Problem 1245. PACMAT 04 - Optimized Ghosts, Equal Speed, 10 Lives

The Classic PACMAN game brought to Cody.

PACMAT requires clearing at least 130 Yellow Dots while avoiding the wandering ghosts in 10 lives. Adjacent Ghosts will capture PACMAT. Ghosts do not use the tunnel. On Ghost capture everyone gets reset. These trained ghosts take the minimum path to PACMAT assuming the other Ghosts are walls. This may be an unclearable level with equal speed for PACMAT and Ghosts.

To aid in development of your routine, a PACMAT_Ghosts_004.m file that creates a video has been posted at PACMAT_Ghosts_004.m. (Right click, 'save link as'). Using patches thus enable/figure, disable/video for best results.

Alfonso Enhanced (MP4) The ghosts spread and then converge to block all paths.

Inputs: Map Definitions: -1=Wall, 0=Empty, 1=Dot, 2=PACMAT, >2=Ghost

Output: Direction Definitions: 1-Up, 2-Right, 3-Down, 4-Left, 0-No move

Pass Criteria: Max 114 remaining dots out of starting 244

Scoring: Updated 2/06/13

if dots remaining>0 score= 3000 - moves / 50 + 50 * dots;
else score= 2000 - 200 * Lives Remaining + moves

Hint: Algorithm that finds optimum path to nearest dot will Pass

Theory: Usage of non-adjacent Ghost locations needed for Total Success

Near Future: Same Ghosts that find minimum path to PACMAT assuming other ghosts are walls. Increase PACMAT relative speed after each Ghost capture of PACMAT.