September was a big planning month for Battlesnake. We got the entire remote team together for an onsite to discuss roadmap and brainstorm plans for the 2023 Competitive Season. There are a lot of exciting things coming in the next 6 months!

Around all that planning,  we managed to get a few new features into the platform!

Community Challenge: Solo Maze​

Ever since coreyja created the Solo Maze Game Map we wanted to utilize it on the site and given that it was designed for a single Battlesnake, it made a lot of sense to make it our first Community Challenge.

You can now test your Battlesnake against 10 randomized mazes of increasing size and complexity. Your Battlesnake has 100 turns to find the food in the maze and then advance to the next level. Pass through all 10 levels of the Solo Maze to complete the challenge!

We hope to add more community challenges in the future. If you are interested in contributing your own challenge, you can pitch your concept on the Battlesnake Feedback Discussions.

Battlesnake Accomplishments​

We are experimenting with displaying a Battlesnake's performance in competitions  as a way to show a story of how a Battlesnake competes over time. To that end, you can now see your Battlesnake's accomplishments listed on the Battlesnake profile page.

The page now shows a breakdown of how your Battlesnake has done in each League, Tournament and Battlegrounds. In addition, we are showing streaks that your snake may have achieved in the Battlegrounds Standards and Duels ladders!

The feature is in a very alpha state at the moment and we are open to feedback!

Battlesnake Tournaments​

As more developers gain early access to the Battlesnake Tournaments feature, we are regularly adding quality of life improvements to make the process of creating and running tournaments that much easier.

My Tournaments​

We have made the tournaments you create easier to find by adding a new option to the navigation bar to provide quick access.

Also, the Competitions page was restructured to show your tournaments at the top, along side the leagues. It will also list the tournament that you are participating in that are being run by other organizers!

Tournament Testing​

There are a variety of ways to configure your tournament and sometimes organizers want to experiment with the settings before they commit to a plan for their custom competition. Unfortunately, testing is difficult without tournament participants so we added a new tool that will let you import a set of special test  Battlesnakes into your tournament. Now you can do some trial runs before inviting competitors to join!

If you are interested in running Battlesnake Tournaments for friends or colleagues  you can apply for early access.

That's all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the Battlesnake Discord server.

Don't miss your chance to join the final public league of the 2022 competitive season! Find out what's new and what's staying the same for Fall League so you'll be ready for battle when the competition begins on September 30th.

Register for the 2022 Fall League Competition!​

Fall League Game Modes​

Something Old and Something New​

While we are introducing some fun new features this fall, a couple things will mirror Summer League. Deadly walls, wrapped mode, and the $1000 prize pool will remain unchanged.

Deadly Hazard Walls​

Once again, one wrong move could spell game over for your Battlesnake. Collisions with a hazard wall are fatal—dealing 100 damage to your Battlesnake.

Wrapped Mode​

Battlesnakes can pass through the outer boundaries of the board by using gaps in the hazard walls to appear on the opposite side. Should another Battlesnake be on the other side of the board at the same time, standard collision rules apply.

Prize Pool​

We're giving away a prize pool of over $1000 worth of Battlensnake goodies including gift cards, trophies, medals and of course eternal bragging rights.

Game Board - All New Islands & Bridges Hazard Map​

This new maps features four quadrants separated by deadly hazard rivers that are not only impassible by Battlesnakes, but a one-hit kill! Games on this map will be played on an 11x11 game board.

Fall League Schedule​

Here's a rundown of what's happening this Fall and when to watch the tournaments live on Twitch.  

• Registration Opens: NOW!
• Ladder Opens: September 30th at 10:00pm PDT / October 1st 1:00pm EDT
• Snake Pit Live!: October 15th at 9:00am PDT / 12:00pm EDT
• Ladder Freeze: October 29th at 8:00am PDT / 11:00am EDT
• Platinum Tournament: Early November
• Elite Tournament: Mid-November

Big Thanks to our Partners​

Our wonderful partners are what makes Battlesnake possible. A big thanks goes out to DigitalOcean, Twilio, New Relic, and RBC for their continued support!

