS"

We begin the fourth phase with the definition of a new scenario:
"Agents on Mars".
The goal is to implement a team of cooperating agents with different roles
in order to occupy zones on planet Mars. The challenge of the scenario is
its increased complexity, that is that we have defined 5 roles of agents with
different properties and capabilities.



4. DEVELOPING YOUR AGENTS

The package is available at:
 http://multiagentcontest.org/downloads?func=fileinfo&id=501

It contains:
 * the MASSim-Server including the new Agents-on-Mars-scenario,
 * a monitor for inspecting and visualizing the environment,
 * an Java-based environment-interface that facilitates connecting to the server,
 * a set of simple dummy-agents for testing purposes, and
 * detailed documentation on all components of the package.

We would like to invite potential participants to join the MAPC 2011 list.
To subscribe, send an e-mail to
         agentcontest2011-subscribe [at] in.tu-clausthal.de
with the subject "subscribe". The confirmation request and welcome message
will be sent to you shortly afterwards. Please follow the instructions in the automatic
mailing list replies.



5. ROUGH TIMELINE

Until June 2011: preparing the final software package, that is fixing bugs,
adding useful functionality, and fine-tuning the scenario.

June 2011: release of the final software package.

August 2011: registration phase.

Until September 2011: testing phase.

September 2011: tournament.



6. PEOPLE

Organizers:
 Tristan Behrens (Clausthal University of Technology)
 Jürgen Dix (Clausthal University of Technology)
 Jomi Hübner (Federal University of Santa Catarina)
 Michael Köster (Clausthal University of Technology)
 Federico Schlesinger (Clausthal University of Technology)

Steering Committee:
 Mehdi Dastani (Utrecht University)
 Jürgen Dix (Clausthal University of Technology)
 Peter Novak (Czech Technical University)