Copy-Pasted bots in the contest

eulerscheZahl · April 24, 2017, 6:29am

I see a lot of python bots in legend during the Coders of the Caribbean contest.
And in fact some of these bots behave very similar, implying that they might use the same code. I actually found a python code on the internet, that claims to be a legend bot.

When you compare those four replays, you will probably understand what I mean: all ships go through two mines to reach a barrel and do the exact same actions.

I also believe, that it happend in the previous contest, as there were 58 draws in 65 battles among these two players.

Are there any plans to compare codes to verify whether the bots are actually different bots? To me it feels wrong to honor copy-pasting with a prize.

inoryy · April 24, 2017, 6:38am

The bigger issue is that the code shared is a top50 level bot and there’s at least 1 person using it to secure a top50 position right now. The repo is quite easy to find and abuse (including porting to another language to mask the abuse).

Also this review and DQ should be done prior to end of contest full resubmit since due to rock-paper-scissors nature of the bots, some people might end up way lower than they actually deserve.

anon42859574 · April 24, 2017, 7:15am

this contest is a bust, There is no idea how many people just turned it into their own languages. So there is only one thing the warning has to be something more public or you have to stop contests altogethor.

Kodle · April 24, 2017, 7:43am

So Didier copied my bot for the previous contest as well >.<
Didn’t even bother changing the hitchhiker quotes zzz

I humbly appologize for ruining these two recent contests
Was never my intention to ‘code-share’ during contest time…didn’t really think through using a public repo…

TwoSteps · April 24, 2017, 7:55am

We’ll investigate and find the cheaters. They will be disqualified for sure AFTER the contest. Don’t worry if you still see these bots during final ranking, they won’t win anything.

inoryy · April 24, 2017, 9:48am

You’ve ignored the bigger issue.

If a bot was specifically bad against Kodle it was suddenly pulled down by ~ 10 copies of him.
And vise versa if a bot was good against Kodle, it was boosted by the 10 copies.

Considering many of those copies ended in the 50-70 ranks, simply removing them from LB will do nothing to fix the issues above.

mmmd · April 24, 2017, 10:27am

Since I might be one of the affected people right now at #52. It is ultimatly codingames decision, but my position is:

The copy cats should be disqualified and probably banned, especcially since some did it in 2 contests.
But if it is exactly my shirt that depends on kodles disqualification(I am 50 with him out and 51 with him in), I would want him to have it, since his bot was better than mine.

MrAnderson · April 24, 2017, 1:21pm

I can’t find your bot behind my (terribly over-restrictive) work firewall, but I am assuming you are using GitHub, which doesn’t have free private repos. BitBucket does… that’s where I keep my competitive stuff.

MathJason · April 24, 2017, 3:45pm

There was also a bot which copied my code in Codebusters. I didn’t keep my code in a public repository, so I am sure it was stolen through CodinGame’s servers. The thief however never ended up in the final rankings, so I guess CodinGame addressed the situation. At the time, I didn’t know I could save links to replays, so I don’t have video evidence. However, the incident is well documented on the forums:
…
…
WARNING: Humor

Mixolyde · April 25, 2017, 4:50pm

Yes. General tip for all Github users out there: DO NOT PUSH YOUR CODE TO GITHUB until after the end of the contest. You can git commit locally all you want and your local repository should stay safe. But if you push your code to a free repository on Github it WILL be publicly accessible and eventually indexed by Google.

Maybe CG could put this notice in the contest description or a blog post or something.

Magus · April 25, 2017, 5:33pm

Many people (including myself) code at many places. So you have to store it somewhere. Personaly i use dropbox. It’s private and i don’t really need a versioning system for my contest codes.

inoryy · April 25, 2017, 5:39pm

bitbucket, gitlab have free private repos

Marchete · April 25, 2017, 5:39pm

I’d say more, the best way to share a bot is by removing some small parts of it, simple enough to be fixed by people that study & understand the code. This way the learning part is fullfilled but there is no easy C&P to get easy rankings.

Sometimes the only way to advance and get better is by learning from others’ code, where you see interesting things and learn from it.

Mixolyde · April 25, 2017, 6:31pm

I typically do a git repo in my Dropbox. Just in case I need to recover something. Eventually it might make its way to my github repo.

CvxFous · April 25, 2017, 6:45pm

* comes out of my tomb *

Bitbucket for private, github for public.

* go back to my tomb *

TabascoEye · May 15, 2017, 8:02pm

Can we tell these guys to stop sharing their code in public repos?
I found 8 already:

https://github.com/GeoffroyHaubert/codingame-solutions/blob/master/CodinGameSolutions/Code4Life/Program.cs

github.com

Di0niz/Code4Life/blob/master/app.py

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
import sys
import random
import math
import itertools

DEBUG = False



class Molecule(object):
    def __init__(self, a=0, b=0, c=0, d=0, e=0):
        self.a, self.b, self.c, self.d, self.e = a, b, c, d, e
    
    def add(self, other):
        return Molecule(self.a + other.a, self.b + other.b, self.c + other.c, self.d + other.d, self.e + other.e)
    
    def sub(self, other):
        return Molecule(self.a - other.a, self.b - other.b, self.c - other.c, self.d - other.d, self.e - other.e)

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https://github.com/TinoM/codingame/blob/master/code4life.py

github.com

Namerian/CodinGame/blob/master/Code4Life/source/Code4Life.cpp

/*
 * Code4Life.cpp
 *
 *  Created on: May 12, 2017
 *      Author: patrick
 */

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <vector>
#include <algorithm>

const std::string MOLECULE_TYPES[5] { "A", "B", "C", "D", "E" };

namespace model
{

class Robot
{
private:

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https://github.com/freddyb2/code4life/blob/master/src/Player.java

github.com

xaved88/CGCode4Life/blob/master/output/compiled.php

<?php
        

function elog($var)
{
    error_log(var_export($var, true));
}

abstract class AbstractGame
{
    const MAX_LOOPS = 0;

    /**
     * @var int
     */
    protected $gameLoopCount = 0;

    /**
     * @var GameOutput
     */

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github.com

ebbestubbe/Roche/blob/master/cg_roche.py

import sys
import math
import numpy as np

# Bring data on patient samples from the diagnosis machine to the laboratory with enough molecules to produce medicine!
def main():
    mti = {"A":0,"B":1,"C":2,"D":3,"E":4}
    itm = {v:k for k,v in mti.items()}
    eprint(itm)
    project_count = int(input())
    for i in range(project_count):
        a, b, c, d, e = [int(j) for j in input().split()]
    
    robots = []
    # game loop
    turn = -1
    while True:
        turn+=1
        robots = []
        for i in range(2):

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Nazdhun · May 15, 2017, 8:42pm

I am sorry, I have been pushing my code for backup and convinience reasons to GitHub. While I am sure that nobody wants to copy my crude code attempts, I’ve deleted the repo nonetheless.

MrAnderson · May 15, 2017, 9:55pm

FYI you can set up a private repo for free on BitBucket.

MathJason · June 30, 2017, 4:44pm

I have proof this time. WonderBoss you are disqualified…

_CG_SaiksyApo · June 30, 2017, 4:47pm

DefaultAI used your code too, so I kicked it ! Be careful next time.