Don't miss all the exciting Battlesnake Streams on Twitch.

Register for the 2022 Fall League Competition!​

Have something you want to share with us? Reach out to us on Discord, Twitter @playbattlesnake, or at hello@battlesnake.com.

A lot of things came together in August for the Battlesnake team, including improvements to almost every corner of the platform.

New Docs​

We rebuilt and relaunched docs.battlesnake.com using the Docusaurus platform. This gave us a lot of power to improve the usability of the docs and provide a solid platform for community members to contribute to the documentation that supports Battlesnake.

Big thanks to Bultz, Corey, Naomi and the other community members that both assisted in the port and contributed new content to the site!

Revised Starter Projects​

Brad spent a lot of August reviewing and updating the official Battlesnake Starter Projects to be much more approachable. A major part of this was removing a lot of the infrastructure support like Heroku and Replit from the projects on GitHub to make them to make them as simple and portable as possible.

The docs site has a handy listing of all the Battlesnake Starter Projects.

We still do love Replit as a quick way of getting started with Battlesnake and to that end we have created all new Replit templates for each of the starter projects. These templates are designed to rapidly setup Battlesnakes inside of the Replit ecosystem.

You can find all of the Replit starter templates here: https://replit.com/@Battlesnake

Battlesnake Tournaments​

The new tournaments feature we announced earlier this year is now live! This system allows developers to run their own ad hoc tournaments for up to 16 other Battlesnake users. The system supports 7 different game mode and map combinations as well as standard and duels tournament formats!

You can access the Battlesnake Tournament feature by clicking on the Create Game button and then the Tournament button.

For now we are running a trial of the system with a few dozen users, and expand access over the coming weeks. To request access to the Battlesnake Tournaments feature, just fill in the application form.

Custom Game Changes​

We have made it easier to test your Battlesnake in custom games! We have added four new "bots" to the Custom Game interface which provide you with opponents that show consistent behavior in games, for when you are first starting out or trying out a new type of algorithm.

We have also added several new game maps to the form, to give you different ways to challenge your Battlesnake in custom games.

Lastly there is a new game rule available, Wrapped + Constrictor, combining both mechanics into one game board, for interesting results. The September Battlegrounds includes the Constrictor Maze ladder, that combines the new game rule with the Arcade Maze map from Summer League!

Retry Specific Challenges​

We have noticed that some players like to reset their challenges to retry the challenges with different Battlesnakes and to validate new algorithm changes. We have made this workflow much simpler now as any completed challenge can be retried individually using any Battlesnake on your account. Just click on the Retry Challenge link below the card and select the Battlesnake you want to use. The challenge game will be generated immediately!

Feature Preview: Developer Dashboard​

We’ve been busy working on projects related to your previous feedback, one of which is the new Account Dashboard. This new interface will serve to guide you along your Battlesnake journey, informing you of ongoing events, recent stats, and suggestions for what to try next.

It's still in the early prototype stage but we are planning to release an initial version in September!

That's all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the Battlesnake Discord server.

With the dust only just settling from an exciting summer of Battlesnake, we're thrilled to share the final standings from the 2022 Summer League Competition.

Platinum Championship Tournament​

An incredible 16 Battlesnake's qualified for the 2022 Summer League Platinum Championship which took place on **Saturday, July 23rd**.

🐍 Check out Tiam's final battle of the Summer League Platinum Tournament: Click to replay the final battle of the 2022 Summer League Platinum Tournament

📺 Watch the Summer League Platinum Tournament stream:​

Elite Championship Tournament​

The competition intensified on Saturday, July 30th when the top Battlesnakes of the summer gathered for the Summer League Elite championship.

🐍 Check out Shapeshifter's final battle of the Summer League Elite Tournament: Click to replay the final battle of the 2022 Summer League Elite Tournament.

📺 Watch the Summer League Elite Tournament Stream:​

Peoples Choice Award​

After a tight race between some big fan favorites this summer, it came down to only 2 cheers to crown the 2022 Summer League Peoples Choice Winner.

