diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-02-03-battlesnake-developer-update---january-2021/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-02-03-battlesnake-developer-update---january-2021/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 4d9fc94..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-02-03-battlesnake-developer-update---january-2021/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,52 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Battlesnake Developer Update — January 2021 -authors: -- Chris -description: January was a very busy month for us behind the scenes with a focus on building support for the 2021 competitive season. A new developer… - ---- - -![](./img/-fXmLvBn_FPnj_wsqGnDz3A.png) -January was a very busy month for us behind the scenes with a focus on building support for the 2021 competitive season. A new developer, [Aurora](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/aurorawalker/), has joined the team to help us with our roadmap, so expect a lot of new features, content and improvements over the next few months! - -## Spring League 2021 - -On January 22nd, we launched our first pre-registration for the [Spring League 2021](https://play.battlesnake.com/spring-league) competition, which officially starts on February 18th. We would like to welcome [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/what-is-cloud-computing), [GitHub](https://github.com/) and [Repl.it](https://repl.it/) as our official partners for this season’s Spring League! -![](./img/-ua1GZQ1p4YQKBYI0efrFbQ.png) -The team iterated a lot over the course of the Summer League, Fall League and Battlesnake Winter Classic competitions in 2020 and are working to refine those experiences into Spring League. - -Join us on Twitch.tv for the [Spring League Welcome Show](http://twitch.tv/Battlesnakeofficial) on February 18th at 6 pm PDT (9 pm EDT) - -## Battlesnake Merch Store - -After a lot of work from our Community and Prize teams we have relaunched the [Battlesnake Swag Shop](https://store.battlesnake.com/) for everyone to enjoy. Right now it has some gear from 2020 but we are planning to get new items up over the next couple of months, especially some of the slick new items that are arriving as part of the Battlesnake 2021 Season! -![](./img/-80227aIvCTlAl4VOb9y8pA.jpeg)Notebooks, t-shirts, stickers and more! -## Constrictor Game Mode - -We got a lot of positive feedback about the game play introduced in the *Snack-a-Tron Challenge Arena* that was part of last years’s Fall League; so much so that we decided to formalize it into a proper ruleset and game mode called Constrictor. In constrictor mode there is no food and Battlesnakes will never starve. Instead they will continually grow from their starting position, creating a unique puzzle to solve as the AIs must outmaneuver the opponents to claim enough space to grow in. -![](./img/-KjHdUSTvBqanQ8w8Ln8kRg.gif) -The new ruleset is published to the [BattlesnakeOfficial/rules](https://github.com/battlesnakeofficial/rules) repository on GitHub and you can now create these games yourself via the new [Create Constrictor Game](https://play.battlesnake.com/account/games/constrictor/create/) page. - -## Arena Changes - -While the matching and ranking system for our arenas have consistently used Trueskill, we have refined our usage of the algorithm a few times over the course of the month, trying to find a good combination of accurate matching and relevant scoring. Along the way there are been some bumps in the road and those who have been watching the global arenas have noticed a few anomalies. - -Going forwarded we will be separating the concepts of matchmaking and ranking to give us more flexibility in creating a solid experience. In addition, expect the role of “global arenas” on the Battlesnake platform to morph in the coming months, as new features start coming online. - -## Community Starter Projects - -Our community members were quite prolific over December and January, with new community starter projects arriving for everyone to try out: - -[Julia Starter Snake](https://github.com/Nettogrof/starter-snake-julia) by [Nettogrof](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/nettogrof/) - -[PHP Starter Snake](https://github.com/Nettogrof/starter-snake-php) by [Nettogrof](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/nettogrof/) - -[TypeScript Starter Snake](https://github.com/kgorgi/starter-snake-node-ts) by [Kian Gorgichuk](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/kgorgi/) - -[C++ Starter Snake](https://github.com/DAChenScratch/Starter-Battlesnake-Cpp-with-replit) by [DAChenScratch](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/dachenscratch/) - -In addition, a bit thanks to [Nettogrof](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/nettogrof/) for taking some time to tidy up the Ruby and Java official starter projects, bringing them up to date with the others. - ---- - -That’s all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the [Battlesnake Discord](https://play.battlesnake.com/discord/) server. diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-02-12-new-season--new-leagues--and-a-growing-global-community-2/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-02-12-new-season--new-leagues--and-a-growing-global-community-2/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 4afdaec..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-02-12-new-season--new-leagues--and-a-growing-global-community-2/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,54 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: New Season, New Leagues, and a Growing Global Community -authors: -- Brad -description: An introduction to the Battlesnake 2021 Competitive Season - ---- - -### An introduction to the Battlesnake 2021 Competitive Season -![](./img/-SQzZ32TGrisQ1eSN51t3Rw.png) -Registration for [Battlesnake Spring League 2021 has begun](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/spring-league-2021/), and before the competition kicks off on February 18th we wanted to announce our plans for 2021 and some upcoming changes to Battlesnake. - -We’re pretty excited about what’s coming, and we hope you will be too :-) - -## 2021 Seasonal Leagues and Winter Classic -![](./img/-lAykdq-7TDdYo1HpXydTZA.png) -The Battlesnake 2021 Competitive Season will consist of three seasonal Leagues: Spring, Summer, and Fall. Each League will have its own leaderboard, prizes, and unique challenges — and of course, live broadcasts :) - -Each League will conclude with a live tournament and crowned champions. Tournaments are one of the most exciting parts of Battlesnake, and we’re excited to make them even better this year. - -Our Spring League begins February 18th and ends April 17th. Developers can [register now](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/spring-league-2021/) to reserve their spot on the leaderboard. Be sure to watch the welcome show, live on Twitch on Thursday, February 18th, for all the details. -![](./img/-5qtm9xJdCwPWxYlQATBTNQ.png)Spring League 2021 begins February 18th and ends April 17th -In addition to the seasonal Leagues, the Battlesnake Winter Classic will return later this year. We hope it will be the largest and most competitive Battlesnake event ever. It’s scheduled for mid-December, and more details will be announced this fall. Be prepared! -![](./img/-imbnd4VnDb36Zex0gA8d_Q.png) -## New Features and Platform Updates - -Our team is excited to experiment with some new ideas in 2021. Here are some of the new things we’ve been working on! - -### Featured Organizations - -We’d like to introduce better ways for Battlesnake developers to represent themselves and their communities. To this end, when registering for a League you’ll now have the option to represent an organization of your choice, such as a school, student group, company, or engineering team. - -You’ll also have the option to have your organization “featured” on the League leaderboard, with unique branding and representation. This is an *optional paid feature* intended for companies and organizations wishing to compete in an official capacity and show off their engineering expertise. - -We’re treating both of these features as experiments during Spring League, and we’re eager to hear all of your feedback. If you have questions or would like to be a featured organization, [please get in touch](mailto:hello@battlesnake.com). - -### Replacing Rookie, Veteran, and Elite Divisions with Earned Tiers - -Starting with Spring League, we’re going to replace competitive divisions with a new tiered leaderboard system. Developers who perform the best on the leaderboard will earn the titles of Rookie, Veteran, Elite, etc. based on their competitive performance, rather than their perceived skill level. - -With this change, we hope to remove the anxiety attached to joining highly competitive divisions and create a more inclusive and welcoming ranking system where everyone can succeed on their own terms. We’ll share more once Spring League begins and the new system is live. - -## New Season, New Partners! - -Finally, we want to officially announce our Annual Partners for the 2021 Competitive Season: [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/what-is-cloud-computing), [RBC](https://jobs.rbc.com/ca/en/featuredopportunities/technology-jobs), [GitHub](https://github.com/), and [Repl.it](https://repl.it/). -![](./img/-EKYadTRTcGmCMT0p-hKChw.png)Our Annual Partners make Battlesnake possible — thank you! -Battlesnake could not exist without the support of these awesome organizations, so please extend a warm thanks to let them know you appreciate their support :) - ---- - -Thanks for reading, and see you on the 2021 leaderboards! - -***The Battlesnake Team & Casting Crew*** -*Brad, Chris, Noah, Aurora, Andrew, Joe, Rachel, Shannon, Kerri, Caster Curse Curtis, Aileen the Prize Queen, and Chris “Edible Socks” C.* diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-02-15-new--battlesnake-membership-2/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-02-15-new--battlesnake-membership-2/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index f810164..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-02-15-new--battlesnake-membership-2/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,33 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "New: Battlesnake Membership" -authors: -- Brad -description: A new way to support the Battlesnake community - ---- - -> ***Update: As of December 2021 the Battlesnake Membership is no longer available. *** -> -> ***We were humbled by the response from our community, and ultimately decided there are better ways to serve and reward everyone in the Battlesnake Community rather than limiting a few rewards to those able to support us financially. *** -> -> ***Stay tuned for future updates as we implement these ideas and more!*** - -### A new way to support the Battlesnake community - -Many community members have asked how they can best support the community and platform. Some have offered donations, purchased custom merchandise, and even subscribed on Twitch! - -We are incredibly grateful for their generosity, and this year we decided we’d like to offer something better… - -Starting this month, you can choose to support Battlesnake by becoming an official [Battlesnake Member](https://play.battlesnake.com/account/settings/#membership). -![](./img/-Wn2_zzMiltUOhiFsS_HdNQ.png) -Members will receive unique customizations each month and will be involved in (and invited to provide feedback on) early testing of new game modes, challenges, etc. Our hope is to continuously expand upon what it means to be a member as our community grows. - -**Membership is completely optional**, costs $5/month, and can be cancelled at any time. To say thank you, you’ll also receive the new “mask” head and “virus” tail just for subscribing :-) -![](./img/-dDF3uHQZe3FBXkd5nhnL6g.png)“mask” head and “virus” tail (Member Exclusive) -Our goal is to give community members who wish to support Battlesnake a rewarding way to do so. We’re committed to Battlesnake being free for everyone, and paid members will *never* receive any competitive advantages or preferential treatment in competition. - -If you’d like to become a Battlesnake Member, [you can subscribe on your Account Settings page](https://play.battlesnake.com/account/settings/#membership). - -Thanks! - -The Battlesnake Team diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-02-battlesnake-developer-update---february-2021/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-02-battlesnake-developer-update---february-2021/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index a3d61dc..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-02-battlesnake-developer-update---february-2021/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,48 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Battlesnake Developer Update — February 2021 -authors: -- Chris -description: February was busy for the team with the combination of several new features being added to the Battlesnake Platform along with the launch… - ---- - -![](./img/-vhx4bL-oCqY1PEXAFFahnQ.png) -February was busy for the team with the combination of several new features being added to the Battlesnake Platform along with the launch of Spring League. - -## Battlesnake Competitive Season 2021 - -On February 18th, we kicked off Spring League, beginning a series of league competitions that will also include Summer League and Fall League; then culminate with the return of the Battlesnake Winter Classic 2021, in December. Each league will include new game modes, prizes and tournaments. Combined together, we are calling this the *Battlesnake Competitive Season 2021*. [Spring League](https://play.battlesnake.com/spring-league) registration is open until April 1st so make sure to register your Battlesnake and start competing! - -For more information, check out the replay of the [Spring League Welcome Show](https://youtu.be/IGsUwxcrDjM) on YouTube. - -Keep an eye out for some new “seasonal” features that will be linking these leagues together in the future. - -## Arena Changes: Tiers - -As mentioned in the [January Developer Update](https://medium.com/battlesnake/battlesnake-developer-update-january-2021-344bdf012d1d), we have experimented with a variety of new matching and ranking systems for our leaderboards. Our goal was to find something that provides better transparency for the competitors and generates higher quality matches that feel more fair and appropriate. For Spring League, we have deployed a new system we call Tiers. -![](./img/-AJBNJZqd3ZX9lLPxg3PpFQ.png)Spring League Tier Gems (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Elite) -Tiers are a progression system for the leaderboard that is powered by a Battlesnakes performance in matches. As a Battlesnake wins games it earns points and moves up the tiers. When a Battlesnake loses a game it can lose points and potentially move down a tier. Matching occurs within the tiers themselves, and is done with the Trueskill skill algorithm. This results in the Battlesnakes that win consistently advancing quickly through the tier system and ultimately battling each other, leaving the lower tiers to remain fun and competitive. As an added bonus, we are able to associate rewards with all of the tiers allowing Battlesnakes of all skill levels a chance to improve, progress and earn a prize. - -So far the results of the new system have looked positive and we will continue to refine the numbers behind the scenes to improve matching quality and reduce frustration. - -## Open Source Projects - -Several key elements of the Battlesnake Platform are open source including the Rules, Board and Exporter. As the platform grows we are going to look towards members of the community to help us maintain these projects and to that end we are starting to put more GitHub Issues into the projects for improvements, non-critical bug fixes and enhancements we are hoping to implement. Check out the repositories at [https://github.com/battlesnakeofficial](https://github.com/battlesnakeofficial) if you are interested in helping out. - -A big shout out to [Xtagon](https://github.com/xtagon) who recently went into the [Exporter](https://github.com/BattlesnakeOfficial/exporter) and fixed an issue with default heads and tails not rendering properly as well as upgraded it to respect the new coordinate system introduced in API Version 1. - -## Battlesnake Membership - -Starting in February, we introduced a new feature that enabled developers to support Battlesnake by becoming an official [Battlesnake Member](https://play.battlesnake.com/account/settings/#membership). Our goal is to give community members who wish to support Battlesnake a rewarding way to do so. We’re committed to Battlesnake being free for everyone, and paid members will *never* receive any competitive advantages or preferential treatment in competition. - -Members will receive unique customizations each month and will be involved in (and invited to provide feedback on) early testing of new game modes, challenges, etc. -![](./img/-wJOlivBhmt91yqnyqs7jSA.png)Battlesnake Membership Badge -**Membership is completely optional**, costs $5 (USD)/month, and can be cancelled at any time. - -## Swag Store Update: Winter Classic 2020 Hoodies - -We have a supply of limited edition Winter Classic 2020 hoodies that we have put up on the [Battlesnake Merch Store](https://store.battlesnake.com/products/battlesnake-2020-winter-classic-sweater). This is the only printing of these hoodies we are going to do, so when supplies run out thats it. -![](./img/-C9Ak0ZwQLECpixdEnAv2BA.jpeg) ---- - -That’s all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the [Battlesnake Discord](https://play.battlesnake.com/discord/) server. diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-11-your-next-remote-team-building-activity/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-11-your-next-remote-team-building-activity/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index bbeede4..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-11-your-next-remote-team-building-activity/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,42 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Your next Remote Team Building Activity -authors: -- Aurora -description: Why Battlesnake is the perfect fit - ---- - -### Why Battlesnake is the perfect fit -![](./img/-xr-pcrlm0n0GJ6-uXGv4BA.jpeg) -If you are anything like the Battlesnake team, you are coming up to your one-year anniversary of shifting your team to work fully remote. Now that we’ve all gotten really good at online party games and have exhausted the usual conversation in Friday afternoon Zoom social calls, you may be looking for a fresh online team bonding activity. - -If you are not already familiar, [Battlesnake](https://play.battlesnake.com/), it is a multiplayer programming game where developers write code to control their own Battlesnake in the classic game of ‘Snake’. Developers of all skill levels can participate and have fun with friends, family and colleagues. -![](./img/-Ml_lgrxZ9nhJHsox3SU5Vw.gif) -So why should Battlesnake be your next team building activity in 2021? - -**It’s practical and fun. **Battlesnake has always been a great way to try out a new programming language, experiment with a new hosting service, or stretch the brain with machine learning. Battlesnake gives developers a space to explore something new in the technical realm, all wrapped up in the fun of Battlesnake. Working from home hasn’t changed that, and we can still enjoy those benefits through the online events. - -**You can mix real-time and asynchronous participation. **Leagues run for 8–10 weeks, which means you can schedule participation at your own pace and convenience. Maybe that Friday community Zoom social becomes the perfect touch-point to discuss strategy and delegate improvements to be completed over the following week. - -In between League events we also have [Challenges](https://play.battlesnake.com/challenges/) and