Learning Factory News

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Oleg from Luden.io here. We are an indie studio focused on educational video games.

If you have no time to read, here is the quick pitch - this game is about factory automation, machine learning, and cats. If you love tech - probably you should give it a shot. Sign up for Free Alpha via Discord and Add to your wishlist.

[h2]Previously on Edu Games[/h2]
We were lucky enough to spark the curiosity about Machine Learning tech with our previous game while True: learn(). More than 20,000 students were asked by teachers to play the game in classes. Some of our players even got hired as machine learning specialists!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/619150/while_True_learn/

The story is quite funny (here is a blog post) because we didn't expect that there is someone else like us, who like really complicated stuff like machine learning in video games. But now we know that there are a lot of us here on Steam.



[h2]And now[/h2]
We decided to analyze all limitations we faced during the design of while True: learn(). A lot of them we created because of me personally, at the beginning I was too afraid to design too complicated game.

So long story short, we came up with an idea. How about taking all we love about complicated system-design games like Factorio and Rimworld and all things we love about Machine Learning? And Cats of course.

So we design a new game to help people get familiar with Machine Learning, for those who interested in tech, who want to learn something new with their kids or students while having fun.

[h2]Welcome[/h2]
This Steam Game Festival demo is ready for you! We've spent the last 6 months combining real machine learning tech with automation gameplay and cats images and we hope you'll enjoy the game.

[h2]How to get more involved[/h2]
We are doing daily highlights in Twitter, weekly updates here on Steam, and in Discord, surveys, and other fun events. You are always welcome to join us on this nerdy adventure.

Please share feedback here on Steam or via Discord, Twitter, by email, send us an owl, post a meme... everything works. Your feedback is the most useful and motivational thing for us!

Also if you have something confidential please feel free to contact me directly by email [email protected]. I am always happy to help!

UPDATE: v0.6.5 is officially live! Feel free to update ASAP

NOTA BENE: Our specialists were working their paws hands off to prepare this update. Alas, 10 minutes before we were to release it, our machine learning machine has broken unexpectedly. Our game is promised to feature real machine learning, so we decided to postpone the next update until we truly nail it. This update will be released as soon as reasonably possible. Stay tuned. Glory to KOTOVOD!

The mission of KOTOVOD Learning Factory is as simple as it is noble: to generate happiness! Happiness for both humans and cats (well, mostly for cats, because they have paws for hands and are undeniably cute). Although our brave engineers are working days and nights pursuing this dream, they are barely humans.

«Hoomanz ar veri fine for makink katz happy but hoomanz are maed of meat and fat and dont haev fur and also oftenz stoopid. No oofeanz to hoomanz, i iz a hooman mysealf so i know. Iz why hoomanz invented robots and AI machines that arez betterz for makink katz happy. Also i iz a hooman and not a kat, did i tellz you dat olready?», — Dr. Katz, a human person and KOTOVOD’s chief scientist

Competent as they are, humans are imperfect. But they are perfectly capable of dreaming and inventing machines that will help achieve those dreams! And this is what this week’s big feature is all about: all cat stores are now powered by linear regression!

Yes, you have read it right. «KOTOVOD Worker» has mentioned this upcoming feature more than once, but this time it’s finally here to start changing lives! Each engineer is now free to turn on linear regression algorithm in their Smart Cat Stores and watch as the computers are calculating the optimal price for cat goods! Glory to science! Glory to KOTOVOD!

Of course, for the time being it is but an option: prices can still be changed by engineers’ firm (and furless) hands. But could their choices be more accurate and weighed than those made by machine learning algorithms? Only time will tell!

(Although the answer is, obviously, a «no»)

[h2]Version 0.6.5 Released![/h2]

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• Linear Regression building can now be constructed to help calculating the optimal price for cat goods in Smart Cat Stores
  
• New type of cats (with fancy backpacks!) will be emerging from Cat Gates
  

[h3]Interface[/h3]

• Various interface improvements, too numerous to be listed, too glorious to not be mentioned
  

[h2]More Engineers Required[/h2]
We want YOU at KOTOVOD! Your participation in our Alpha program will help us create a more bright and enlightened future for cats and humans! Please use the information below to join our ranks:

To play the Alpha, please join our Discord server or sign up for Email list

And of course, don't forget to add Learning Factory to your Wishlist (check out the button on the right of this page!)