📚 Learn more about Ziggy Snakedust and its developer jlafayette:​

Big Thanks to our Partners​

Our wonderful partners are what makes Battlesnake possible. A big thanks goes out to DigitalOcean, Twilio, New Relic, and RBC for their continued support!

Ready to join the next competition? You won't have to wait long! Fall League Registration opens September 16th, 2022 on play.battlesnake.com 🐍

As Summer League 2022 wrapped up and moved into the tournament phase, the development team  focused some new features for Battlesnake!

New Customizations and Battlesnake Points!​

In August, we are introducing a new rewards system called Battlesnake Points. As you explore the Battlesnake platform and complete goals, you will automatically earn points. You can then use those points to unlock new head and tail customizations on the Customizations page.

As part of this new feature, we have released some previous exclusive customizations and added a few brand new ones!

More Game Maps​

Now that the Game Maps system in Rules is fully operational and battle tested we are now experimenting with all kinds of new ways to create maps for Battlesnake games.

Sinkholes!​

Starting as an idea for Battlegrounds during a Battlesnake Codes stream, Rob and I have built out a new kind of game map that introduces stacked hazards as a new problem to solve!

The sinkhole map spans a growing area of hazard with new layers of hazards appearing over the previous, much like a heat map. Battlesnakes moving into the depths of the sinkhole will take damage from each hazard stacked on a square.

Try it out yourself with the Rules CLI or enter a Battlesnake into the Sinkhole! ladder for the August Battlegrounds.

Solo Maze​

Solo Maze is the first approved map developed by the community! Experienced Battlesnake developer, coreya, has created an ingenious solo experience where your Battlesnake must solve a series of increasingly more complicated mazes in order to find food.

Is your Battlesnake smart enough to solve every maze? Try it out using the Rules CLI and prepare for a potential new Challenge coming this fall.

That's all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the Battlesnake Discord server.

Introducing Battlesnake Points! Which can be used unlock new head and tail customizations for your Battlesnake. There are over 100 customizations to collect and new heads and tails being released regularly.

In this post, we'll cover what Battlesnake Points are, how to earn them, and where to spend them.

The New "Customizations" Page​

This new page shows all of the customizations you've collected during your adventures with Battlesnake. Anything you unlocked via a reward code, received from an achievement or earned as a prize is visible there. It's also where you'll have access to new customizations.

Unlocking New Customizations with Battlesnake Points​

We are introducing Battlesnake Points, which you can use to unlock new head and tail customizations for your Battlesnake! There are over 100 customizations to collect, with new heads and tails being released regularly.

To unlock a customization, find one that is not in your collection and click on the unlock button. If you have enough points, the head or tail will be added to your account and is ready to use on your Battlesnake!

Just click on the unlock button to use your points to unlock a new customization!

How Do I Get Battlesnake Points?​

Battlesnake Points are gained by participating in various Battlesnake activities. As you explore the Battlesnake platform and complete goals, you will automatically earn points.

There are many ways to earn Battlesnake Points:

• Create a Battlesnake
• Complete challenges
• Participate in Battlegrounds
• Join a league
• Compete in a tournament
• Be active in the community

Bonus!​

To get everyone started we have analyzed every existing user account and rewarded them points for all activities they have completed since December 2021!

5 New Customizations Now Available​

To celebrate this new mechanism we are releasing5 new, never-before seen, head and tail customizations as part of the 2022 Collection!

We will continue to iterate on this new system and introduce new customizations. We will be actively listening to feedback on the Battlesnake Discord server and the Battlesnake Discussions forum as we explore what is and isn't working! You're also welcome to email us at hello@battlesnake.com

With the Summer League leaderboard official closed, let’s take a look at the top tier Battlesnakes who qualified for the live tournaments on Saturday, July 23rd and Saturday, July 30th on Twitch.TV/BattlesnakeOfficial 🏆

Tournament Format​

The 2022 Summer League Tournament's will kick off on Saturday, July 23rd beginning at 9am PT / 12pm ET on Twitch.TV/BattlesnakeOfficial with the Platinum Qualified competitors.

