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Automating Speedrun Routing: Overview and Vision

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Applications of Evolutionary Computation (EvoApplications 2022)

Abstract

Speedrunning in general means to play a video game fast, i.e. using all means at one’s disposal to achieve a given goal in the least amount of time possible. To do so, a speedrun must be planned in advance, or routed, as referred to by the community. This paper focuses on discovering challenges and defining models needed when trying to approach the problem of routing algorithmically. To do so, this paper is split in two parts. The first part provides an overview of relevant speedrunning literature, extracting vital information and formulating criticism. Important categorizations are pointed out and a nomenclature is built to support professional discussion. The second part of this paper then refers to the actual speedrun routing optimization problem. Different concepts of graph representations are presented and their potential is discussed. Visions for problem solving are presented and assessed regarding suitability and expected challenges. Finally, a first assessment of the applicability of existing optimization methods to the defined problem is made, including metaheuristics/EA and Deep Learning methods.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    To put it in Newman’s words: “That which is in front of Link is space already consumed.” [28].

  2. 2.

    Symbols altered from original to prevent ambiguities.

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Groß, M., Zühlke, D., Naujoks, B. (2022). Automating Speedrun Routing: Overview and Vision. In: Jiménez Laredo, J.L., Hidalgo, J.I., Babaagba, K.O. (eds) Applications of Evolutionary Computation. EvoApplications 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13224. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-02462-7_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-02462-7_30

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