Toward a Simulation Model Complexity Measure

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In the present paper, the Authors offer an overview of complexity from a variety of perspectives and provide a body of knowledge with respect to the complexity of simulation models. In particular, are defined key terms of model detail, resolution, and scope are defined. Furthermore, Kolmogorov complexity, and an application of this concept, normalized compression distance, are used to indicate the possibility of measuring changes in model detail. Finally, the Authors consider some examples to show that KC and NCD measurements of simulation models can detect changes in scope and detail.

The paper is well-written and appears scientifically sound. The obtained results are such to deserve publication of the paper in the journal INFORMATION also in its present form.

Author Response

Thank you for your review. Please see the attached response.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper is relevant to the topics of the special issue.

The paper is well structured and provides important challenges in M&S.

It clearly presents the motivations of the proposed work concerning the measure of complexity for M&S in the introduction.

It summarizes a number of complexity measures already defined in other research domains

 It  presents the concept of  Kolmogorov complexity as the most promising for simulation models. 

It demonstrates using a set of basic models that Kolmogorov complexity measure should be better that a set of conventional complexity metrics.

It proposes a list of challenges for the future in this domain. I have a question concerning some papers which develop the notion activity of simulation models which is linked with the concept of complexity measure in M&S (these papers developed by Prof. B.P. Zeigler and colleagues listed  in the following papers may be useful in the scope of the paper):

 

A.Muzy, F. Varenne, B.P. Zeigler, J. Caux, P. Coquillard, L. Touraille, D. Prunetti, P. Caillou, O. Michel, D.R. Hill, Refounding of the activity concept? Towards a federative paradigm for modeling and simulation (2013), Vol. 89, pp. 156–177 

 

A.Muzy, D.R.C. Hill, What is new with the activity world view in modeling and simulation? using activity as a unifying guide for modeling and simulation, in Simulation Conference (WSC), Proceedings of the 2011 Winter (2011), pp. 2882–2894 

 

  I think that this work concerning activity in M&S and the link with complexity may be briefly presented in the background section.

Author Response

Thank you for your review. Please see the attached response.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx