Sam Snodgrass

Learning to Generate Video Game Maps Using Markov Models

Procedural content generation has become a popular research topic in recent years. However, most content generation systems are specialized to a single game. We are interested in methods that can generate content for a wide variety of games without a game-specific algorithm design. Statistical approaches are a promising avenue for such generators and, more specifically, map generators. In this paper, we explore Markov models as a means of modeling and generating content for multiple domains. We apply our Markov models to Super Mario Bros., Loderunner , and Kid Icarus in order to determine how well our models perform in terms of the playability of the content generated, the expressive ranges of the models, and the effects of training data on those expressive ranges.

Case-Based Prediction of Teen Driver Behavior and Skill

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group and claiming the lives of about eight teenagers a day, according to the 2010 report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In order to inform new training methods and new technology to accelerate learning and reduce teen crash risk, a more complete understanding of this complex driving behavior was needed. In this application paper we present our first step towards deploying case-based techniques to model teenage driver behavior and skill level. Specifically, we present our results in using case-based reasoning (CBR) to model both the vehicle control behavior and the skill proficiency of teen drivers by using data collected in a high-fidelity driving simulator. In particular, we present a new similarity measure to compare behavioral data based on feature selection methods, which achieved good results in predicting behavior and skill.

Extended abstract for Canvas Obscura

Canvas Obscura is a survival-horror game where the player must locate objects within an ever-changing environment. Canvas Obscura pushes the boundaries of the survival-horror genre by including procedurally generated levels.