Ludology GameTek 211.5 - Cameron Browne
Oct 27, 2019
Cameron Browne, a digital archaeoludologist and associate professor at Maastricht University, dives into how AI and machine learning can unpack the rules of ancient games like Senet. He discusses 'ludemes'—the building blocks of games—and their role in reconstructing gameplay. Topics include the strategic depths of connection games like Hex, the historical evolution of chess from Chaturanga, and innovative game design methods. Browne invites listeners to engage with the Digital Ludeme Project and explore new gaming possibilities.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Ludemes Define Games' Essence
- Game rules can be broken down into atomic units called "ludemes" which combine to form complex games.
- This approach allows for evolving and creating new games by reassembling these fundamental components.
AI Revives Lost Game Rules
- Applying AI to ancient games helps reconstruct their lost rules by breaking them down into ludemes.
- Much existing knowledge on ancient games contains errors and biases from modern reconstructions.
Ludemes as Game DNA
- A ludeme is any unit of game information, such as board size or piece moves.
- Combining ludemes builds full game rules, enabling consistent analysis across diverse games.