Question

I have free-rein over what I do on a final assignment for school, with respect to modifying a simple direct-x game that currently just has the camera follow some rollercoaster rails. I’ve developed an interest in genetic algorithms and would like to take this opportunity to apply one and learn something about them. However, I can’t think of any way I could possibly apply one in this case. What are some options available to me?

Answer 1

From your query, it seems like that you want to use Genetic Algorithms to get optimized roller coaster rail tracks. For any optimization problem:

1. you will first need to break down your desired solution into its components or design variables.
2. Once you have the “variables” you need to look at formulating a objective function with them. Usually you would code it in such a way that your desired solution minimizes it.
3. Then you need to decide on a coding scheme to use in your Genetic Algorithm. Real Coded Genetic Algorithm is more useful in cases where you have a continuous search space.

These are the first things. Once you have them, you need to decide on a Crossover and Mutation strategy. Then finally you have to decide, whether you want to use a existing GA code in your problem, use some library or code it yourself.

A more descriptive question will help me to add more to this. What language are you looking to work in?

EDIT: I haven’t used it myself, PARDISEO is a C++ template based library for among many other things, Genetic Algorithms, as well. Also, you can take a look at the C version of a Real Coded GA at http://www.iitk.ac.in/kangal/codes.shtml

From your(OP) comment:

Literally, all it does is load an xml
file with some track coordinates,
build the rails, and have teh camera
follow these tracks like you were on a
rollercoaster. All that in about 100
thousand lines of code

I think you would like to look at the track coordinates as possible design variables and see what combination of them give you a optimized (in terms of cost, better view, comfort, etc..) and then see what mathematical relation you can obtain among the best set. Then you are all set to apply GA to it. 🙂