What's the best neural network setup for a Snake game AI?

I’m trying to make an AI that plays Snake. I’m new to this stuff and need help picking the right neural network setup.

Here’s what I’ve got:

  • Input: 3 layers of a 10x10 grid (300 total inputs)

    • Layer 1: Snake body
    • Layer 2: Apple location
    • Layer 3: Snake head
  • Output: 4 values for possible moves (up, down, left, right)

Is this a good way to set things up? Any tips on choosing the right network architecture?

I tried something like this:

import tensorflow as tf

model = tf.keras.Sequential([
    tf.keras.layers.Flatten(input_shape=(3, 10, 10)),
    tf.keras.layers.Dense(64, activation='relu'),
    tf.keras.layers.Dense(32, activation='relu'),
    tf.keras.layers.Dense(4, activation='softmax')
])

But I’m not sure if it’s the best approach. What do you think? Should I use convolutional layers instead? Any advice would be awesome!

I’ve experimented with Snake AI before, and your approach is on the right track. However, I’d suggest a few tweaks based on my experience:

  1. Convolutional layers can be really effective for grid-based games like Snake. They’re great at picking up spatial patterns.

  2. Consider simplifying your input. Instead of 3 separate layers, you could use a single 10x10 grid with different values for empty spaces, snake body, apple, and head. This might make it easier for the network to understand the game state.

  3. For the output, you might want to consider using a ‘value’ output alongside the action probabilities. This can help with techniques like reinforcement learning.

Here’s a rough outline of a network that worked well for me:

model = tf.keras.Sequential([
    tf.keras.layers.Conv2D(32, (3, 3), activation='relu', input_shape=(10, 10, 1)),
    tf.keras.layers.Conv2D(64, (3, 3), activation='relu'),
    tf.keras.layers.Flatten(),
    tf.keras.layers.Dense(64, activation='relu'),
    tf.keras.layers.Dense(5)  # 4 actions + 1 value
])

Remember, the key is to experiment and see what works best for your specific implementation. Good luck with your project!