The AI-Pac-Man experience has sparked a mixed bag of results, with some enthusiasts creating surprisingly good clones and others encountering technical issues and frustration.
A Lot Worse Than Expected: AI Pac-Man Clones, Reviewed
Can anyone create a rudimentary version of a classic arcade game like Pac-Man using just an AI chatbot and a dream? We asked several enthusiasts who attempted to create their own Grok Pac-Man clones, with very mixed results.
Pac-Man, also known as Puck-Man in Japan, is a classic arcade game released by Namco in 1980.
Created by Toru Igarashi and Shigeru Yokoyama, the game follows a yellow pellet-munching character as it navigates a maze to eat pac-dots while avoiding four ghosts.
Pac-Man was an instant success, selling over 400,000 units worldwide.
Its simplicity and addictive gameplay made it a cultural phenomenon, spawning numerous sequels, merchandise, and even a theme park attraction.
How Easy is it to Make a Pac-Man Clone?
To answer this question, we approached some people on X who had posted their own Grok Pac-Man clones. John Hester, a retired corporate software developer from California, explained why people are gushing over Grok. ‘Grok is a large language model (LLM) that competes with other language models like ChatGPT or Llama,’ he says. ‘ Grok 3 is the most advanced because it’s learning new things on a daily basis.‘
Grok is a concept introduced by science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein in his 1966 novel 'Stranger in a Strange Land'.
It refers to the ability to understand and empathize with another person's perspective, often described as seeing through their eyes.
Grokking involves suspending one's own biases and assumptions to gain a deeper understanding of someone else's thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
This concept has since been applied in various fields, including psychology, education, and business, as a way to foster effective communication and build strong relationships.
The Experience of Making a Pac-Man Clone
A Pac-Man clone is a game that mimics the original Pac-Man's gameplay and mechanics.
To create one, you'll need to understand the core components of the game, including the 'maze layout' , character movement, and scoring system.
You can use programming languages like Python or JavaScript to develop your clone.
Utilize libraries such as Pygame or Phaser for simplified development.
The game requires a 2D grid-based structure, where the player controls Pac-Man-like characters while avoiding enemies.
Implementing AI-powered ghost behavior adds complexity and challenge.
We asked Hester how easy it was to make a Grok Pac-Man clone, and he replied: ‘Almost… I asked: ‘Can you create [a version of] Pac-Man that I can play on a Windows desktop?’ I didn’t give much more detail. It chose to write it in Python … I got a pretty good approximation in seconds.‘ However, Hester noted that his Pac-Man was square, and he had to ask for additional features like round Pac-Man with an open mouth and moving ghosts.
Another enthusiast, SuperTrucker from New Jersey, shared his experience: ‘I wanted to make a game for my four-year-old son. It was surprisingly easy… Sorting out the bugs was frustrating.‘ Despite some issues, SuperTrucker‘s clone received a score of 3 stars.
The Quality of Grok Pac-Man Clones
We also spoke with 8 Bit from New Jersey, who created his clone in just 15 minutes: ‘The sound and maze could be more accurate, but it’s got an actual server for high scores. I’d give it four out of five.‘ OxLnk from Estonia, on the other hand, received a score of only 1 star due to technical issues.
The Best (and Worst) Attempts
After reviewing several attempts, we found that some clones were surprisingly good, while others were disappointing. Phreakops‘ clone was particularly bad, with a score of 1 star. However, ₿lackthorne‘s attempt was excellent, despite the creator being scammed by the author.
Conclusion
In conclusion, making a Pac-Man clone using Grok is not as easy as it seems. While some enthusiasts had positive experiences, others encountered technical issues and frustration. The quality of clones varies greatly, and it’s clear that more practice and expertise are needed to create a truly accurate version of the classic arcade game.
Attempting to Make a Pixel-Perfect Pac-Man Clone
Finally, we attempted to make our own pixel-perfect version of Pac-Man using Grok. Unfortunately, the experience was less than ideal. We had to open the Terminal to install XCode and use Pip to install PyGame, which left us feeling overwhelmed.
In the end, we decided to dress up as Blinky and run around the maze at our local park instead of continuing with the project.
- theguardian.com | ‘A lot worse than expected’: AI Pac Man clones, reviewed
