Towards Better Sample Efficiency in Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning via Exploration

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Baghi, Amir, Sjölund, Jens, Bergdahl, Joakim, Gisslén, Linus, Sestini, Alessandro
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Baghi, Amir
Sjölund, Jens
Bergdahl, Joakim
Gisslén, Linus
Sestini, Alessandro
author_facet Baghi, Amir
Sjölund, Jens
Bergdahl, Joakim
Gisslén, Linus
Sestini, Alessandro
contents Multi-agent reinforcement learning has shown promise in learning cooperative behaviors in team-based environments. However, such methods often demand extensive training time. For instance, the state-of-the-art method TiZero takes 40 days to train high-quality policies for a football environment. In this paper, we hypothesize that better exploration mechanisms can improve the sample efficiency of multi-agent methods. We propose two different approaches for better exploration in TiZero: a self-supervised intrinsic reward and a random network distillation bonus. Additionally, we introduce architectural modifications to the original algorithm to enhance TiZero's computational efficiency. We evaluate the sample efficiency of these approaches through extensive experiments. Our results show that random network distillation improves training sample efficiency by 18.8% compared to the original TiZero. Furthermore, we evaluate the qualitative behavior of the models produced by both variants against a heuristic AI, with the self-supervised reward encouraging possession and random network distillation leading to a more offensive performance. Our results highlights the applicability of our random network distillation variant in practical settings. Lastly, due to the nature of the proposed method, we acknowledge its use beyond football simulation, especially in environments with strong multi-agent and strategic aspects.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_13077
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Towards Better Sample Efficiency in Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning via Exploration
Baghi, Amir
Sjölund, Jens
Bergdahl, Joakim
Gisslén, Linus
Sestini, Alessandro
Machine Learning
Multiagent Systems
Multi-agent reinforcement learning has shown promise in learning cooperative behaviors in team-based environments. However, such methods often demand extensive training time. For instance, the state-of-the-art method TiZero takes 40 days to train high-quality policies for a football environment. In this paper, we hypothesize that better exploration mechanisms can improve the sample efficiency of multi-agent methods. We propose two different approaches for better exploration in TiZero: a self-supervised intrinsic reward and a random network distillation bonus. Additionally, we introduce architectural modifications to the original algorithm to enhance TiZero's computational efficiency. We evaluate the sample efficiency of these approaches through extensive experiments. Our results show that random network distillation improves training sample efficiency by 18.8% compared to the original TiZero. Furthermore, we evaluate the qualitative behavior of the models produced by both variants against a heuristic AI, with the self-supervised reward encouraging possession and random network distillation leading to a more offensive performance. Our results highlights the applicability of our random network distillation variant in practical settings. Lastly, due to the nature of the proposed method, we acknowledge its use beyond football simulation, especially in environments with strong multi-agent and strategic aspects.
title Towards Better Sample Efficiency in Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning via Exploration
topic Machine Learning
Multiagent Systems
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.13077