10.7. Step Counting Hill Climbing

10.7.1. Algorithm Description

Step Counting Hill Climbing also evaluates only a few moves per step. For a number of steps, it keeps the step score as a threshold. A move is accepted if it does not decrease the score, or if it leads to a score that is at least the threshold score.

10.7.2. Configuration

Step Counting Hill Climbing accepts any move that has a score which is higher than a threshold score. Every number of steps (specified by stepCountingHillClimbingSize), the threshold score is set to the step score.
  <localSearch>
    ...
    <acceptor>
      <stepCountingHillClimbingSize>400</stepCountingHillClimbingSize>
    </acceptor>
    <forager>
      <acceptedCountLimit>1</acceptedCountLimit>
    </forager>
  </localSearch>
Step Counting Hill Climbing should use a low acceptedCountLimit.
Step Counting Hill Climbing can be combined with a tabu acceptor at the same time, similar as shown in the Late Acceptance section.