CSCE 496/896

Game Day 2: Allocation Day

October 31 2002

Addendums

1. If you fail to solve a problem, you will be penalized. For example, if the House-Moving task requires you to get 2 movers and 3 drivers, and at the end of the round, you only obtain 2 movers and 2 drivers, then you have failed to solve the problem. The penalty is this: you will be charged with the cost of the 1 driver with 3*maximum_cost. The maximum cost is the maximum_cost of the item listed among all groups in the class. And that cost will factor into your calculation of Best Alloc and total cost for the round.

2. A transaction of YOUR services/functions/tasks can only take place at your desk. You are not allowed to carry your paper tokens around. You can walk around to get other people's tokens; but you can't bring your paper tokens to other people's desks. I think this simulates a real agent environment more closely.

3. Once you have the items, you cannot just throw them away or return them. But if somebody else wants them, you can give the items to them. That forces you to think properly. That forces you to cooperate and not be greedy -- and that's the key to design a cooperative multiagent system. Otherwise, some agents will benefit greatly while others suffer.

4. You can actively offer your items. But beware of this: you cannot bring your paper tokens with you to go to other groups' desks. That means (1) you can go to their desks to inform them of your services, and (2) those groups have to come to your desk to ask for your items. If they do not want them, you cannot get rid of the items.

5. Another thing, when somebody comes to your desk to ask for your services, you should make use of the paper tokens you have to “show” him/her the costs. That way, other people waiting in line to talk to you will not overhear your conversation. Otherwise, somebody can benefit and win the game much more quickly by eavesdropping.