Then we'll return for the exciting finale to the Summer League on Saturday, July 30th beginning at 9am PT / 12pm ET on Twitch.TV/BattlesnakeOfficial where we will crown both the Elite Champion and the Peoples Choice Winner.

Platinum Tournament​

Saturday, July 23rd at 9am PT / 12pm ET​

An incredible 16 Battlesnake's qualified in the Platinum tier of the 2022 Summer League Tournament which will take place Saturday, July 23rd on Twitch.

Check out the Brackets for the Summer League Platinum Tournament​

Elite Tournament​

Saturday, July 30th at 9am PT / 12pm ET​

With fierce competition throughout the competition, 16 of this seasons best Battlesnakes qualified for the 2022 Summer League Elite Tournament.

Check out the Brackets for the Summer League Elite Tournament​

Peoples Choice Contenders​

While Battlesnake is about code, it is also about community, and that is one of the reasons why the Peoples Choice award was created back in 2020.

Take a peek at the current top three contenders for the Peoples Choice award below, but remember there is still plenty of time to vote, so go ahead and cheer on your favorite Battlesnake today!

Learn more about Ziggy Snakedust​

Learn more about Hovering Hobbs​

Learn more about Combat Reptile​

Thanks & See You Soon!​

Before we close, we want to thank all of the Summer League competitors, both those who qualified and those who didn't make it to the tournament 🙏

We'd also like to send a big shoutout to our amazing community and our wonderful 2022 partners at RBC, New Relic, DigitalOcean and Twilio who help to make these spectacular competitions possible ❤️‌

See you at the Live Tournaments on July 23rd and 30th 👋

June was a busy month for the team with getting Summer League off the ground and making some big improvements to the platform!

Summer League Launched​

Summer League is live and we are halfway through the competition. In addition to wrapped mode, Summer League has introduced a completely new aspect to league competition: the massive Arcade Maze game map.

Arcade Maze Map​

The Arcade Maze map is a 19 x 21 board filled with pathways that Battlesnakes must strategically navigate. Unlike previous hazard maps, these hazards are deadly, causing 100 damage when a Battlesnake enters the space. This has created a whole new set of challenges to navigate for Summer League!

We have also added some new Arcade Maze Challenges to help developers figure out how to update their Battlesnake to understand this hazard map.

Update League UI​

Sherri and Lorne have been working hard to polish the new League Dashboard interface as we continue to level up the Battlesnake user experience. The new leaderboard shows an animated match timer and recent round stats which provides you with easy access to your Battlesnakes recent game history!

We have plans to do a lot more updates to the Battlesnake UI/UX over the summer!

Game Maps​

Rob has spent June refining the new Game Map system in Rules to better support new features including snake placement and food placement. In addition, we have added a variety of new maps in the system to try out such as Rivers and Bridges and Rings.

Implementation of all game maps, including the Summer League Arcade Maze map, are open source and can be viewed in the Rules repo!

Build your own Battlesnake Maps​

We've made it easier to build your own maps in code, and register them to be used with the local CLI.

Battlesnake CLI Improvements​

With all the updates to Rules in May and June we have implemented several improvements to the Battlesnake CLI to help developers test their Battlesnakes in different situations.

New Browser Feature​

If you are tired of trying to debug your snake using the ASCII board, the CLI can now render games in a browser using our game board renderer!

Just add the --browser flag to your CLI command and it will load up the game in a web browser in real time.

Game Maps​

Using the --map <name> flag on the CLI command you can create a game with any of the game maps build into the Rules repository. This can be combined with the --browser flag to get a fully rendered game using any map!

Solo Mode​

The CLI now supports running single Battlesnake games (aka solo games) using all of the game modes provided in the Rules.

That's all for now. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the Battlesnake Discord server.

If you've already registered your Battlesnake for Summer League 2022, you might be familiar with the new "Arcade Maze" map. But did you know you can build your own custom Battlesnake maps?

