Fitness Evaluation

Fitness evaluation is the cornerstone of the evolution system, determining which heroes are most suited to face the challenges of the dungeon. By quantifying a hero's performance, we identify the strongest candidates to carry their traits into the next generation.

What is Fitness?

Fitness is a numerical score that reflects a hero's overall effectiveness in combat, survivability, and progression within the dungeon. This score is used to:

  1. Rank Heroes: Identify which heroes performed best during their trials.
  2. Guide Selection: Determine which heroes will become parents for the next generation.
  3. Measure Progress: Track improvements across generations.

Fitness Criteria

A hero’s fitness score is calculated using multiple factors:

1. Dungeon Progression

  • Definition: The number of floors a hero successfully clears before being defeated.
  • Weight: Heavily weighted since progression reflects adaptability and strength.

2. Combat Performance

  • Damage Efficiency: The ratio of damage dealt to damage taken.
  • Consistency: Ability to sustain performance across multiple encounters.
  • Critical Hits: The frequency and impact of critical strikes (future implementation).

3. Level Advancement

  • Experience Points (XP): Gained by defeating enemies; used to calculate the hero’s level.
  • Level Growth: Heroes that reach higher levels during their dungeon run are rewarded with higher fitness scores.

Fitness Formula

The fitness score is calculated using the following formula:

Fitness = (Dungeon Progression * Weight1) + (Damage Efficiency * Weight2) + (Level Growth * Weight3)

Example Weights:

  • Dungeon Progression: 50%
  • Damage Efficiency: 30%
  • Level Growth: 20%

These weights can be adjusted to prioritize specific traits based on gameplay goals.

Example Calculation

  1. Hero Performance:
  2. Floors Cleared: 15
  3. Damage Dealt: 1000
  4. Damage Taken: 250

  5. Level Reached: 5

  6. Metrics:

  7. Dungeon Progression = 15
  8. Damage Efficiency = 1000 / 250 = 4.0

  9. Level Growth = 5

  10. Formula Application:

Fitness = (15 * 0.5) + (4.0 * 0.3) + (5 * 0.2) = 7.5 + 1.2 + 1.0 = 9.7

  1. Fitness Score: 9.7

Adapting the Formula

The formula can be tailored to fit different priorities:

  • Combat-Focused Heroes: Increase the weight for Damage Efficiency.
  • Survival-Focused Heroes: Emphasize Dungeon Progression.
  • Balanced Approach: Maintain even weights across all criteria.

What’s Next?

Learn about the next stage of hero evolution: Crossover and Mutation.