Computer Watches Gameplay Videos, Designs Mario Levels

Just how far are we off from a fully sentient work of artificial intelligence? Quite some distance away, I believe, but this does not discount the possibility of such a thing happening in the future, of course. Having said that, if you love all things Mario, and figure out that you could come up with far better levels by yourself, there is an outlet for you to do so with Mario Maker that is set to be out later this September. However, how about having a computer come up with a level in Mario – is that even possible?

Apparently so, as researchers over at the Georgia Institute of Technology have come up with a computing system which is touted to be able to design as well as create levels from simple games, all without any kind of external help. The system remains unnamed at this point in time, where it is known as “Toward Game Level Generation from Gameplay Videos.”

Basically, the computer program will watch gameplay videos of the original Super Mario Bros., before it takes all that it has viewed in order to churn out levels of its own. How is this made possible? Through the analysis of standard features from the levels, ranging from walls to pipes, enemies and jumps, before coming up with a playable level that thankfully, will not be impossible to complete.

[Press Release]

Edwin Kee
Categories: Computers, Gaming
Tags: mario