What is pacmancsse413?

This repository is a collection of student coursework that applies artificial intelligence concepts to the classic arcade game Pacman. It was created for a university AI class (CSSE413) taught by Dr. Wollowski in the fall of 2014. The project demonstrates how different AI techniques can be used to control the characters and solve problems within a familiar gaming environment. At a high level, the code explores how to make Pacman or the ghosts behave intelligently. While the README doesn't go into detail about the specific algorithms used, coursework of this type typically involves programming the game characters to navigate the maze, avoid danger, or hunt for food using foundational AI methods like search algorithms or decision-making logic. Instead of just playing the game with a joystick, the code figures out the best moves automatically based on the rules of the game. The primary audience for this project is students, educators, or anyone curious about how artificial intelligence can be applied to games. For example, a computer science professor might use it as a reference when teaching their own AI class, or a beginner programmer might look at the code to understand the basics of pathfinding and game AI. It serves as a practical, hands-on example of AI theory in action. Because this is an academic project, the code was written for learning rather than production use. It reflects a student's exploration of AI topics at a specific point in time, meaning it may not be optimized for modern systems or real-world applications. Its value lies in education, showing the step-by-step process of teaching a computer to play a game intelligently.