usually an active Arena or two for practice. - -Battlesnake can fit in with dedicated ‘Hack Day’ or as an extracurricular activity. How much time you and your team put into Battlesnake is up to you, although we know once you start to climb the rankings, it’s hard to resist the desire to keep tweaking that code. - -**You compete alongside the existing Battlesnake community. **Our global Battlesnake community provides both friendly competition and a support network with a wealth of knowledge. Join us in [Discord](https://play.battlesnake.com/discord/), and who knows — you might find your next hire while discussing minmax pruning strategies or which [Battlesnake customization](https://docs.battlesnake.com/references/personalization) gives the best competitive advantage. - -**Battlesnake Twitch Streams are built-in with Leagues. **We are regularly broadcasting on [Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial), and will be live-casting the Tournaments at the end of every League. Get all the hype and benefits of an online community gathering without any extra organization on your part. - ---- - -We might be a bit biased, but we think that entering your technical team into a Battlesnake League event is the fresh new activity you have been looking for. - -Depending on your group, you might also be interested in participating as a Featured Organization. Featured Organizations are an *optional paid feature* intended for companies and organizations wishing to compete in an official capacity and show off their engineering expertise. Your logo would appear in the arena and tournament leaderboard and highlight your Battlesnake rank and rating, linking to additional information of your choosing (such as your website). This provides an opportunity to promote your business, recruit top-tier developers, celebrate your team, and engage in some friendly competitive banter. To sign up as a Featured Organization, you can register for [Spring League](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/spring-league-2021/register/) and check off the option to ‘*Feature my organization on the leaderboards*’. -![](./img/-omaD8z1ID8TTZDmwXbvuUQ.png) -And to put some icing on the cake, if you want to participate as a Featured Organization in 2021, we’d be happy to send a Battlesnake Developer to run a video call orientation and tutorial session for your team and get them hyped and equipped with the knowledge they need to participate. If you are interested in any aspect of Featured Organizations, please [get in touch](mailto:hello@battlesnake.com). - -There is still time to sign up for [Spring League](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/spring-league-2021/), which runs until April 17th. You can also keep an eye out for our next event, Summer League, scheduled to start at the beginning of June. You can read more about our 2021 Season in a [previous post](https://medium.com/battlesnake/new-season-new-leagues-and-a-growing-global-community-c6963cec0bcf). -![](./img/-3UyVc0FC0C2X0irXh_R26A.png) -We hope to see you in the League! - -***The Battlesnake Team & Casting Crew*** -*Brad, Chris, Noah, Aurora, Andrew, Joe, Rachel, Shannon, Kerri, Caster Curse Curtis, Aileen the Prize Queen, and Chris “Edible Socks” C.* diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-13-proposal-to-migrate-the-official-battlesnake-community/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-13-proposal-to-migrate-the-official-battlesnake-community/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 344fde9..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-13-proposal-to-migrate-the-official-battlesnake-community/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,55 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Proposal to Migrate the Official Battlesnake Community -authors: -- Andrew -description: Let us start by sending a huge thank you to everyone for being a part of the Battlesnake Community, particularly our official community on… - ---- - -Let us start by sending a huge thank you to everyone for being a part of the Battlesnake Community, particularly our official community on Slack. - -Having an accessible space for developers new and old to learn, collaborate and grow has been an incredibly important part of what has made Battlesnake so successful over the years, and that wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions and engagement from all of you! - -**With that in mind, and considering our growing global audience of Developers, the Battlesnake Team is considering moving our official community chat space from Slack to Discord.** - -Since you have all been such a big part of the success of our community to date, we wanted to share our thinking about this decision with you, as this is ultimately your space and we want it to be one that you find useful and are excited to engage in. - -## **Why do we want to make the transition?** - -Below we’ll explain some of the reasoning behind why we think this change will be beneficial for our official community. This move is something we’ve spent a lot of time researching and getting opinions on, including from folks who specialize in helping communities migrate, but know that the decision isn’t set in stone, and we want you all on board with the decision! - -## **Why Discord?** - -We think Discord will offer some great new features to help make our community an even better place to hang-out, share and engage! - -**Some of the benefits we are particularly pumped about are:** - -### No Lost Community Knowledge - -Unlike Slack, Discord is free for users and organizations, and has no message limits. Considering we hit our 10k message limit on Slack more than 40k messages ago, this means we won’t lose any more of the amazing knowledge and conversations shared in the community. - -### More Moderation Tools - -As our community grows, moderation and permissions will become more important. Discord has more robust organizational moderation tools, making it easier for the Battlesnake Team to keep the community a safe and welcoming space. Additionally, personal safety features — such as the ability to block or mute another user — will allow for everyone in the community to be part of the moderation process. - -### More Structure and Accessibility - -Discord has channel categories, welcome screens, and user roles. As you will see if you are currently on the Battlesnake Discord Server, we have already started to take advantage of these features which make it easier for new members of the community to find channels they care about, and identify Community Members who can best help them. - -### Easy Voice/Video Chat and Screen Share - -With Discord, we’ll be able to create voice & video channels for everything from casual chats to event-specific discussions, just like we did for our VIP Spring League AMA in February! Alongside this easy voice and video, features like one-click screen sharing will allow us to provide more effective support and troubleshooting directly in the Community space. - -## **What would happen to the Battlesnake Slack Workspace?** - -If we decide to migrate, we plan to operate the existing Slack workspace through at least the end of April to ease the transition and provide support to anyone who needs help with setting up Discord. While Slack will exist, invitations will not be open to new members, and announcements will be made only on the Discord. - -## **When will this happen?** - -If the transition moves ahead, we’d like to start this migration on March 31st, 2021. From that date onwards, Discord will be the primary place to chat about Battlesnake and meet other Developers. - -## **How do I share my feedback?** - -Let us know your thoughts in the relevant Battlesnake [Slack ](http://play.battlesnake.com/slack)and [Discord](http://play.battlesnake.com/discord) #migration-feedback channels, or via direct message to any member of the team. We’d love to hear whether you will join us in the new space, and if not, what we could do better. - -### **Please share any thoughts, concerns, or great ideas by Friday, March 26, 2021.** diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-13-the-spring-league-so-far-/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-13-the-spring-league-so-far-/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 8267eaf..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-03-13-the-spring-league-so-far-/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,43 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: The Spring League So Far… -authors: -- Andrew -description: With the 2021 Spring League now in full swing over on play.battlesnake.com we thought it was a great time to provide an update on all the… - ---- - -With the 2021 Spring League now in full swing over on [play.battlesnake.com](https://play.battlesnake.com/spring-league) we thought it was a great time to provide an update on all the league-related happenings around the Battlesnake Community. -![](./img/--MFSTxtC5rZRvWcSGB8FVA.png)Join the 2021 Battlesnake Spring League running now through April 17th, -## New League Format - -If you haven’t already heard, gone are the old Rookie, Veteran and Elite Divisions as we introduce a new tiered ladder system with multiple game modes, custom badges and some awesome limited-edition, in-game rewards. - -These great new features, and much more, were on display when we launched the 2021 Spring League a few weeks ago on our Welcome Show with Brad, Aurora and Aileen, which you can check out on the [Battlesnake YouTube Channel](http://youtube.com/battlesnake) along with some other great Spring League content. -![](./img/-wJ6h_ICEwZUMQMNt47PQHA.png) -## Awesome Twitch Streams - -The new season has also marked the return of some favorite — and launch of some new — Battlesnake Twitch Streams over on [twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial](http://twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial) - -### **Snake Pit Live! Returns (**Mar 5, 19, Apr 2 ) - -Aileen the Prize Queen, Caster-Curse