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Game AI Plays Along Overview of the Industry
Game AI Plays Along Smart Computing has a feature on Game AI in their January 2002 issue, entitled Game Intelligence: AI Plays Along. It discusses game bots for half-life and their integration with chatter bots like Alice. The article also looks into the advantages of flexible AI over scripts. Below, there are a few thoughs on AI and hardware, a list of milestones, and a few impressive interviews. A good read, including two points worth a good debate... so join in! | Alex J. Champandard 934 posts. Saturday 05 January, 17:53 Reply
Controversial Issues > Because the hardware requirements for good AI systems are incredibly steep Would you be surprised if I told you that much better AI is possible on current systems - with the same processing power, if not less? The need for power by good AI is an urban myth, somewhat convenient for publishers and hardware manufacturers. Good AI can be told, or learn to use very little computation. Naturally, the more the better, but the point is we have enough at the moment. The reasons why high-level AI is not in current games are threefold: 1) The average gamer has wanted better graphics for the past 10 years, so the developers have given them that. Only very recently has the focus been shifted towards quality AI. 2) Lack of expertise in the field, partly due to this graphics rush. Game projects have not had dedicated AI coders until the last year and a half. As people graduate from AI degrees, and come into the industry, knowledge and experience will filter through. 3) It's often difficult to make a game out of less-predictable AI. Black and White struggles as a game: I've played for hours with my creature, but found the actual village maintenance and island conquest aspect to be very plain, at best times. > ALife (Artificial life) techniques are used to create AI that is based on real-world behavior instead of a list of rules. This is a misleading definition. Craig Reynolds, one of the fathers of A-Life, uses rigid rules to create real-world behaviours (see his work on Boids). The underlying technology is not what defines A-Life... it can be learning AI, or fixed scripts. That's irrelevant. The purpouse of A-Life is to study the interaction of creatures within a complex environment (which, for most people, is the definition of life). This is done by creating artificial creatures suited to this task. 2p more. | Alex J. Champandard 934 posts. Saturday 05 January, 17:56 Reply