A Performance Improvement Technique for Nash Q-learning using Macro-Actions
Yun Sick Sung, Kyungeun Cho, Kyhyun Um · Journal of Korea Multimedia Society · 2008
A multi-agent system has a longer learning period and larger state-spaces than a sin91e agent system. In this paper, we suggest a new method to reduce the learning time of Nash Q-learning in a multi-agent environment. We apply Macro-actions to Nash Q-learning to improve the teaming speed. In the Nash Q-teaming scheme, when agents select actions, rewards are accumulated like Macro-actions. In the experiments, we compare Nash Q-learning using Macro-actions with general Nash Q-learning. First, we observed how many times the agents achieve their goals. The results of this experiment show that agents using Nash Q-learning and 4 Macro-actions have 9.46% better performance than Nash Q-learning using only 4 primitive actions. Second, when agents use Macro-actions, Q-values are accumulated 2.6 times more. Finally, agents using Macro-actions select less actions about 44%. As a result, agents select fewer actions and Macro-actions improve the Q-value's update. It the agents' learning speeds improve.