Curtis, and “I’ll eat my socks!” Chris have returned on select Thursday’s at 6PM (PT), for regular updates on Spring League Leaderboards, Prize Giveaways and some awesome featured battles. -![](./img/-lC66t4hPQ4BXxb_x1CWTbQ.png) -Check out the latest Snake Pit Live! on the [Spring League YouTube Playlist](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqnl_V_pFaqYJHUjW8Oso50cMBDThkyGt). - -### **Coding Badly is Back (**Feb 21, 28, Mar 7, 14, 21, 28, Apr 4) - -Back by popular demand, Brad & Joe have returned to demonstrate their own ineptitude, live! on *Coding Badly, *streaming select Saturday mornings at 10:30AM (PT). With special guests and crazy ideas brought to life (including a face-controlled Battlesnake) you won’t want to miss all the bad coding fun. -![](./img/-e7yCXoMMerW76-5hlkta1g.png) -Catch up on the latest *Coding Badly* chaos on the [Battlesnake Twitch Channel](http://twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial). - -### **Diving in to **Learning **(**Feb 26, Mar 12, 26, Apr 9) - -Spring League marks the launch of the newest Battlesnake Twitch stream, *Deep Learning* with Aurora and Andrew, on select Thursday’s at 6PM (PT). The series takes an educational deep-dive into topics ranging from academic algorithms to practical career tips, so there is sure to be something for everyone on this exciting new addition to the Battlesnake streaming lineup. -![](./img/-ubEr1dTGztDQ8riSj7XWUg.png) -To check out the latest *Deep Learning* episodes, and all of the other past Spring League streams, head over to the [Spring League YouTube Playlist](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqnl_V_pFaqYJHUjW8Oso50cMBDThkyGt), and don’t forget to check out the [Spring League schedule](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/spring-league-2021/#info-schedule) for all the upcoming streams. - -**Does all of this have you excited to take part in the Spring League?** - -There are only three weeks left to register and climbing the ladder, so choose your snake and join the 2021 Spring League today at [play.battlesnake.com/spring-league](http://play.battlesnake.com/spring-league) -![](./img/-UfukZwE8G7s2UoGWt-GeIQ.png) -## Thanks for reading, and Happy Battlesnaking! diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-04-01-battlesnake-developer-update---march-2021/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-04-01-battlesnake-developer-update---march-2021/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index b9267d4..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-04-01-battlesnake-developer-update---march-2021/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,30 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Battlesnake Developer Update — March 2021 -authors: -- Chris -description: March was a very heads down month for the dev team as we worked to build out more features for the platform and start preparing for all… - ---- - -![](./img/-DLHp-idWS6R3-fU9N3L7OQ.png) -March was a very heads down month for the dev team as we worked to build out more features for the platform and start preparing for all the great stuff that is coming after Spring League finishes. - -## Arena Improvements - -The arena leaderboard views got a major overhaul this month with both a visual update and some serious performance improvements under the hood. The leaderboard itself is much cleaner than before and now shows more results on the screen. Another core element of these UI improvements is the new details dialog that pops up when you click on a Battlesnake on the leaderboard. -![](./img/-vDxuY0vI-O7YwumrytM46A.png)Revised arena leaderboard UI -We are now showing more information about each Battlesnake such as developer country, affiliations, win rates and tech tags. In addition, there are now charts showing the historical performance of the Battlesnake over the last 14 days, including win rate, ranking change and points. -![](./img/-9jd1xp6Gm_f-4g_ZZHDmtQ.png) -## Favorite Games - -Many Battlesnake users find some amazing and interesting games on the platform and often share them with the community. To help with this we have added a new feature, currently in beta, that we call *Favorite Games*. Users can now save these special games to a *Favorite Games* list on their profile. Just click on the Add to Favorites button at the bottom of the game view, give the game a title and it will be saved to your profile. The best part is that once a game is added to a favorites list, it will persist in the system and no longer expire! -![](./img/-TIrvV21oV6CN_y5a2yQSBg.png)New Add to Favorites button -We will be expanding this feature in the future with more elements such as tags and a rating system. If you have your own ideas for the feature, share them with us in Discord. -![](./img/-No7kf0ONadTJzH7VTyV-Xg.png)Creating a favorite game -## Battlesnake Discord - -As explained recently we are centralizing the Battlesnake community on our Discord server. As part of this process, we are experimenting with more direct integrations between the Battlesnake Platform and our community [Discord](https://play.battlesnake.com/discord) server. In March, we added the **#activity-feed** channel which users can follow to see special platform activity events pop up. Currently, it is showing Battlesnake promotions on the Spring League ladders as well as activity related to Showdowns. We will be adding more events in the future as well as a way to better link your Battlesnake account with your Discord account. - ---- - -That’s all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the [Battlesnake Discord](https://play.battlesnake.com/discord/) server. diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-04-30-what-an-incredible-start-to-the-new-competitive-season-/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-04-30-what-an-incredible-start-to-the-new-competitive-season-/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 5457155..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-04-30-what-an-incredible-start-to-the-new-competitive-season-/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,91 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: What an Incredible Start to the New Competitive Season! -authors: -- Andrew -description: It is hard to believe that it has already been two weeks since the end of the 2021 Spring League, and while the team is already busy… - ---- - -It is hard to believe that it has already been two weeks since the end of the 2021 Spring League, and while the team is already busy preparing for our exciting plans this summer, we thought it would be great to recap and highlight some of the top battles from the Royale and Competitive 1v1 Tournaments, and to celebrate our 2021 Spring League Champions. -![](./img/-UL-8C4reEJnlGDTS.png)![](./img/-j2pj21leW0TLg7SwX22g6w.png) -## Royale Tournament - -Streamed live on April 10th, the Royale Tournament was the first of the new season, and it did not disappoint, with plenty of dips, dives, hazard sauce and of course some edge-of-your-seat Battlesnake competition. - -### Royale Gold - -Things kicked-off with the Royale Gold division, where 32 Battlesnake’s entered into fierce competition for the crown. With nearly an hour of action, which even included a brief appearance by the infamous *Badly Coded Snake,*[*hungry hungry carlos*](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/bobfrit/)ultimately claimed the first championship title of the 2021 season, defeating veteran Battlesnake competitors *Polar Unicorn* and *Untimely Neglected Wearable* in Game 5 of the Royale Gold finals. -![](./img/-dLejRxpUTL8771AIk8U_8g.png) -You can check out [*hungry hungry carlos*](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/bobfrit/)*’*s final battle of the Royale Gold division in the tweet below, or [head over to play.battlesnake.com ](https://play.battlesnake.com/g/796c82a1-4c6d-4ea7-a630-9287a75e9e0f/?title=Finals%20-%20Game%205)to re-live all of the amazing Royale Gold Battlesnake action. - -> And with this amazing battle "hungry hungry carlos" takes home the [#SL21Royale](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SL21Royale?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Gold 👑 as we move in to a [#twitch](https://twitter.com/hashtag/twitch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) intermission and prepare for the [#Platinum](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Platinum?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) competition 🎖️ [pic.twitter.com/Lm8XDWHFBN](https://t.co/Lm8XDWHFBN) -> — Battlesnake (@playbattlesnake) [April 10, 2021](https://twitter.com/playbattlesnake/status/1380957063422042112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) - -### Royale Platinum - -With the stage set by some stellar Royale Gold battles, the Royale Premium tournament did not disappoint, with 11 top tier Battlesnake’s facing down each other, and some rather hazardous sauce, in epic competition. Seen as a shoe-in for the Royale Platinum crown, leaderboard dominator and relative newcomer *Pretzel 🥨* put up an incredible fight throughout the competition; but was ultimately defeated in Game 5 against veteran Battlesnake [*Prüzze v2*](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/pruzze/). -![](./img/-f48-5vnmcgVJ6sJo55cgvg.png) -You can check out the final *Pretzel 🥨* versus [*Prüzze v2*](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/pruzze/)battle in the tweet below, or [head over to play.battlesnake.com](https://play.battlesnake.com/g/dc8589a7-55d8-4fc7-a6e1-b1d65fc4914a/?title=Finals%20-%20Game%205) to re-live all of the amazing Royale Platinum Battlesnake action. - -> And with this [#spectacular](https://twitter.com/hashtag/spectacular?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Game 5, [@pruzze](https://twitter.com/pruzze?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) captures the Platinum 👑 at the [#SL21Royale](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SL21Royale?