Contra-Lua.

--Genetic algorithm implemented using lua and bizhawk to play classic contra retro game--

The goal of this project is to test my understanding of the NEAT algorithm. I got very heavy inspiration from sethblings MAR/IO video and code on NEAT algorithms alongside a number of research papers which I am currently looking into and will list/credit in this read me.

Please note: This project is still undergoing and I intend to complete it as soon as i get some free time!

Roadmap part 1.

1. Get to grips with Lua programming language DONE
2. Understand how to use TAS and Bizhawk to extract game information DONE
3. Extract game data including player health, locations, enemy status DONE
4. In conjunction with looking at research papers and seth blings code, rework and understand the code to fit the solution of my current problem DONE

Roadmap part 2(Mapping Damage states/ Bug squashing in progress).

1. Create connection gene structures DONE
2. Create node gene structure DONE
3. Create sample network DONE
4. Create mutation functions DONE
5. Test mutation functions DONE
6. Test network with mutation functions DONE
7. Create crossover functions DONE
8. Test crossover functions DONE
9. Test crossover, mutation and networ functions DONE
10. Create species function DONE
11. Test species functionDONE
12. Create fitness calculation functionsDONE
13. Test fitness calculation functionsDONE
14. Run and evaluate sample generationDONE
15. Create stale species function(remove species which arent improving) DONE
16. Create function which allows only species which are doing well to breed more and not doing well to breed less.(what i have atm is that, all species are allowed to bread equivalently no matter the fitness this not very nice)DONE
17. Official test run in game NOT DONE

Resources.

1. http://nn.cs.utexas.edu/downloads/papers/stanley.ec02.pdf
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223999345_Tree-Based_Indirect_Encodings_for_Evolutionary_Development_of_Neural_Networks
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv6UVOQ0F44 (Seth's marl/io)
4. http://www.cs.ucf.edu/~kstanley/neat.html