This master's thesis deals with informed search algorithms. It's theoretical section summarizes basic theoretical ideas and terms which are related to this topic. It means especially discrete mathematics, graph theory, artificial intelligence and agent systems. Cardinal aim of this section is to provide theoretical analysis of search algorithms and to classify them into informed and uninformed classes. Theoretical section describes basic search strategies such as breadth first search, deep first search and modifications of these strategies, then it is focused on informed search algorithms, specifically A* (A-Star), IDA* (Iterative Deepening A-Star) and SMA* (Simplified Memory bounded A-star). It also describes topics related to informed search strategies -- heuristic functions and problem relaxation method. Given algorithms are analyzed in order to compare their time and space complexity. Main goal of practical part of this thesis is to design and implement software application, which will use informed and uninformed search strategies described in theoretical section. This application is intended to solve fifteen puzzle problem, so-called Lloyds fifteen puzzle game. First part of practical section analyses fifteen puzzle from mathematical and informatical perspective, then it examines possible implementation variants of algorithms and heuristics and proposes design of the application. Description of main interfaces and classes of the realized application follows. At the end of this section the analysis of informed algorithms and heuristics is performed using the implemented application and obtained results are compared to theoretical characteristics of these algorithms.

Assembling different kinds of items, everything from furniture to hobby models, takes a certain process to complete and this process can vary in complexity. An interesting aspect of this process is what components are available during assembly. The optimal scenario would be to have all required components available but sometimes that might not be the case. For a computer, this problem can be difficult to solve and requires specific environments to complete an assembly task. In this thesis work, block puzzles with various blueprints were used to complete assemblies with two different lists of components; one whole set of correct components and one with mixed that may or may not work for a blueprint. Three different methods were used to conduct the assemblies, one random based method, one that used the informed search method iterative deepening A* and one reinforcement learning method that used dueling deep Q-networks. The assembly time and accuracy between a completed configuration and the blueprint were measured for each method, where the informed search performed best in terms of accuracy but had a long assembly time. The reinforcement learning method did not perform well in terms of accu-racy between blueprint and configuration, but had fast assembly time, and in its current state would not be suitable to use to solve the given problem. / <p>Examensarbetet är utfört vid Institutionen för teknik och naturvetenskap (ITN) vid Tekniska fakulteten, Linköpings universitet</p>

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This thesis studies a few established design principles which were implemented in a developed fast-action puzzle game prototype. The aim was to study how several design principles affected the performance of players. The prototype was described as a Time-Based Memory Mashup with six different ”presets” based on the established design principles in which small changes occur. All participants in the study played through all six presets. Gameplay data was gathered from the participating users and were automatically recorded into a database in order to determine which preset was the most successful. Participants also filled in a survey to answer questions regarding on how they would judge their own performance, engagement and enjoyment of each played preset. Collected gameplay data from the participants were compared and ranked to determine which presets and design principles were the most effective. Surveys, observations and interviews have been studied to see if it matched the statistical data. Participants had higher performances with a fixed or more forgiving timer, which participants preferred the most. Downgraded graphics and sound were enjoyed the least, however did not led to much worse performances. An increased difficulty had the most effect in lowering performances. Design principles such as Pacing, Difficulty, Feedback, Interface Design and Foreground had the most potential to lower performances among participants.

This study sought a method for influencing people to anthropomorphize nonhuman agents in video games by making them seem unpredictable. This was inspired by Epley et al.’s (2007) Three-factor theory for anthropomorphism with focus on effectance motivation. It was also inspired by the studies done by Waytz et al. (2010) showing that perceived unpredictability about an agent causes people to anthropomorphize it. To see if perceived unpredictability would cause people to anthropomorphize a nonliving object in a video game, two versions of a game was created, one in which an object with seemingly random behavior was described as unpredictable and one in which the objects behavior was explained beforehand. The data gathered from the participants did not show any statistically significant differences between those that played one version and those that played the other. Meaning that in this case perceived unpredictability didn’t influence people to anthropomorphize a video game object.

