Match summaries:
Match 1: Tailslide vs. LiquidIntell
The bots start on equally opposite sides of the arena in the first tournament action of this GameDev: Arena contest. After thirty seconds of hunting, Tailslide and LiquidIntell find each other in the middle. LiquidIntell fires the first shot with his gun, but misses as Tailslide goes behind a rock. Tailslide then fires a grenade whose blast radius barely misses LiquidIntell, who has taken evasive action and headed into the top-right corner of the arena. Tailslide follows in pursuit but maintains a healthy distance from LiquidIntell by lobbing grenades over the trees and rocks separating the two bots. One lobbed grenade hits LiquidIntell while in the corner, resulting in an evasive move that actually gets the bot stuck between two rocks as though it was unsure what to do next. Tailslide takes advantage of this and positions itself to allow for a lethal dose of gun fire and grenade lobbings. LiquidIntell notices the repositioning and starts firing its gun. Tailslide takes plenty of damage, but the combination attack of bullets and grenades proves to be too much for LiquidIntell as Tailslide takes the victory with 2:11 remaining in the match. Final health score: Tailslide 42, LiquidIntell 0. Tailslide advances, LiquidIntell goes to the Loser's Bracket.
Match 2: Mushu vs. Hexagon
The second match of the round is quick and painful. Within five seconds, both bots find each other and begin exchanging gun fire. Mushu moves behind a rock during this exchange and lobs a grenade. In retaliation, Hexagon launches its own grenade. A ten second bombardier ensues between the two bots in an all out struggle for survival as gun fire and grenades fill the air in a close combat fight to the end. If a lesson is to be learned from this match, it is that grenades and close combat do not mix. Despite heavy casualties on both sides, this match turns into a free-for-all in the closing seconds, until finally a grenade launched by Hexagon lands and explodes directly in the middle of both bots. Upon detonation of this grenade, only one bot remains standing: Mushu. Hexagon has committed suicide with 2:45 remaining in the match. Final health score: Mushu 7, Hexagon 0. Mushu advances, Hexagon goes to the Loser's Bracket.
Match 3: Nosfera vs. Dustbot
The longest match of the round, yet the most interesting. After thirty seconds of hunting, Dustbot finds Nosfera in a state of oblivion and pounds him with a healthy dose of gun fire. Dustbot then loses track of Nosfera who has run behind a tree. A few seconds later, and the bots are looking at each other and emptying their stash of grenades. The only problem that neither bot appears to realize is that a tree is directly in the middle of their positions and in their line of fire. After approximately ten seconds of grenade lobbing madness from both bots, with neither side taking damage, Dustbot backs away and out of the line of sight of Nosfera, who then proceeds to roam around the arena. Approximately 20 seconds later, Dustbot again finds Nosfera and unleashes a firestorm of gun fire. Nosfera returns fire, but his death is imminent. Nosfera tries to run away, but Dustbot keeps tracking him down. After an entertaining game of cat and mouse, which included the first capture in the tournament of the GDNet Ammo Box by Nosfera with only 2 health remaining, Dustbot finally placed one finely aimed bullet to Nosfera's head and ended the misery with 1:01 remaining in the match. Final health score: Dustbot 75, Nosfera 0. Dustbot advances, Nosfera goes to the Loser's Bracket.
Kevin "Khawk" Hawkins CEO and News Director, GameDev.net
Software Engineer, Raydon Corporation
Author, OpenGL Game Programming Contributing author, Game Development: Tricks of the Trade , "Using the UML in Game Development" Developer Diary
