Neuroevolution in Real Time Games
Since 2005
The goal of this project is to evaluate and improve Neuroevolution as a machine learning technique in a wide variety of complex environments provided by real-time computer games. To date, we have used the TIELT framework to embed the NEAT algorithm in the Unreal Tournament computer game, successfully evolving simple navigation behaviors. Our work has also allowed us to propose a set of improvements for TIELT (Testbed for Integration and Evaluation of Learning Techniques), which is a platform that seeks to provide researchers with a uniform interface to a library of computer game environments.
  • Example of initial (random) agent behavior (AVI, MOV)
  • Example of evolved agent behavior: the agent moves towards a target on the left wall of the level (AVI, MOV)
People
Igor V. Karpov Masters Alumni ikarpov [at] gmail com
Kenneth Stanley Postdoctoral Alumni kstanley [at] cs ucf edu
Publications
Neuroevolution Insights Into Biological Neural Computation 2025
Risto Miikkulainen, Science, Vol. 387 (2025), pp. eadp7478.
Neuroevolution: Harnessing Creativity in AI Model Design 2025
Sebastian Risi, David Ha, Yujin Tang, Risto Miikkulainen, To Appear In , MIT Press, Cambridge, MA 2025. MIT Press.
Evaluating team behaviors constructed with human-guided machine learning 2015
Igor V. Karpov, Leif M. Johnson and Risto Miikkulainen, To Appear In Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Computational Intelligence in Games, August 31-July 2 2015.
Evaluation Methods for Active Human-Guided Neuroevolution in Games 2012
Igor Karpov, Leif Johnson, Vinod Valsalam and Risto Miikkulainen, In 2012 AAAI Fall Symposium on Robots Learning Interactively from Human Teachers (RLIHT), November 2012.
Assisting Machine Learning Through Shaping, Advice and Examples 2011
Igor Karpov, Vinod Valsalam and Risto Miikkulainen, In 2011 IJCAI Workshop on Agents Learning Interactively from Human Teachers (ALIHT), July 2011.
Human-Assisted Neuroevolution Through Shaping, Advice and Examples 2011
Igor V. Karpov, Vinod K. Valsalam and Risto Miikkulainen, In Proceedings of the 13th Annual Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO 2011), Dublin, Ireland, July 2011.
Computational Intelligence in Games 2006
Risto Miikkulainen, Bobby D. Bryant, Ryan Cornelius, Igor V. Karpov, Kenneth O. Stanley, and Chern Han Yong, In Computational Intelligence: Principles and Practice, Gary Y. Yen and David B. Fogel (Eds.), Piscataway, NJ 2006. IEEE Computational Intelligence Society.
Creating Intelligent Agents in Games 2006
Risto Miikkulainen, The Bridge (2006), pp. 5-13.
Integration and Evaluation of Exploration-Based Learning in Games 2006
Igor V. Karpov, Thomas D'Silva, Craig Varrichio, Kenneth O. Stanley, Risto Miikkulainen, In Proceedings of the {IEEE} Symposium on Computational Intelligence and Games, Reno, NV 2006. IEEE.
Labs
Neural Networks