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Tournament 🥳 -> -> Thanks to everyone for watching and a huge shout out to [@RBC](https://twitter.com/RBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)[@awscloud](https://twitter.com/awscloud?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)[@github](https://twitter.com/github?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) & [@replit](https://twitter.com/Replit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) for making the 2021 Battlesnake [#SpringLeague](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpringLeague?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Royale Tournament possible 🙏 [pic.twitter.com/JLYP1dkExG](https://t.co/JLYP1dkExG) -> — Battlesnake (@playbattlesnake) [April 10, 2021](https://twitter.com/playbattlesnake/status/1380971470814334980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) - -Is reading about the competition just not enough? Don’t worry! As always, you can catch the entire Royale Tournament on [youtube.com/battlesnake](http://youtube.com/battlesnake). - -## Competitive 1v1 Tournament - -Setting new records for live and unique stream viewers, and using a whole new competition format, the Competitive 1v1 Tournament took place live on April 17th, with more than 60 Battlesnake’s competing for the title of Champion across the Gold, Platinum and Elite divisions. - -### Company Showdown! - -The 1v1 tournament kicked off with the Company Showdown, featuring 9 awesome Battlesnake’s from 5 equally awesome companies who support the Battlesnake Community. After two rounds of fierce competition, which saw Battlesnake’s from [RBC](https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/), [Certn ](https://certn.co)and [Rooof ](https://www.rooof.com)move on to the finals, it was [*Rusty by AdamZ *](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/adamz/)representing [Rooof ](https://www.rooof.com)who emerged as the Company Showdown champion. -![](./img/-zXPmBqyQdwTVbDndnKGnhg.png) -You can check out [*Rusty by AdamZ*](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/adamz/)’s final battle in the tweet below, or [head over to play.battlesnake.com](https://play.battlesnake.com/g/1f0c4aae-f1fe-4a5f-9bd8-93efa13d7f21/?title=Finals%20-%20Game%203) to re-live all of the Company Showdown action. - -> Congratulations to Rusty from [@TeamRooof](https://twitter.com/TeamRooof?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) for winning the Company Showdown at the Battlesnake [#SpringLeague](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpringLeague?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) 1v1 Championships [#SL21v1](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SL21v1?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) 🏆 [pic.twitter.com/OOrPoBaelk](https://t.co/OOrPoBaelk) -> — Battlesnake (@playbattlesnake) [April 17, 2021](https://twitter.com/playbattlesnake/status/1383493196181753860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) - -### Competitive 1v1 Gold - -With 32 snakes competing in the Gold division alone, there was some intense competition, with 46 games setting the stage for the final head-to-head battle between *DevSnake by MMazzocchi *and *The RBC Serpent *💰🌊🐍* by austinm1515*. Another division finals full of edge-of-your-seat action, despite each snake putting up a valiant fight it took only three games to declare [*The RBC Serpent *💰🌊🐍](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/austinm1515/) the winner of the Competitive 1v1 Gold division. -![](./img/-wsl02CUZPyFGd2a_itt1TQ.png) -You can check out Round 3 of the final head-to-head between DevSnake and [*The RBC Serpent *💰🌊🐍](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/austinm1515/) in the tweet below, or [head over to play.battlesnake.com](https://play.battlesnake.com/g/2ec918b4-6243-4f08-93d6-fba64348fcfa/?title=Finals%20-%20Game%203) to catch the entire Competitive 1v1 Gold competition. - -> Huge [#congratulations](https://twitter.com/hashtag/congratulations?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) to "The RBC Serpent" our Gold Division Champion at the [#SpringLeague](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpringLeague?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Competitive 1v1 Tournament streaming [#live](https://twitter.com/hashtag/live?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) on [#twitch](https://twitter.com/hashtag/twitch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) 🏆 -> -> Next up is the Platinum Division Championships 🐍starting in just a few minutes on [https://t.co/Bh4KSrCQad](https://t.co/Bh4KSrCQad)[pic.twitter.com/T72vZ4HHEN](https://t.co/T72vZ4HHEN) -> — Battlesnake (@playbattlesnake) [April 17, 2021](https://twitter.com/playbattlesnake/status/1383512738656264202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) - -### Competitive 1v1 Platinum - -As with all the battles throughout the Company Showdown and Gold division, the Platinum level of the 1v1 Tournament continued to showcase some top tier bhumba’s, with many returning favorites to be found amongst the division bracket. Despite some incredible veteran Battlesnake’s in the mix; however, it was a relative newcomer — [*nibsnake by spectral*](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/spectralglitch/) — who defeated the well known *Exploradora by unapersona* in Game 3 of the Competitive 1v1 Platinum finals, claiming the division crown and title. -![](./img/-es1BZMsxWlff0PaGln0VdQ.png) -You can check out Round 3 of the final head-to-head between [*nibsnake*](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/spectralglitch/) and *Exploradora* in the tweet below, or [head over to play.battlesnake.com](https://play.battlesnake.com/g/9cc9405e-d9e5-4cd7-af80-eb82d236942f/?title=Finals%20-%20Game%203) to catch the all the Competitive 1v1 Platinum Battlesnake action. - -> Congratulations to "nibsnake" the winner of the 2021 [#SpringLeague](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpringLeague?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Platinum Division Championship! -> -> We are taking short break and then we will be back with the final Elite Division Championships on [https://t.co/Bh4KSrCQad](https://t.co/Bh4KSrCQad)[pic.twitter.com/WXU4AVdWeb](https://t.co/WXU4AVdWeb) -> — Battlesnake (@playbattlesnake) [April 17, 2021](https://twitter.com/playbattlesnake/status/1383527236746158085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) - -### Competitive 1v1 Elite - -The last tournament bracket of the 2021 Spring League, the Competitive 1v1 Elite division saw the return of Royale Platinum finalists alongside veteran competitors and fan favorites from tournaments gone by. While we missed out on a much anticipated rematch between *Pretzel *🥨and *Prüzze v2*, we did get the chance to see *Pretzel *🥨 take on another Battlesnake heavyweight from the 2020 Winter Classic —[*Snaky McSnakeface by kudu*](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/kudu/) — who after four spectacular battles claimed the elusive Competitive 1v1 Elite division title. -![](./img/-Ko_NTD8mzLBevg-r2AurxQ.png) -You can check out Game 4 of the final head-to-head between *Pretzel *🥨 and [*Snaky McSnakeface*](https://play.battlesnake.com/u/kudu/) in the tweet below, or [head over to play.battlesnake.com](https://play.battlesnake.com/g/eb5835db-dec9-4604-82b0-bc34fd14f9d8/?title=Finals%20-%20Game%204) to catch the all the Competitive 1v1 Elite division Battlesnake action. - -> And with that "Snaky McSnakeface" is the Champion of the Elite Division of the Battlesnake [#SpringLeague](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpringLeague?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Competitive 1v1 Tournament!🏆 [pic.twitter.com/0z7DxWanj1](https://t.co/0z7DxWanj1) -> — Battlesnake (@playbattlesnake) [April 17, 2021](https://twitter.com/playbattlesnake/status/1383541019442962438?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) - -Want to check out the entire Competitive 1v1 Tournament for yourself? You can catch the competition recording right now on [youtube.com/battlesnake](http://youtube.com/battlesnake) - -## Thank You — and See You This Summer! - -What an incredible end to an amazing first league of the 2021 Battlesnake Competitive Season; an end which wouldn’t have been possible without you — the equally amazing Battlesnake Community! - -As always, we want to send a huge thank you out to all of the Battlesnake Developers, Tournament Competitors, and of course the fans who helped to make the 2021 Spring League a record-setting success! - -Stay tuned to all of the [Battlesnake](https://play.battlesnake.com/) social media channels for updates on what is coming in the rest of 2021, and in the meantime, stay safe and battle on! - -![](./img/0_vL8VXILXpOSkQJda-1.jpg) diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-05-03-battlesnake-developer-update---april-2021/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-05-03-battlesnake-developer-update---april-2021/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index b79761f..