How to Use Stable-Retro: Your Guide to Reinventing Classic Games for Reinforcement Learning

Stable-Retro is an exciting fork of the popular gym-retro project, enabling developers to create Gymnasium environments for a variety of classic video games. This blog will guide you through installing Stable-Retro, adding new games, and resolving common issues you may encounter along the way.

What is Stable-Retro?

Stable-Retro lets you immerse yourself in the world of retro gaming while utilizing powerful reinforcement learning techniques. Unlike its predecessor gym-retro, which is no longer accepting new entries, Stable-Retro welcomes contributions from the community, keeping the charm of classic games alive with expanded support for new titles and platforms.

Installation Steps

Getting started with Stable-Retro is as easy as pie! Here’s how:

• For Most Platforms:

  pip3 install stable-retro

• If the above doesn’t work:

  pip3 install git+https://github.com/Farama-Foundation/stable-retro.git

• For Editing/Integrating New ROMs:

  git clone https://github.com/Farama-Foundation/stable-retro.git
  cd stable-retro
  pip3 install -e .

• For Apple Silicon Users:

  Building from source requires several steps:

  • pip install cmake wheel

  • brew install pkg-config lua@5.1 libzip qt5 capnp

  • echo export PATH=/opt/homebrew/opt/qt@5/bin:$PATH >> ~/.zshrc

  • export SDKROOT=$(xcrun --sdk macosx --show-sdk-path)

  • pip install -e .

Understanding the Code

The installation commands might look overwhelming, but think of it like building a LEGO set. Every command is a block that fits together to create a larger structure—your gaming environment. Each command serves a unique purpose:

• pip install: It’s like ordering individual LEGO blocks to your doorstep. You ensure you have what you need.
• git clone: Imagine this as picking out the pre-designed LEGO kit from the store. You are taking all the pieces you’ll need to build your unique model.
• cd stable-retro: This step is akin to opening the box and setting up your workspace; you need to be in the right spot to begin building.
• pip3 install -e .: Here’s where you snap those blocks together to create a cohesive structure—installing everything you’ve gathered.

Training Your Model

Once you have everything set up, you can begin training your model. For instance, to train using the Airstriker-Genesis environment, use the following commands:

cd retro/examples
python3 ppo.py --game=Airstriker-Genesis

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any hiccups along the way, consider the following tips:

• Make sure you have the correct version of Python installed (3.7 to 3.12 is supported).
• If the installation command returns errors, check your internet connection or ensure that pip is updated.
• Refer to the documentation at https://stable-retro.farama.org for community-driven insights and specific fixes related to your issues.

For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Conclusion

At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.

Final Thoughts

If you’re ready to revive classic games and dive into the world of reinforcement learning, Stable-Retro is your go-to toolkit. Don’t hesitate to contribute to this ever-expanding repository of gaming joy!