We recently open-sourced the code behind custom hazard maps, snake placement, and food spawning used in past game modes in the BattlesnakeOfficial/rules repo. We've also made it easier to build your own maps in code, and register them to be used with the local CLI.

Maps are an all in one deal - each map is responsible for placing all snakes on the board, setting up the initial food and hazards on turn zero, and dynamically adding, removing, or moving food, hazards, and event snakes every turn. But if you just want to build a map that creates some hazards, don't worry - you can call out to the standard map to set up spawn points or randomized food.

Right now maps are in beta mode, and we're looking for community members to try building them. If you open a Pull Request at BattlesnakeOfficial/rules, we'll review and try to get it merged so that others can play-test it through the CLI. If a map plays well, we'll move it into a new challenge or the Battlegrounds on play.battlesnake.com!

A new game map has already been contributed by the amazing coreyja from the Battlesnake community: the solo_maze map! This map not only builds a random maze for your Battlesnake to solve, but will continue to build larger mazes once food has been picked up. The map will be available for anyone to test out locally in the latest release of the rules CLI, and we plan to make it available in a series of challenges on the main site soon!

See the README for more details on how to implement your own Battlesnake game map!

Preview games with the Board​

You might be wondering if there's a way to check if your map will look good on the real Battlesnake game board. Now there is!

You can view a game played through the CLI with the new --browser option. When you pass this, a temporary local websocket server will fire up, a game board URL will automatically open in your default browser, and the game will be played back using the real game board. This feature is pretty new, so please let us know if you run into any bugs when viewing games this way. Heads up - the page can't be refreshed when viewed this way. If you need to keep a record of the game, make sure to also pass --output <filename> to keep a log of the results in JSONL format.

It's time to register your Battlesnake! We're here to cover all the exciting game changes in store for Summer League so you'll be ready for battle when the ladders start on June 17.

Register for Summer League!​

What's New in Summer League 2022?​

Introducing the Arcade Maze Map​

"With great new maps, comes great new strategies."‌ ‌- 🐍

This Summer League, we're using a new map that features winding paths of deadly hazard walls that are not only impassible by Battlesnakes, but a one-hit kill! This map is a bit of a chonker too with a 19x21 game board.

Deadly Hazard Walls​

One wrong move could spell game over for your Battlesnake. Collisions with a hazard wall are fatal—dealing 100 damage to your Battlesnake. This is a big change from previous game modes where hazard damage was limited to 14 per turn.

Wrapped Mode​

Don't mind that gap. Battlesnakes can pass through the outer boundaries of the board by using gaps in the hazard walls to appear on the opposite side. Should another Battlesnake be on the other side of the board at the same time, standard collision rules apply.

Summer League Schedule​

Here's a brief overview of all the important dates for Summer League including when to watch the tournaments live on Twitch.  You can add them to your google calendar here.

• Registration Opens: NOW!
• Ladder Opens: June 17 at 10:00pm PDT / June 18 1:00am EDT
• Ladder Closes: July 16 at 8:00am PDT / 11:00am EDT
• Platinum Tournament: July 23 at 9:00am PDT / 12:00pm EDT
• Elite Tournament: July 30 at 9:00am PDT / 12:00pm EDT

Don't miss all the exciting Battlesnake Streams on Twitch.. See the air dates here.

Prizes​

This time around we're giving away a prize pool of over $1000 worth of Battlensnake goodies, gift cards, and bragging rights.

Ladders - The New Schedule is here to stay!​

The people have spoken! The new ladder mechanics adopted in Spring League 2022 will stay for Summer League 2022. Ladders will run up to 100 matches during a predetermined 8-hour time window each day. Thanks for sharing your Spring League feedback with us.

Big Thanks to our Partners​

Our wonderful partners are what makes Battlesnake possible. A big thanks goes out to DigitalOcean, Twilio, New Relic, and RBC for their continued support!

Register for Summer League!

Have something you want to share with us? Reach out to us on Discord, Twitter @playbattlesnake, or at hello@battlesnake.com.