Following the success of last year’s competition, the annual Entelect R100K Challenge, will put SA coder's and gamer's AI skills to the test. Presented in association with NAG and official product sponsor, Sony Mobile, entries for the competition are now open. This year’s challenge pays homage to the cult classic arcade game Space Invaders, and will once again see both novice and professional coders battle it out for the coveted R100 000 prize.

Entrants to this year’s R100K Challenge will once again be required to write an AI player (or bot) for the provided Space Invaders platform. “Each entrant’s bot will need to be designed specifically to outsmart and outplay their opponents, and only the most intelligent, effective and innovative bots will survive and make it into the semi-finals for our advanced pool. We have a beginners pool that will allow less experienced contestants to have a shot for a prize of R50 000, so there really is an opportunity for everyone to get involved this year,” explains Tim Kroon, general manager of resourcing at Entelect.

To even the playing field, entrants are categorised into novice and advanced skill pools, A and B respectively. A separate category will again be opened to GUI (Graphical User Interface) challengers, which will allow developers with a creative flair to try their hand at crafting the style, look and feel of the game,” Kroon continues.

The competition is now open to entries, and bot submissions will be accepted. Following a knock-out tournament, a semi-final event will be held in September 2015, showcasing the ‘entrants to watch’ and their leading bots. Thereafter, the competition will reach its climax at the 2015 rAge, where the finals will be held and this year’s winners of R100 000 (Pool A), R50 000 (Pool B) and runner up prizes will be announced.

The Entelect R100K Challenge series was originally launched in 2012, and is aimed at the coding, software development and gaming communities in South Africa. According to Kroon, entries have increased exponentially each year. “We are really excited for what this year’s challenge will bring, and this is set to be our biggest R100K Challenge yet. We are sure that our carefully selected 2015 Space Invaders theme will inspire innovative and creative ideas from all entrants.”

Entelect will also put a particular focus on targeting students for this year’s challenge, as they have recognised the incredible untapped range of AI skills among this network. “We invite all students and school-goers to take part, and test their theoretical knowledge on a practical platform – not only is this a great opportunity to enjoy a challenging gaming experience and network with some of the best South Africa has to offer in the field, but you could be the next winner!”

“We are also incredibly proud to partner once again with leading publication, NAG, who continues to provide fantastic support and visibility for our R100K Challenge,” says Kroon. “In addition, we are pleased to announce that Sony Mobile have come on board as this year’s product sponsor for the Entelct R100K Challenge and will be providing a host of fantastic prizes from their latest Xperia range.

For more information, or to enter, visit http://challenge.entelect.co.za.