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-05-03-battlesnake-developer-update---april-2021/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,34 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Battlesnake Developer Update — April 2021 -authors: -- Chris ---- - -![](./img/-PFxBHG817WhKfQN-F3ZAhw.png) -April saw the end of Spring League and the first event of the 2021 Battlesnake Competitive Season. On the development side a lot of work went into support the event and the two great tournaments that closed down Spring League. Before Summer League starts, we are focusing on a variety of system improvements to make the platform easier to use and give everyone some new features to interact with. - -## New Game Modes - -Over the next few months we are planning to implement some new game modes in the Battlesnake Engine. To facilitate this, we have setup a submission and review process for members of the community to submit their ideas for what they would like to see. We have seen a bunch of great ideas on the Discord server but we needed a better way to expand the discussion. - -If you have an idea, follow the [submission guidelines](https://github.com/BattlesnakeOfficial/rules/issues/34) to create a new issue in the [*BattlesnakeOfficial/rules*](https://github.com/BattlesnakeOfficial/rules/issues) project and describe how the game mode would work. The Battlesnake Team will review submissions and add the open for voting tag if they think the idea could work on the platform. - -Even if you don’t have a new idea, we still need your help. Head over to the [*BattlesnakeOfficial/rules*](https://github.com/BattlesnakeOfficial/rules/issues) project to checkout the existing game mode submissions and feel free to provide feedback. If you see a game mode you like, toss a 👍 in the comments to vote for it. - -## Showdowns! - -For those who watched some of the Snake Pit Live! episodes during Spring League they will have witnessed a completely new Battlesnake experience we are calling Showdowns! - -Showdowns are a new game-play mode that we can run during a live Twitch stream or during our community meetup events on Discord. Viewers can enter their Battlesnake into a lobby and then the Battlesnake Casting Crew will pit the snakes in a series of ridiculous games live! If you have ever wanted to see 12 Battlesnakes crash and burn in a Royale game on a massive 25x25 board — Showdowns are here to provide that content. - -Our first few tests of Showdowns were so successful that we think some special dedicated Showdown episodes of Snake Pit Live will be happening in the future, possibly with some special swag on the line as prizes! - -## Coming Soon: Challenges v2 - -We are currently in the process of redesigning the entire challenge system. The initial version of the system was an interesting experiment but we have found it doesn’t quite support the platform in the way we want. The new version of Challenges will no longer have a leaderboard, instead each challenge will be a completable puzzle to solve. Once you succeed at a challenge you are done! This gives us more flexibility to create more engaging (and weirder) challenge puzzles. In addition, we will be assigning achievements and possibly new snake customizations to completing some of the more challenging challenges! - -Look for the new challenge system to appear sometime in May. - ---- - -That’s all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the [Battlesnake Discord](https://play.battlesnake.com/discord/) server. diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-05-31-battlesnake-developer-update-may-2021/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-05-31-battlesnake-developer-update-may-2021/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index f2ec897..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-05-31-battlesnake-developer-update-may-2021/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,31 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Battlesnake Developer Update - May 2021 -authors: -- Chris ---- - -A lot of work in May was centered around improving the Battlesnake experience for new users and the new challenge system. - -## Challenges! - -We have completed a total overhaul of the Challenges system to make it a more intuitive and flexible feature of the Battlesnake Platform. The leaderboards have been removed and instead each challenge is now a completable puzzle to solve. Once you succeed at a challenge you are done! This gives us more flexibility to create more engaging puzzles.   - -Completing challenges will earn achievements, and completing groups of challenges can unlock new customizations! -![](./img/Screen-Shot-2021-05-28-at-12.48.33-PM.png)Challenges from the Solo Survival -## New User Improvements - -We deployed the first phase of a new onboarding system for users that are just starting with Battlesnake. The *Battlesnake Training Program* is list of milestones  for Battlesnake developers on how the platform works and what they need to do to create a great Battlesnake that can complete competitively in leagues and on the global arenas. -![](./img/Screen-Shot-2021-05-31-at-11.16.03-AM.png)Battlesnake Training Program checklist -Over the coming months we are planning a major user interface overhaul and will be implemented a few more phases of the onboarding system, making it easy and more fun to participate in Battlesnake! - -## Community Feedback - -We have centralized how we want to get official feedback around the Battlesnake platform from the community in an effort to give better transparency on what we are doing to improve the system. A GitHub discussion is now live: [https://github.com/BattlesnakeOfficial/feedback/discussions](https://github.com/BattlesnakeOfficial/feedback/discussions)! - -The discussion board is where will be will be collecting, reviewing and prioritizing all of the input from the community around feature requests, game ideas, platform enhancements and bugs.  The team will be reviewing submissions weekly and we encourage members of the community to scan through the discussions to add their own comments, examples and ideas.   -![](./img/Screen-Shot-2021-05-31-at-2.01.34-PM.png) -For more information on how to contribute feedback, please read Andrew's post here: [https://github.com/BattlesnakeOfficial/feedback/discussions/1](https://github.com/BattlesnakeOfficial/feedback/discussions/1) - ---- - -That’s all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the [Battlesnake Discord](https://play.battlesnake.com/discord/) server. diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-08-its-go-time-for-battlesnake/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-08-its-go-time-for-battlesnake/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index b9f8568..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-08-its-go-time-for-battlesnake/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,14 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: It's Go Time for Battlesnake! -authors: -- Andrew -description: Did you know the Battlesnake Game Engine is built in Go? Well if you didn't, that exactly the reason we were recently invited to be featured guests on Go Time, a Golang-centered podcast from the team at changelog.com. ---- - -### Did you know the Battlesnake Game Engine is built in Go? - -Well if you didn't, that's exactly the reason we were recently invited to be featured guests on [Go Time](https://changelog.com/gotime/182), a Golang-centered podcast from the team at [changelog.com](changelog.com). - -In the episode, Battlesnake's very own [Brad Van Vugt](https://twitter.com/bvanvugt?) sat down [Jon Calhoun](https://twitter.com/joncalhoun) and [Mat Ryer](https://twitter.com/matryer) of [Changelog ](https://changelog.com)to introduce them to the Battlesnake platform, talking about everything from the history of the community and competition, to why non-negotiable job offers are such an important consideration during the hiring process in early stage start-ups. - -Check out the entire podcast above, or watch the livestream recording below to catch the crew battling it out in their own [Go Time](https://changelog.com/gotime/182) Showdowns. diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-14-welcome-to-the-summer-league/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-14-welcome-to-the-summer-league/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index b1a94a4..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-14-welcome-to-the-summer-league/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,59 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Welcome to the 2021 Summer League ☀️ -authors: -- Andrew -description: With the record-setting 2021 Spring League now firmly entrenched in the history of Battlesnake, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our next phase of the 2021 competitive season - the Summer League! ---- - -### Battlesnake is live on Twitch, Thursdays and Saturdays! - -**[Check the schedule for upcoming streams ](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/summer-league-2021/#schedule)** - -With the record-setting Spring League now firmly entrenched in the history of Battlesnake, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our next phase of the 2021 competitive season - the [Summer League](https://play.battlesnake.com/summer-league)! -[![](./img/Summer-2021-Social-Media_Twitter-All-Logo-1.png)](https://play.battlesnake.com/summer-league)Join the 2021 Summer League at play.battlesnake.com/summer-league -Officially opened during the Welcome Show which streamed on June 11th, here are some of the highlights you need to know to prepare for [Summer League](https://play.battlesnake.com/summer-league) play. - -## New League Format - -While progressive tiers, first introduced in the 2021 Spring League, are here to stay, the dual ladders have been dropped this summer, with the Competitive 1v1 ladder benched in favor of Royale Mode for the [Summer League](https://play.battlesnake.com/summer-league)! -[![](./img/image-2.png)](https://play.battlesnake.com/summer-league) -Featuring 4 players on an 11x11 board, we have also made tier progression a bit tougher for this phase of the season, with the move from silver to gold an added challenge for Battlesnake Developers who want to make it to the live tournament, which will be streaming on Twitch on **Saturday, July 31st at 10am PT.