In multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL), coordination plays a crucial role in enhancing agents' performance beyond what they could achieve through cooperation alone. The interdependence of agents' actions, coupled with the need for communication, leads to a domain where effective coordination is crucial. In this paper, we introduce and define Multi-Agent Synchronization Tasks (MSTs), a novel subset of multi-agent tasks. We describe one MST, that we call Synchronized Predator-Prey, offering a detailed description that will serve as the basis for evaluating a selection of recent state-of-the-art (SOTA) MARL algorithms explicitly designed to address coordination challenges through the use of communication strategies. Furthermore, we present empirical evidence that reveals the limitations of the algorithms assessed to solve MSTs, demonstrating their inability to scale effectively beyond 2-agent coordination tasks in scenarios where communication is a requisite component. Finally, the results raise questions about the applicability of recent SOTA approaches for complex coordination tasks (i.e. MSTs) and prompt further exploration into the underlying causes of their limitations in this context.
@article{arxiv.2404.18798,
title = {Multi-Agent Synchronization Tasks},
author = {Rolando Fernandez and Garrett Warnell and Derrik E. Asher and Peter Stone},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2404.18798},
year = {2024}
}