Thesis (M. A.(English Studies)) --University of Limpopo, 2019 / This study explores a literary comparative examination of crime between Africa and Scandinavia, with special attention to Botswana and Norway. Smith’s and Nesbo’s selected novels are used as primary texts for analysis. The novels are, therefore, set in two different areas. These writers depict crime from the African and European perspectives. Chapter One deals with a brief introduction, and the aim and objectives of the study. It also expands on the theoretical background and provides definitions of terms that are used in this paper. Chapter Two presents views from various scholars on crime. This study is based on an Afro-Western approach of literary analysis. In other words, there are thoughts by both African and Western writers which assist in determining possible and noticeable similarities and differences, on the issue of crime. Chapter Three analyses crime from an African perspective while Chapter Four discusses crime from a Western point of view. Each of these chapters reflects on crime through character portrayal and depiction within its context. Chapter Five is a comparative analysis of both novels. The chapter identifies possible similarities and differences, mainly of the depiction of crime in different settings – Africa and Scandinavia, committed by blacks and whites. However, the structural and linguistic approaches of both the novels are also reviewed, assisting in discovering the life, in comparison, of the authors. The last chapter (Chapter Six), is a conclusion of the study and future suggestions. Basically, the study argues that blacks only should not be portrayed as perpetrators, but that whites too can be culprits. Again, there should be an equal of measurement on the weight and honour of the two races. Lastly, the moral is that without considering skin colour, financial and social backgrounds, justice must be served equally. Hence, whoever is caught in any form of wrongdoing, they must be given the appropriate punishment – regardless of race, colour, religious creed, gender, financial and social background. Key Words: Crime, Afro-Western, Marxism, suspense, detective, identity, puzzle, fix, accumulation, class, characterisation and setting

This project aims to find how, why and by which means the sense of smell can create meaningful interactions in the field of escape rooms, by taking a main role in the interactions that occur in said games, by adding an additional layer of complexity and embodiment. The project finished with the finding that it is not only possible to create meaningful interactions and expand on the possibilities of smell interaction, but also by encouraging future exploration and discussion of the sense of smell as an interactive medium and material.

This thesis proposes a solution to the fourteenth puzzle stated in Aristotle's Metaphysics Book 3, Chapter 6. For the most part I rely on Metaphysics Books 7 and 8 to find a solution and I treat the essences of natural beings in the context of a naturalized metaphysics. I conclude that essences are at once particular and universal. What is novel about my solution is that it allows Aristotle to maintain three important theses: (1) substance is particular, (2) knowledge is of universals, (3) the law of contradiction. I claim that Aristotle is able to maintain theses 1 and 2 without contradiction by giving matter a significant role to play in the solution. As a secondary task, I evaluate Aristotle's claim that essence is primary substance in the Metaphysics. I conclude that the right to the title of primary substance belongs to the following candidates in this order: sensible substances, essences, matter. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Att skapa digitala spel och anställa utvecklare är en kostsam process. Genom att använda procedurell generering av spelinnehåll kan spelföretag skära ner på produktionstid och kostnad. Denna uppsats utvärderar och jämför de olika styrkor och svagheter som finns när man genererar spelbanor för ett 2D pussel- och plattformsspel med en evolutionär generator och en regelbaserad generator. Den evolutionära generatorn använder sig av grammatisk evolution, medan den regelbaserade generatorn är ett strikt kontrollerat system som använder sig av generativ grammatik. Banorna som skapas av de båda metoderna utvärderas genom användarstudier, kombinerat med en analys av tiden och komplexiteten för att utveckla generatorerna. Datan från utvärderingarna visar att den regelbaserade metoden var något mer uppskattad av användare, samtidigt som den var mindre komplex att implementera. Den evolutionära generatorn är dock bättre lämpad för att expandera tillsammans med spelet, och har potentialen att prestera bättre på lång sikt. / Creating digital games and hiring developers is a costlyprocess. By utilizing procedural content generation, game companiescan reduce the time and cost of production. This thesis evaluates andcompares the different strengths and weaknesses of generating levelsfor a 2D puzzle platformer game using an evolutionary and a rule-basedgenerator. The evolutionary approach adopts the use of grammaticalevolution, whereas the rule-based generator is a strictly controlledsystem using generative grammars. The levels produced by eachmethod are evaluated by user studies and combined with an analysis ofthe time and complexity of developing each generator. The datapresented by the evaluations shows that the rule-based approach wasslightly more appreciated by users, and was also less complex toimplement. However, the evolutionary generator would scale better ifthe game would expand, and has the potential of performing better inthe long term

