3D
3D Soccer Simulation
The RoboCup Federation created the simulation league to foster research on soccer game playing at a higher level than was previously possible in the real world because of the contemporary restraints of robotics technology.
Robots playing soccer in 3D Soccer Simulation League
While it started as a two-dimensional simulation, the 3D simulation competition (2004) improved the challenge by adding an extra dimension. Thereby increasing the realism of the simulated environment and making it more comparable to other (real world) RoboCup league environments, but still being able to simulate more players on the field than practical in, say, the middle-sized or even the small size league. Thus giving rise to higher-level research on larger groups of slightly more realistic soccer-playing robots. But it was still the only sphere-shaped agents running around the field.
Finally, as of 2006, the league simulates 3D models of humanoids based on robots used in the non-simulated RoboCup humanoid league. This opens up opportunities for research on higher-level control of humanoid robots and higher-level behaviors in humanoid soccer and getting closer to how humans play the game.
In reality, all these changes have caused a slight shift in the aim of the 3D simulation competition over the past few years.
It was initially (and still is in the 2D competition) finding out how to create higher strategic behaviors in soccer-playing multi-agent systems. Now the changes to the competition have to lead it to a slightly lower level of problem-solving temporarily. This is because of the increased difficulty of the 3D environment and the problems of controlling humanoid agents at a more basic level.
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Highlights of final match BahiaRT x ITAndroids in LARC/CBR 2014.
Notwithstanding these difficulties in the past few years, we are happy to say that the 3D simulation competition - now using simulated humanoid robotic agents- is slowly getting back to a higher level and is yet again ready for research and development of higher-level tactical behaviors in the multi-agent soccer research area.
For further information, see the official league site and join the official mailing list.