Feature learning using state differences

Domain-independent feature learning is a hard problem. This is reflected by lack of broad research in the area. The goal of General Game Playing (GGP) can be described as designing computer programs that can play a variety of games given only a logical game description. Any learning has to be domain...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: KIRCI, MESUT
Other Authors: Schaeffer, Jonathan (Computing Science)
Format: Others
Language:en
Published: 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10048/1011
Description
Summary:Domain-independent feature learning is a hard problem. This is reflected by lack of broad research in the area. The goal of General Game Playing (GGP) can be described as designing computer programs that can play a variety of games given only a logical game description. Any learning has to be domain-independent in the GGP framework. Learning algorithms have not been an essential part of all successful GGP programs. This thesis presents a feature learning approach, GIFL, for 2-player, alternating move games using state differences. The algorithm is simple, robust and improves the quality of play. GIFL is implemented in a GGP program, Maligne. The experiments show that GIFL outperforms standard UCT algorithm in nine out of fifteen games and loses performance only in one game.