** - -## Awesome New Tier Rewards - -Just as with Spring League, progression through each tier doesn't just come with bragging rights and the potential to be featured in the live tournament, Battlesnake Developers will also be able to earn some awesome new heads and tails. -[![](./img/image-3.png)](https://play.battlesnake.com/summer-league) -For our Top Tier Bhumba's, rewards will be going far beyond the digital, as we try to one-up the custom Battlesnake Coffee Mugs from Spring League, and ship some epic custom Merch to Elite Battlesnake Developers at the end of the season. - -## New Twitch Stream Schedule - -This spring we introduced some great new streams with **Coding Badly **and **Deep Learning **which were met with great support from the Battlesnake Community.Hot on the heels of that success, this summer we are excited to launch two new series with **Community Corner** and **Live Platform Coding **added to your regularly scheduled Battlesnake programming, with streams happening every **Thursday at 1pm PT  / 4pm ET / 8PM GMT** on [twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial](https://twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial). -[![](./img/image-6.png)](https://twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial)[![](./img/image-7.png)](https://twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial) -If you noticed that **Snake Pit Live!** was missing from that Thursday schedule, you are absolutely correct, as it has been moved to its own weekly timeslot on **Saturday's at 10am PT  / 1pm ET,** which is when you'll be able to hang out with your favorite casters as they provide Arena and League Updates, run Showdowns and of course run some awesome Prize and Merch Giveaways! - -### Introduction of Caster Houses - -Building on the "Caster Fantasy Draft" which was introduced this spring, this summer's **Snake Pit Live!** streams will feature [Caster Houses](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/summer-league-2021/#info-caster-crown), a fun new way for you customize your Battlesnake while also connecting with our amazing Casters: Aileen, Joe, Chris and Curtis. -[![](./img/image.png)](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/summer-league-2021/#info-caster-crown) -To join a house, simply add you Casters favorite head and custom color to your Battlesnake and watch **Snake Pit Live!** to see how your House fares in the battle. - -## Watch the Welcome Show - -For more about the latest Community and Platform Updates, a recap of the 2021 Season so far and (more importantly) to hear all of this information (and more!) from Brad and Aurora themselves, check out the Welcome Show VOD below.   -[ - -Battlesnake 2021 Summer League Welcome Show - battlesnakeofficial on Twitch - -battlesnakeofficial went live on Twitch. Catch up on their Talk Shows & Podcasts VOD now. - -![](https://static.twitchcdn.net/assets/favicon-32-e29e246c157142c94346.png)Twitch - -![](https://static-cdn.jtvnw.net/cf_vods/d1m7jfoe9zdc1j/3e7e09374d4abb5e5b56_battlesnakeofficial_34252404130_9540153854/thumb/thumb1053251937-640x360.jpg) -](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1053251937) -## Thank You and Good Luck - -As always, a huge thank you to our amazing Community, and to our wonderful partners at [RBC](https://jobs.rbc.com/ca/en/featuredopportunities/technology-jobs), [GitHub](https://github.com/), and [AWS ](https://aws.amazon.com/what-is-cloud-computing)who make these competitions possible ❤️ -[![](./img/image-8.png)](https://play.battlesnake.com/summer-league) -Remember to [follow us on Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/BattlesnakeOfficial) to be notified when we broadcast live! - -### Cheers, and Happy Battlesnaking! diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-22-subscribe-to-the-community-calendar/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-22-subscribe-to-the-community-calendar/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index ce9cd7b..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-22-subscribe-to-the-community-calendar/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,15 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Subscribe to the New Battlesnake Community Calendar -authors: -- Andrew -description: We are excited to announced the launch of the Official Battlesnake Community Calendar, a Developers one-stop-shop to discover all the happenings around the Battlesnake Community. ---- - -With the growing number of Battlesnake streams, community-driven events, and of course important dates for the Competitive Season, we can only imagine how busy our amazing Community of Developers have been in managing their calendars over the past few months to stay up-to-date on all the exciting Battlesnake action. - -So, to help make things a little bit easier, we are excited to announced the launch of the Official Battlesnake Community Calendar, a Developers one-stop-shop to discover all of the happenings around the Battlesnake Community. - -### Check out the live calendar below to discover the latest streams and events from around the Battlesnake Community. - -And don't forget to [Subscribe to the Calendar](https://play.battlesnake.com/calendar) for regular updates and the ability to get notified when future events and streams are added. -Subscribe to the Calendar diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-25-summer-league-standings-week-2/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-25-summer-league-standings-week-2/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 5393c9e..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-06-25-summer-league-standings-week-2/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,33 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Summer League Leaderboard Updates - Week 2 -authors: -- Andrew -description: After two weeks, who is leading on the 2021 Summer League leaderboard and who are the Battlesnake's to watching moving in to week 3 of the competition? ---- - -With just 14 days since the launch of the new league on June 11th, it has already been a record-setting summer with more than 330 Developers registered to compete for the title of 2021 Battlesnake Summer League Champion. -![](./img/image-9.png) -Considering there are so many amazing Battlesnakes in competition for the crown already this league, we thought it might be a good idea to keep you, our awesome Community, up-to-date on who is currently at the top of the leaderboard and what up-and-coming Battlesnakes might be a force-to-be-reckoned-with in the coming weeks of 2021 Summer League competition. - -### Current Top Tier Bhumbas - -While **Pruzze v2** remains in the top spot following a strong showing in the first week of the league, the gap between Top Tier Bhumba's is quickly closing with three Battlesnakes now in the Platinum Tier and** Salazar Slitherin **less than 500 points away from the top spot on the 2021 Summer League leaderboard. -![](./img/image-10.png) -### Up-and-Coming Competitors - -Though **Algae **and **Green Heart** are certainly two Battlesnake's to watch moving into the third week of the competition, there seems to be a theme of green across many of the bhumba's quickly climbing the ladder towards the Platinum tier, with newcomer **PepperLongStocking **and veteran **SneakySnake **close behind **Green Snake** and **Hydra Aius Locutius** as they make their way to the top. -![](./img/image-11.png) -### New Battlesnake's to Watch - -While green may be the theme at the top, red seems to be the primary color at the bottom, with many new Battlesnake names making their debut on the 2021 Summer League leaderboard. One of those Battlesnakes; however, is anything but new, with 2021 Spring League semi-finalist **HungerOfHadar v1.1** sure to move quickly up the leaderboard going into the third week of the competition. -![](./img/image-12.png) -## Don't Forget to Join a Caster House! - -In case you missed the Welcome Show, this summers ****Snake Pit Live!**** streams will feature [Caster Houses](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/summer-league-2021/#info-caster-crown), a fun new way for you customize your Battlesnake while also connecting with our amazing Casters: Aileen, Joe, Chris and Curtis. - -To join a house, simply add you favorite Casters head and color to your Battlesnake and join the **Snake Pit Live! **streams (**like the next one this Saturday, June 26 at 10am (PT) / 1PM (ET) / 7PM (CET)**) on [Twitch](https://twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial) to see how your fellow Caster House Developers fare in the battle. -![](./img/image-13.png) -### Thanks for Reading and Happy Battlesnaking! - -As always, a huge thank you to our amazing Community, and to our wonderful partners at [RBC](https://jobs.rbc.com/ca/en/featuredopportunities/technology-jobs), [GitHub](https://github.com/), and [AWS ](https://aws.amazon.com/what-is-cloud-computing)who make these competitions possible ❤️ -![](./img/image-8.png) diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-07-02-summer-league-leaderboard-updates-week-3/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-07-02-summer-league-leaderboard-updates-week-3/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index caeb54f..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-07-02-summer-league-leaderboard-updates-week-3/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,31 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Summer League Leaderboard Updates - Week 3 -authors: -- Andrew -description: After three weeks of competition, check out who is leading the Summer League leaderboard and who are the Battlesnakes to watch as the competition really heats up! ---- - -It's now been 3 full weeks since the launch of 2021 Summer League, and as the number of competitors continues to climb, so too does the level of competition amidst the Battlesnakes yearning for the title of 2021 Summer League Champion. -![](./img/image-2.png) -### Current Top Tier Bhumbas - -While **Pruzze v2** has been a force to be reckoned with since the early days of the competition, so too has **BlackHole, **who while firmly seated in 3rd place as of last week, has now graduated to the Elite Tier and tied **Pruzze v2** for the top spot on the ladder.Close behind, ** Salazar Slitherin** remains in 2nd place moving into Week 4 of the competition, with a mere 400 points separating him from both the Elite Tier and the recognition as top Battlesnake of the league. -![](./img/image-3.png) -### Up-and-Coming Competitors - -Green may have been the color of the week for strong snakes coming into week three, but as we end off a tough few days of battle, the colors have certainly changed. Climbing four spots from 8th to 4th place **🤓 Smart Caterpillar 🐛** has certainly become a Battlesnake to watch closely, as have three new snakes—**Go snake, spaceworm **and **marrrvin**—who have recently joined the Top 10, knocking **Green Snake** down three spots to 9th overall in the competition -![](./img/image-4.png) -### New Battlesnakes to Watch - -A quick glance at new Battlesnakes on the leaderboard reveals few recognizable faces, but one new competitor who is sure to strike fear into the hearts of those seeking to climb to the top of the ladder is **Pretzel**. Capturing 2nd place in both the Competitive Elite and Royale Platinum Tournaments during Spring League, and remaining at the top of both leaderboards throughout that time, **Pruzze V2** and **Snaky McSnakeface** may be given a run for their money this week as **Pretzel **returns for revenge and some epic competition in pursuit of the title of 2021 Summer League Champion. -![](./img/image-6.png) -## Don't Forget to Join a Caster House! - -In case you missed the last ****Snake Pit Live!