Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

[igotrhythm]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

I can see it doing well at the original Mega Man because that had a scoring system and linear levels. Anything past that, though, it's going to struggle mightily because there's nothing telling it what constitutes progress through a level other than survival. And then there's the boss fights--the Karate Kid demonstration proves that lexicographical tracking is not the way to go when life bars are involved.

Just wait until this thing gets unleashed on Robot Unicorn Attack. O_O

[qqwref]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

Despite its shortcomings this is a pretty solid achievement, and the video was really fun too. I'm surprised it already learned some conceptually tricky strategies (physics abuse, walljumping, ragequits). I think that although it isn't well-suited for some types of games, with some modifications, it could get really good. For instance, in Super Mario Bros. it could be specifically told that the number of lives may never ever be allowed to decrease, or in Tetris it could be told that pausing is illegal (and trained for long enough that it realizes lines give more points and are more important than anything else).

[j-rodd123]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

i am not impressed

[mrpreggers]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

i chuckled pretty hard at tetris.. pausing because it refuses to lose lol

[dAnceguy117]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

Pretty incredible how the exact same program will play any NES game and, in some cases, play them very well. This guy rules.

How "greedy" is the algorithm, though, if it peeks into the future? Might as well grow those sequences and make more comprehensive choices. Less elegant, but more effective, right?

That juke to avoid dying in Pac-man was out of this world

[qqwref]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

That juke to avoid dying in Pac-man was out of this world

Haha, yup. I guess that's what happens when you can look into the future and you just don't give a fuck

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

This is a good programmer. There are many out there who think they are good but really are just mediocre. If you can start to do things that approach this level of complexity you're starting to enter the realm of actual good programmers.

Also, this is Artificial Intelligence. It is a perfect example of Artificial Intelligence in action. Though it needs vast improvements, it is a good start.

Also, one of you mentioned MegaMan as being a good candidate for this as-is. I disagree. Though MegaMan does have a scoring system, it has no timer and thus no incentive to finish quickly. Further, killing common enemies yields points and sometimes those circular point items. So it would most likely find a good point-grinding spot and just stay there indefinitely.

[Reincarnate]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

This is a good programmer. There are many out there who think they are good but really are just mediocre. If you can start to do things that approach this level of complexity you're starting to enter the realm of actual good programmers.

Also, this is Artificial Intelligence. It is a perfect example of Artificial Intelligence in action. Though it needs vast improvements, it is a good start.

Also, one of you mentioned MegaMan as being a good candidate for this as-is. I disagree. Though MegaMan does have a scoring system, it has no timer and thus no incentive to finish quickly. Further, killing common enemies yields points and sometimes those circular point items. So it would most likely find a good point-grinding spot and just stay there indefinitely.

It technically doesn't need a timer -- a progression through level numbers is in itself a lexicographical metric that would be taken into account.

And I don't think the MM games have score systems, so I don't think those metrics would be associated with a winning game play.

However, I think the problem would arise with Megaman bosses, which require a lot more complexity to beat (and those elements I think would be hard to optimize in terms of increasing lexicographical metrics).

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

It technically doesn't need a timer -- a progression through level numbers is in itself a lexicographical metric that would be taken into account.

And I don't think the MM games have score systems, so I don't think those metrics would be associated with a winning game play.

However, I think the problem would arise with Megaman bosses, which require a lot more complexity to beat (and those elements I think would be hard to optimize in terms of increasing lexicographical metrics).

The very first MegaMan game does, though to my knowledge no other MegaMan game does. (I'm not sure about watch or Tiger handhelds or such -- they might)

It was pretty useless which is why they removed it. Bosses also awarded completely random amounts of points, most enemies awarded points, and sometimes enemies dropped small balls which also awarded point multipliers. And you could keep replaying levels indefinitely.

[dascookieman]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

very cool indeed, nice video

[intensez]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

It technically doesn't need a timer -- a progression through level numbers is in itself a lexicographical metric that would be taken into account.

And I don't think the MM games have score systems, so I don't think those metrics would be associated with a winning game play.

However, I think the problem would arise with Megaman bosses, which require a lot more complexity to beat (and those elements I think would be hard to optimize in terms of increasing lexicographical metrics).

actually the older mega man games, like 1 and 2, have a scoring system.

however i'm pretty sure that that bot would have problems getting through some of these parts since theres barely any score guiding it. and when it gets to a boss it'd either jump in a corner or do nothing

[igotrhythm]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

This bot got the attention of the folks at Game Informer. Can't find the link to the article, but I do know that it got its own article in the hard copy version.

[cedolad]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

What month? I have might have a copy I can photocopy.

[igotrhythm]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

What month? I have might have a copy I can photocopy.

The Sep. 2013 one, page 26.

It's got a dragon rampant on the front cover with a couple of adventurers staring it down on the back, you can't miss it.

[qqwref]

Re: Bot that plays NES games by making numbers go higher

When I saw this topic again, one part of my brain remembered it, and the other part imagined someone asking a top gamer how they are so good and getting the response "I make the numbers go higher"...