Using AI to design board games

#1

Post by chaddeshon » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 3:53 PM UTC

Using AI to design board games
boardgamegeek.com

Re: Using AI to design board games

#2

Post by unoti » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 4:51 PM UTC

A section of the article says this: Raf describes two requirements for serendipity to occur: 1. Active searching: The designer should not simply wait for inspiration to strike, but should immerse himself in ideas and look for harmonies between them...

It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Picasso:

“That inspiration comes, does not depend on me. The only thing I can do is make sure it catches me working.” ― Pablo Picasso

Re: Using AI to design board games

#3

Post by mjwalshe » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 4:57 PM UTC

Hmm i recall Trillion Credit Squadron back in the 80s where the use of computers was almost required to play and being at the bleeding edge of Ai research would be useful

Re: Using AI to design board games

#4

Post by MichaelGagnon » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 5:30 PM UTC

From the article: "Should the mantle of 'creator' lie with the program or the programmer?"

Strangely enough, this was the exact dilemma that Clarissa faced in in Episode 29 of Clarissa Explains it All, "Poetic Justice," in which she developed a program that generated poetry. When her program's poetry won the school's contest, she decided to publicly relinquish her award to her computer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Clarissa_Explains_It_Al...

Re: Using AI to design board games

#5

Post by kiba » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 6:00 PM UTC

MichaelGagnon wrote: post #4

From the article: "Should the mantle of 'creator' lie with the program or the programmer?" Strangely enough, this was the exact dilemma that Clarissa faced in in Episode 29 of Clarissa Explains it All, "Poetic Justice," in which she developed a program that generated poetry. When her program's poetry won the school's contest, she decided to publicly relinquish her award to her computer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L…

What an obscure reference to use. That show aired from 1991 to 1994, when I was a mere toddler.

Re: Using AI to design board games

#6

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 6:04 PM UTC

kiba wrote: post #5

MichaelGagnon wrote: post #4

From the article: "Should the mantle of 'creator' lie with the program or the programmer?" Strangely enough, this was the exact dilemma that Clarissa faced in in Episode 29 of Clarissa Explains it All, "Poetic Justice," in which she developed a program that generated poetry. When her program's poetry won the school's contest, she decided to publicly relinquish her award to her computer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L…

What an obscure reference to use. That show aired from 1991 to 1994, when I was a mere toddler.

[deleted]

Re: Using AI to design board games

#7

Post by zeteo » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 6:22 PM UTC

kiba wrote: post #5

MichaelGagnon wrote: post #4

From the article: "Should the mantle of 'creator' lie with the program or the programmer?" Strangely enough, this was the exact dilemma that Clarissa faced in in Episode 29 of Clarissa Explains it All, "Poetic Justice," in which she developed a program that generated poetry. When her program's poetry won the school's contest, she decided to publicly relinquish her award to her computer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L…

What an obscure reference to use. That show aired from 1991 to 1994, when I was a mere toddler.

Wait ten more years, you'll also be able to use obscure references.

Re: Using AI to design board games

#8

Post by _delirium » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 6:36 PM UTC

This paper, "Automatic Design of Balanced Board Games" [2007] might be of interest for similar reasons: http://www.aaai.org/Papers/AIIDE/2007/AIIDE07-005.pdf

Re: Using AI to design board games

#9

Post by Jtsummers » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 7:14 PM UTC

mjwalshe wrote: post #3

Hmm i recall Trillion Credit Squadron back in the 80s where the use of computers was almost required to play and being at the bleeding edge of Ai research would be useful

Thanks for providing the name, I've been trying to remember that story for a while now but my google-fu was weak and I couldn't recall any name involved (person, program or game).

I think you're refering to Dr. Douglas Lenat's Eurisko program. He applied it to the game Trillion Credit Squadron and won two years in a row with fleets the other participants scoffed at. The first year he/Eurisko won by creating a largely stationary fleet that could take enough damage to survive long enough to destroy its opponent. It exploited a damage rule in the competition. The damaged party got to select which component/subsystem was damaged. Eurisko constructed a fleet with many small, useless components which could be individually destroyed without impacting the effectiveness of the crafts themselves.

Edit: Reading more about it apparently the primary advantage was the shear number of craft. Essentially a fleet of kamikaze craft that could overwhelm the enemy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Lenat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurisko

Re: Using AI to design board games

#10

Post by wtracy » Wed, Jan 04, 2012, 8:39 PM UTC

_delirium wrote: post #8

This paper, "Automatic Design of Balanced Board Games" [2007] might be of interest for similar reasons: http://www.aaai.org/Papers/AIIDE/2007/AIIDE07-005.pdf

Thanks!

I've been kicking around the idea of using evolutionary algorithms to test gameplay balance, and it's cool to see that someone else is already working on it.