Application of NEAT algorithm in PC

Games.
Ankur Rai(10114)
Sourya Basu(13710)
Mentor : Prof. Harish Karnick
February 10, 2016

1 Brief idea about the project

The aim of this project is to use NEAT(NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topolo-
gies) algorithm [1] in a simple computer game and demonstrate the capability
of an agent to learn to perform a task over several generations.

2 Methodology
In this work, we will try to make a simple game with two robots in a 2-D space,
each having the capability to move around and rotate and shoot at each other.
In the beginning, the robots will not have any instructions to be executed, so
it would perform random tasks until it eventually finds that some specific tasks
results in the increase of its fitness function. Thus, the robots will try to increase
its fitness function and in this way it can learn to perform any task over several
generations. In this case the task would be to damage the opponent robot and
escape itself from opponents attacks.
We would possibly make use of python libraries for NEAT algorithm and
use it in the game.

3 Datasets
Datasets will be self-generated while the robots are trained in a 2-D framework.

4 Timeline
There will be approximately 7 weeks available between 22th Feb - 3rd April.
So, following is a rough work distribution over the period.
 Week no. Work to be completed
1-2 Designing Graphical Interface
3-5 Training to fight using NEAT algorithms
6-7 Testing part

Table 1: Timeline

5 Previous Work
NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies is a genetic algorithm developed in
the year 2002 by Ken Stanley [1]. Since then there has been several works
in application of NEAT in pc games as such as [2], [3]. A real time NEAT
algorithm for evolving increasingly complex artificial neural networks in real
time is discussed. In which the game characters learns through interacting with
the player as a game is being played.

References
[1] Stanley, Kenneth O., and Risto Miikkulainen. Evolving neural networks
through augmenting topologies. Evolutionary computation 10.2 (2002): 99-
127.

[2] Stanley, Kenneth O., Bobby D. Bryant, and Risto Miikkulainen. Evolving
neural network agents in the NERO video game. Proceedings of the IEEE
(2005): 182-189.
[3] Reddemann, Katie. Evolving Neural Networks in NPCs in Video Games.