Learning Factory's Public Roadmap

KOTVOD needs YOU, engineer!

Yes, you! As you probably have heard already, the purpose of our glorious Learning Factory is to explain some basics of machine learning in a stylish graphic way, so even stupid humans would understand it (cats already know all there's to know about it).

If you don't know this yet, don't hesitate to check out our team's lead coder interview form a couple of weeks ago

One of ML techinques that will empower your Factory will be Linear Regression. So we've made a linear regression machine so you could learn about machine learning while machines learn to learn... Ok, that came off pretty complicated, so, with no further ado, please welcome our MACHINE LEARNING MACHINE for linear regression:

[h3]Option 1[/h3]


[h3]Option 2[/h3]


If you have no idea of how it works and what it does, don't you worry. For now all we need from you is to let us know, which one you like more.

[h3]Do rush to the #learing-factory room on our Discord server and vote today![/h3]

And if you want to get some background first, here's an excerpt from a very comprehensive article about machine learning:

"Regression is basically classification where we forecast a number instead of category. Examples are car price by its mileage, traffic by time of the day, demand volume by growth of the company etc. Regression is perfect when something depends on time.

Everyone who works with finance and analysis loves regression. It's even built-in to Excel. And it's super smooth inside — the machine simply tries to draw a line that indicates average correlation. Though, unlike a person with a pen and a whiteboard, machine does so with mathematical accuracy, calculating the average interval to every dot."

If you have time, go give this article a read, it really is awesome. Or look it up on Wikipedia, if you're brave enough! And then come back to our Discord server and vote for the ML Machine design you find more self-explanatory!

"All iz goink acording to ze paln! So exczitet!"

This was all that Dr. Katz could say on this rather unusual day before rushing for what he called "a very thorogh ispektionz" of a brand new Tier 2 Cat Store! His excitement is very understandable: these shops are meticulously designed to gather even more precise information about Learning Factory's cats' desires. All feline visitors of KOTOVOD facilities are beaming with joy as they explore the stores' shiny new interiors!



KOTOVOD engineers, however, look a bit less festive and way more busy: the new stores require more precise data analysis and research. Most importantly, that research now costs more money, so the prices for goods must be even more optimal. But hey, they knew what job they'd signed up for, and KOTOVOD only recruits the very best! And though the hours are crazy and corporate insurance does not cover psychotherapists services, our heroic engineers will push it to the limit and beyond! Glory to science! Glory to KOTOVOD!

[h2]Version 0.6.4 Released![/h2]

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• Data quality is now visibly displayed in the interface
  
• Data quality influences the research speed
  
• Labs now require money to conduct research
  
• The first research do not require data anymore
  
• Introducing Tier 2 Stores that includes a "data collection" modification. It allows gathering data of higher quality that speeds up the research but might decrease the amount of money
  
• Players can now research Cat's Gates and build them
  

[h3]Graphics[/h3]

• Cluster Cores animation updated
  
• Cat Store looks updated
  

[h2]More Engineers Required[/h2]
We want YOU at KOTOVOD! Your participation in our Alpha program will help us create a more bright and enlightened future for cats and humans! Please use the information below to join our ranks:

To play the Alpha, please join our Discord server or sign up for Email list

And of course, don't forget to add Learning Factory to your Wishlist (check out the button on the right of this page!)

Learning Factory's Public Roadmap

At KOTOVOD Learning Factory, we care about what our engineers think! In one of the next update, a fancy new model of Cotton Collector is expected to appear in the Alpha. We are working hard to make it look awesome, but what do YOU think of it? We encourage you to let us know!

[h3]Old version:[/h3]


[h3]New version:[/h3]


[h3]Please head to the #learing-factory room on our Discord server and vote today![/h3]