Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Infinite Mario With Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment

Posted by Soulskill on from the there's-always-another-castle dept.

bgweber writes "There's been a lot of discussion about whether games should adapt to the skills of players. However, most current techniques limit adaptation to parameter adjustment. But if the parameter adaptation is applied to procedural content generation, then new levels can be generated on-line in response to a player's skill. In this adaptation of Infinite Mario (with source [.JAR]), new levels are generated based on the performance of the player. What other gameplay mechanics are open for adaptation when games adapt to the skills of specific players?"

8 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. Interesting Idea by chonglibloodsport · · Score: 2, Interesting

    But not a whole lot of fun in practice.

    Spelunky http://www.spelunkyworld.com/ is a way better example of a platformer with randomly generated levels.

  2. Play more games by Yuioup · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The implementation of some of the monsters is wrong. I died when I tried to jump on a creature which I know can be jumped on.

  3. But that's not all gold by VincenzoRomano · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If you adapt too much, then the player won't feel challenges anymore. And in games challenges are the things that will demand players to push forward the efforts.

    --
    Maybe Computers will never be as intelligent as Humans.
    For sure they won't ever become so stupid. [VR-1988]
  4. Re:New enemies by El_Muerte_TDS · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Ok, the worst encounter so far was a flying spiny.

    The level generator also creates levels which cannot be completed. It generated a level for me where I started in front of an enemy.

  5. Feed to to Mario AI... by Yvanhoe · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...and watch the difficulty exponentially rise to reach singularity :-)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlkMs4ZHHr8

    --
    The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
    1. Re:Feed to to Mario AI... by FonzCam · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Looks like he's done it already. http://bweber.posterous.com/infinite-mario-ai-vs-my-level-generator

  6. Re:Only if it's an option by noidentity · · Score: 2, Interesting

    One of the fun part of video games is playing the same level as someone else then talking about it, sharing frustrations and strategies. Once every level is different, this becomes much less easily done.

    You mean where it allows you to save the level you played and replay it? Not hard to do, just save the RNG seed state (see SimCity classic for example).

  7. What about learning? by Max+Romantschuk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    One of the joys (for me) of playing 2D Mario games is learning how a level progresses and eventually being able to beat it though enough practice. If the level keeps changing this is taken away. I think it would be frustrating...

    Then again, I did enjoy Diablo II.

    --
    .: Max Romantschuk :: http://max.romantschuk.fi/