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7.1.OSCARS & ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Interim awards and introduction to game AI Mid-way awards Submission with the most impressive/complex exploratory code Submission with the best progress to date o Team members o Game name o Team members Team name Game name Most authentic rendition of a classic computer game Most original/fun game design or game play idea Game I least want to present at the Board of Examiners Most comprehensive game design including development plan and contingency planning. Team/Game with the most inappropriate name Team/Game with the best name Category Team members Team name – Game name Introduction to game-oriented artificial intelligence Artificial Intelligence (academic vs. game) Artificial intelligence aims to develop machines that can perform human ‘thinking’ tasks. Academic research is split into two camps: • Strong AI – creating systems that model human thought processes • Weak AI – creating working systems that need not be physiologically plausible Academic AI tends to focus on optimal problem solving. Game AI must work within tight computational constraints, i.e. effort vs. outcome is central. The aims of game artificial intelligence The aims of game-oriented AI can be summarised as follows. The AI must: • appear intelligent, yet purposely flawed (i.e. beatable) • have no unintended weaknesses (that can be repeatable exploited) • provide an entertaining or engaging experience • perform within tight CPU/memory constraints • be configurable • not keep the game from shipping The illusion of intelligence… Most people assess intelligence (or the lack thereof) on how an object behaves. Acting in a complex (human-like) manner is readily perceived as intelligence behaviour. One means of enhancing game AI is to provide visual/auditory feedback on what the game object is ‘thinking.’ Often simple or semi-random behaviour will be perceived/intepretated by the player as complex/intelligent. Aside: Describe the colour of square A? What colour is B? A is exactly the same colour as B! A practical definition of game AI “Game AI is anything that contributes to the perceived intelligence of an entity, regardless of what’s under the hood.” Aside: Searle’s Chinese Room argument Game AI (is it, or isn’t it) Which of the following could be classified as providing an example of AI within the context of a game? • Does a single ‘if’ statement constitute intelligence? • What about scripted behaviour? • If an NPC selects which animation to play? (If this is done via a set of if statements?) • Maybe path-finding? • If game automatically generates an environment? The forms of AI found within different types of (2D) game AI (in general) AI needs within the game can include: Perception – determining what can be seen (other opponents, pick-ups, incoming projectiles, etc.) Steering – basic character movement Action – executing available actions, e.g. aiming, shooting, etc. Path-finding – movement route planning Decision making – determining what to do next (dodge, seek health, ambush, etc.). At higher levels this becomes tactical AI. Perception Line of sight tests Strategic AI Influence maps Decision Making Steering State Change FSM Kinematic movement Object update AI (side-on/top-down shooters) AI needs within the game can include: Perception – detecting nearby objects, incoming projectiles, etc. Steering – opponent movement, e.g. player tracking, projectile avoidance, etc. Firing – basic control, firing towards player Perception Aside: AI within 2D shooters may be effectively nonexistent, i.e. relying on fixed patterns of movement and opponent numbers to provide challenge Object detection Steering Path follow, Evade Shooting Path projection State Change Object update AI (driving) AI needs within the game can include: Perception – detecting other traffic Steering – driving line, cornering, breaking Decision making – overtaking points, collision avoidance Perception Aside: GTA/Driver clones would also include AI routines to model other road traffic, etc. Predictive collision detection Decision Making FSM, Rule-based system Steering Path following State Change Object update AI (platform) AI needs within the game can include: Perception – determining actions/movement of player Steering – moving towards/away from player Shooting – basic control, e.g. aiming Aside: Platform games tend to have opponents which have predictable, easily understood behaviour. Challenge arises from the need to time jumps, shots, etc. to overcome such opponents. Perception Player proximity Steering Path follow, Pursue Shooting Player proximity trigger State Change Object update AI (real time / turn-based strategy) AI needs within the game can include: Perception – determining what can be seen (other opponents, resources) Steering – group movement, etc. Path-finding – movement route planning Perception Opponent visibility, Fog-of-war Tactical and Strategic Analysis – determining overall strategy build, attack, etc. Strategic AI Tactical analysis, Influence maps Aside: AI in real-time games is mostly the same as in turnbased games. Real-time games must impose tight performance constraints on the AI. Path finding / Steering Tactical AI Decision Making State Change Rule-based system/ FSM Map/local path-finding Object update AI (beat-em-up) AI needs within the game can include: Decision making – determining what to do next (block, back-up, attack, etc.). Decision Making Aside: The behaviour can be adaptive, i.e. reacting to the player’s patterns of behaviour State Change FSM / Rule-based behaviour Object update AI (sport) AI needs within the game can include: Steering – basic character movement, group movement, etc. Decision making – determining what to do next, selecting plays, formations, etc. from an available ‘playbook’ Tactical Analysis – determining play objectives Aside: Sport AI has the benefit of drawing upon existing expert knowledge, but must return realistic, ‘human-like’ behaviour Tactical AI Influence Maps Decision Making Rule-based system Steering Chase, Evade, etc. State Change Object update Summary Today we explored: The role of AI within games and the constraints game AI must operate within The typical roles of AI within 2D game genres