10 replies to this topic

[Exodus111]

Ok so I'm not exactly sitting om my ass here, but in working in games design id like to focus on AI programming.
As I see it any fps/rpg/whatever can be as graphically fantastic or historically rich but is still going to be a boring game if the npc's behave like bread sticks, while a game with basically 4 grey walls and 8 bit graphic with compelling NPC AI is still going to be SOMETHING.

So thats what id like to take a focus my own career at and im wondering if anyone has any ideas or experience in this field and would like to point me in any legitimate directions.

-Exo

[Bacterius]

I can certainly point you in the direction to the Artificial Intelligence subforum, where you will probably get better answers from people very experienced in AI (don't repost though, if a mod feels it should be there instead, it will be moved). However I agree that AI is a crucial part of a game, predictable/dumb enemies make for a very boring game indeed.

It's also difficult to get right because even if you get the AI pathfinding right, you still need to fight against technical issues, for instance if your monster can't climb on a rock (a la Skyrim) the player can simply abuse the system by getting on a rock and shooting the monster to death at no risk. Same for monsters too large to go through a door even though they look like they could squeeze through easily, etc...

I'm not exactly well-versed in this field, but I did mess with AI a bit. A good start would probably to be writing an artificial opponent for connect 4 (a classic for minimax algorithms), or perhaps a Pacman AI? Otherwise, a tic-tac-toe opponent is fun too.

[jbadams]

"Programming Game AI By Example" and "Behavioural Mathematics for Game AI" seem to be the go-to books for game AI.

Programming Game AI by example introduces a number of different techniques with good explanations and clear examples, and is a great starting point. I haven't personally read Behavioural Mathematics, but I've heard nothing but good things -- and the author Dave Mark is actually our AI forum moderator.


You might check the sticky topics in the AI forum for additional book recommendations and links to online resources. //EDIT: I'll actually move this topic there for you.

Hope that's helpful!

Edited by jbadams, 22 July 2012 - 05:57 AM.

[IADaveMark]

Thanks to Master Adams for moving the topic here... and for pimping my book, I suppose. Yeah, check the sticky topic for some starting points.

[Exodus111]

Moved it? Great thanks a lot, i posted it in Beginners because... well im a beginner.

But this forum is awesome, and Ive definitely come to the right place. Thanks for the Book recomends, are they available in E-book?

-Exo

[IADaveMark]

Some of them are. I would suggest that Amazon would be able to answer that question better that us. After all, we would be checking that answer by clicking the link just like you would. *shrug*

[Exodus111]

Some of them are. I would suggest that Amazon would be able to answer that question better that us. After all, we would be checking that answer by clicking the link just like you would. *shrug*

In other words... no.

:-(

[IADaveMark]

Some of them are. I would suggest that Amazon would be able to answer that question better that us. After all, we would be checking that answer by clicking the link just like you would. *shrug*

In other words... no.

:-(

That's not what I said. For example, my book is on Kindle as well as paperback... but as for the others, I wouldn't know without checking -- which is just as easy for you to do.

[Exodus111]

I already did, that's why I asked you. So in other words.... no.

-Exo

[IADaveMark]

I already did, that's why I asked you. So in other words.... no.

-Exo

Turns out that anything from Cengage is on hold with Kindle for a few weeks. The publisher is renegotiating Kindle pricing with Amazon. Should be back up soon.

[MisterFuzzy]

There are plenty of E-book AI programming books available: On Blio E-Reader's marketplace, Dave Mark's book is the third listing... Just saying...