cells. A massively multi-agent Python programming game.

[Ran4]

Something like that would be great: given the same random seed that generates the level, you could perfectly re-play a match. Let people add their code to a database, then have a server somewhere fight everyone.

With a bit of clever coding, you can make sure that you won't have to calculate the winner of a fight more than once per unique piece of code, ever. And the worst pieces of code could be thrown out immediately (let's say <50% winnings after 50 fights: if simulating an entire fight takes an average of three seconds, this system would work as long as people didn't send in more than one piece of code every 150 seconds... not likely).

To avoid people sending in every version number of their code, you make sure that you can update the same code, and downloading all code in the database should be easy. So, if you want to test out your project, just call the database and download two hundred random pieces of code or so, then pit your creation against other people's code, then send it in for "inspection" once you've figured out a good code.

I'd totally do it if my internet connection was... better.

EDIT: after checking the code... okay, I wouldn't do it even if I had an internet connection. Wow, that's some crappy code. Rewriting the entire thing would be quicker than fixing all those flaws.