We re-examine the determinants of institutional ownership (IO) from a segmentation perspective -- i.e. accounting for a hypothesized systematic exclusion of stocks that cause high implementation or agency costs. Incorporating segmentation effects substantially improves both explained variance in IO and model parsimony (essentially requiring just one input: market capitalization). Our evidence clearly establishes a role for both implementation costs and agency considerations in explaining segmentation effects. Implementation costs bind for larger, less diversified, and higher turnover institutions. Agency costs bind for smaller institutions and clienteles sensitive to fiduciary diligence. Agency concerns dominate; characteristics relating to the agency hypothesis have far more explanatory power in identifying the cross-section of segmentation effects than characteristics relating to the implementation hypothesis. Importantly, our study finds evidence for interior optimum with respect to the institution's scale, due to the counteracting effect between implementation and agency frictions. We then explore three implications of segmentation for the equity market. First, a mass exodus of publicly listed stocks predicted to fall outside institutions' investable universe helps explain the listing puzzle. There has been no comparable exit by institutionally investable stocks. Second, institutional segmentation can lead to narrow investment opportunity sets, which limit money managers' ability to take advantage of profitable opportunities outside their investment segment. In this respect, we construct pricing factors that are feasible (ex-ante) for institutions and benchmark their performance. We find evidence consistent with the demand-based asset pricing view. Specifically, IO return factors yield higher return premia and worsened institutional performance relative to standard benchmarks in an expanding institutional setting (pre-millennium). Third, we use our logistic model and examine the effect of aggregated segmentation on the institutions' portfolio returns. Our findings suggest that investment constraints cut profitable opportunities and restrict institutions from generating alpha. In addition, we find that stocks with abnormal institutional ownership generate significant positive returns, suggesting institution actions are informed. / Doctor of Philosophy / We demonstrate that implementation and agency frictions restrict professional money managers from ownership of particular stocks. We characterize this systematic exclusion of stocks as segmentation and show that a specification that accommodates the segmentation effect substantially improves the empirical fit of institutional demand. The adjusted R-squared increases substantially; the residuals are better behaved, and the dimensionality of institutions' demands for stock characteristics reduces from a list of 8-10 standard characteristics (e.g., market cap, liquidity, index membership, volatility, beta) to just one: a stock's market capitalization. Our evidence identifies a prominent role for both implementation costs and agency costs as determinants of institutional segmentation. Implementation costs bind for larger, less diversified, and higher turnover institutions. Agency costs bind for smaller institutions and clienteles sensitive to fiduciary diligence. In fact, we find that segmentation arises from a trade-off between implementation costs (which bind for larger institutions) and agency considerations (which bind for smaller institutions). Agency concerns dominate; characteristics relating to the agency hypothesis have far more explanatory power in identifying the cross-section of segmentation effects than characteristics relating to the implementation hypothesis. More importantly, we find evidence for interior optimum with respect to the institution's scale, due to the counteracting effect between implementation and agency frictions. This conclusion is important to considerations of scale economies/diseconomies in investment management. The agency story goes in the opposite direction to the conventional wisdom underlying scale arguments. We then explore three implications of segmentation for the equity market. First, our evidence suggests that institutional segmentation coupled with growing institutional dominance in public equity markets may have had a truncating effect on the universe of listed stocks. Stocks predicted to fall outside of institutions' investable universe were common prior to the 1990s, but are now almost nonexistent. By contrast, stocks predicted to fall within institutions' investable universe have not declined over time. Second, institutional segmentation can lead to narrow investment opportunity sets, which limit money managers' ability to take advantage of profitable opportunities outside their investment segment. In this respect, we construct pricing factors that are feasible (ex-ante) for institutions and benchmark their performance. We find evidence consistent with the demand-based asset pricing view. Specifically, feasible return factors yield higher return premia and worsened institutional performance relative to standard benchmarks in an expanding institutional setting (pre-millennium). Third, we use logistic specification and examine the effect of aggregated segmentation on the institutions' portfolio returns. Our findings suggest that investment constraints cut profitable opportunities and restrict institutions from generating alpha. In addition, we find that stocks with high (low) abnormal institutional ownership generate significant positive (negative) returns, suggesting institution actions are informed.