So, I've been modifying and tweaking this MarIO script for the past two weeks just to see how far I can take it. In that time, I've learned how it works and what its weak points are.
Unlike past experiments I've seen with making something
generic to handle any game or the original MarIO's "millions of years of evolution" model, I have no reservations with installing lots and lots of Super Mario World specific logic into the Lua scripts to get it to go where I want it to go. It requires a lot of babysitting to prod it in the right directions (via scripts, never manually), but I can at least push it far enough to get past a few levels.
Currently, it's stuck on 1-3, because the level is pretty high up, and there's some yellow switch blocks keeping it alive, so it never wants to turn around and go up. I have an idea on how to fix it (dead zones), but it made me pause and think about exactly what I want to do with this thing.
So, what should I do with these dumb little bots?
Create the first fully-automated SMW run. This was my original approach. The MarIO video looks at a few levels, but never actually goes all the way. It would take a lot of custom code for certain levels, but I think it's possible to have them go all the way through the castles and beat Bowser.
The big question here is: Would this be worth a video? The bots aren't TASers. They aren't even speed runners. I can't see them beating any of the SMW times already posted on this site. As a concept, it would be neat, but it would more or less look like a typical person running through a course.
I dunno. Maybe I'm underselling it, and people would be interested in this concept.
Try to beat one of the TAS goals. Yeah, I don't really see this happening. Way too many tricks and long-term strategies for a bot to process. I might be able to code some of these tricks as inputs, but it would be running them at random, without any sort of strategy. SMW's popularity means I'm able to acquire so much memory map information, which is nice, but that also means the runs are that much more competitive.
Switch to a different game with less information to process. The bots might not be able to beat a TASer at SMW, but maybe something else with less combinations of input and outcomes. Maybe Punchout? There's only so many actions the boxer can do and so many outcomes of that action. Or Tetris? Would that even be an entertaining video?
Are there any options I'm not thinking of?
