RTS AI: where to start?

artificial-intelligence, real-time-strategy

Solution

There's actually a starcraft AI competition going on right now. The BWAPI ai api is very nice and should get you going very quickly. There are already many impressive entrants.

http://eis.ucsc.edu/StarCraftAICompetition

Edit :(, just realized how old this question is.

Problem

I'd like to begin tinkering around with an RTS AI, but I'm having trouble finding a good environment to work with, ie a game that has been already created. I have looked at Spring RTS and Bos Wars, but they don't seem to be conducive to creating simple examples. I am not totally opposed to writing my own game environment, it would just take a long time. Does anyone have a suggestion as to how I can get my feet wet without programming my own game?

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