**, **the 2021 Summer League features [Caster Houses](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/summer-league-2021/#info-caster-crown), a fun new way for you customize your Battlesnake while also connecting with our amazing Casters: Aileen, Joe, Chris and Curtis. - -To join a house, simply add you favorite Casters head and color to your Battlesnake and join the **Snake Pit Live! **streams (**like the next one on Saturday, July 10 at 10am (PT) / 1PM (ET) / 7PM (CET)**) on [Twitch](https://twitch.tv/battlesnakeofficial) to see how your fellow Caster House Developers fare in the battle. -![](./img/image-13.png) -### Thanks for Reading and Happy Battlesnaking! - -As always, a huge thank you to our amazing Community, and to our wonderful partners at [RBC](https://jobs.rbc.com/ca/en/featuredopportunities/technology-jobs), [GitHub](https://github.com/), and [AWS ](https://aws.amazon.com/what-is-cloud-computing)who make these competitions possible ❤️ -![](./img/image-8.png) diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-07-06-battlesnake-developer-update-june-2021/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-07-06-battlesnake-developer-update-june-2021/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 042483f..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-07-06-battlesnake-developer-update-june-2021/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,41 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Battlesnake Developer Update - June 2021 -authors: -- Chris ---- - -June brought the launch of Summer League and our first competition with a focus on the royale game mode. While the launch of the new league drew most of the focus for the team in June,  we managed to squeeze in a few new features and improvements for the Battlesnake platform. - -## Summer League Caster's Crown - -The Battlesnake Casting Crew had a lot of fun during Spring League, running side tournaments using Battlesnakes they fantasy drafted from the competition ladders. For Summer League, we decided to iterate on the concept and combine it with our Showdowns feature to create something new for Snake Pit Live episodes. Something we call the [Caster's Crown Competition](https://play.battlesnake.com/league/summer-league-2021/#caster-crown). - -Each of our casters is now leading a house and during SPL episodes they call for  champions to pledge their Battlesnake to their cause and battle for valuable points! -![Caster Houses from Summer League](./img/Screen-Shot-2021-07-02-at-10.43.29-AM.png)The Caster Houses -We plan to keep developing this idea and look for more ways for our caster crew to interact directly with each league and the participants! - -## User Profile Changes - -We feel that Battlesnake user profiles are an important place for the community to express themselves and showcase their skills. To that end, we have added some new features to better support this. - -### Pronouns - -There is a new profile field that allows you to provide your pronouns and the string you put in this field will be presented publicly on your user profile. -![Example of pronouns on the user profile](./img/Screen-Shot-2021-07-02-at-11.12.39-AM.png) -### Backstory New Lines - -A few users have mentioned to us that they would like more control over how they can structure longer backstories on their profile. To support that, we have added proper rendering support for line breaks in your backstories.  When editing your profile, just add line breaks as necessary and these will be reflected on the public version of your profile page. - -## Developer Streaming on Twitch - -Are you interested in doing some live Battlesnake coding on Twitch.tv?  If so make sure to include *battlesnake* in the stream title and we will automatically showcase your stream on [play.battlesnake.com/live](https://play.battlesnake.com/live/) as well as post when your stream goes live in the Battlesnake Discord server. Already we've seen several developers trying their hand at public coding with a variety of technology stacks ranging from serverless Typescript to strange self-hosted Bash script monstrosities. We love these weird and educational experiments, and love even more that you are sharing them with the world! Help us help you spread the word by putting *battlesnake* in your next stream title. - -## Battlesnake Events Calendar - -With the growing number of Battlesnake streams, community-driven events, and of course important dates for the Competitive Season, we realized it can be hard to keep track of everything.  To help make things a little bit easier, we have launched  the Official Battlesnake Community Calendar, containing everything important that is going on with Battlesnake. - -[Subscribe to the Calendar](https://play.battlesnake.com/calendar) for regular updates and the ability to get notified when future events and streams are added. - ---- - -That’s all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the [Battlesnake Discord](https://play.battlesnake.com/discord/) server. diff --git a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-07-09-controlling-a-battlesnake-with-your-face/index.md b/blog/.blog-archive/2021-07-09-controlling-a-battlesnake-with-your-face/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 9bae03a..0000000 --- a/blog/.blog-archive/2021-07-09-controlling-a-battlesnake-with-your-face/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,406 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Controlling a Battlesnake with a Webcam, Replit, and Your Face -authors: -- Andrew ---- - -*Facesnake was originally [coded live on Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/967694891) by [Brad](https://twitter.com/bvanvugt) & [Joe](https://twitter.com/jna_sh).* - -This past spring on Coding Badly, Joe and I, for whatever reason, challenged ourselves to build a camera-controlled Battlesnake. The result was **"Facesnake"** – a Battlesnake controlled in real-time using your face and webcam. This post outlines how we built it using [Replit](https://replit.com/) and [tracking.js](https://trackingjs.com/) :-) - -View the complete source code on [GitHub](https://github.com/BattlesnakeOfficial/facesnake), run it on [Replit](https://replit.com/@Battlesnake/facesnake), or [watch what a high-stakes game of Facesnake looks like](https://youtu.be/S5yP48oNMm4?t=2996s) 😃🐍 . -Snake Pit Live - Facesnake Snakeoff! ---- - -### Step 1 - Creating a Simple Battlesnake - -Every Battlesnake needs a functioning HTTP webserver that implements the [Battlesnake API](https://docs.battlesnake.com/references/api). We used Express, Node, and Replit to get going... - - const express = require('express') - - const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000; - - const httpServer = express() - httpServer.get('/', httpIndex) - httpServer.post('/start', httpStart) - httpServer.post('/move', httpMove) - httpServer.post('/end', httpEnd) - - function httpIndex(request, response) { - var battlesnakeInfo = { - apiversion: '1', - author: '', - color: '#888888', - head: 'default', - tail: 'default' - } - response.status(200).json(battlesnakeInfo) - } - - function httpStart(request, response) { - response.status(200).send('ok') - } - - function httpEnd(request, response) { - response.status(200).send('ok') - } - - function httpMove(request, response) { - // Always move up - response.status(200).send({ - move: 'up' - }) - } - - httpServer.listen(PORT, function() { - console.log(`Battlesnake Server listening at http://127.0.0.1:${PORT}`) - }) - - -index.js -*(Note we're using an `http` prefix - we'll be adding a WebSocket server later on so this differentiation is important)* - -**At this point, we have a functional Battlesnake that always moves up.** - -Next, we added a global variable to control the Battlesnake's current move. *(Note this won't work if multiple games are being played at once - that's okay for now)* - - let NEXT_MOVE = 'down' - - function httpMove(request, response) { - response.status(200).send({ - move: NEXT_MOVE - }) - } - - -index.js -Finally, we want to give our Battlesnake the most time possible to receive and process webcam input, so let's add some code to delay our response using the game data sent to us on each turn. - - const bodyParser = require('body-parser') - - httpServer.use(bodyParser.json()) - - function httpMove(request, response) { - // Give ourselves 1000ms to respond to the game engine - var responseDelay = request.body.game.timeout - 1000 - - setTimeout(function(resp) { - response.status(200).send({ - move: NEXT_MOVE - }) - }, responseDelay, response) - } - - -index.js -Now we have a Battlesnake that waits 1,000ms, then moves `down` on every turn. -![](./img/Screen-Shot-2021-07-01-at-9.52.51-AM.png)Facesnake goes down! ---- - -### Step 2 - Displaying Camera and Detecting Faces in Browser - -Next, we wanted a simple web page that displays your local webcam. We started with some static HTML that loads your local camera in a `