TGP2281: Game Programming III also better known as Game AI
In a nutshell GP I – Basics GP II – Game engine, Rendering, Particles GP III – Artificial Intelligence (AI), Learning
Course matters Me You Refer to GP3 course website for more details Some materials will be in MMLS Classes: Tuesdays & Thursdays (…but not always, please check course timetable for changes) Consultation hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays pm. All other times by appointment.
Textbook and References AI for Game Developers, Bourg & Seeman Artificial Intelligence for Games, Millington Programming Game AI by Example, Buckland Learning XNA 4.0, Reed
Getting-to-know-you Survey NOT a quiz. Link available from the course website (not MMLS)
XNA’s Not Acronymed (XNA) XNA Game Studio – Primary tool for this course, Language: C# (very similar to Java…) Why not Unity3D? UDK? All you need is – Visual Studio (2010 version) preferably MSDNAA license for students available – XNA Game Studio (free download)
Coursework Overview A 100% Coursework course, of course 70% Game Project, showcasing your game AI 20% Midterm Test, testing your knowledge in game AI 10% Class Homework, checking on your attendance making sure you know what’s going on
Project All students MUST hand in the project Project to be done in pairs (3 in a group not allowed) AI-oriented game Details will be ready when the guidelines are out (end of this week) – 4 checkpoints: Project Proposal, Progress Milestones #1, #2, Final Submission – There will be a Game Project Day after submission (maybe week 14?), Poster-style presentation & demo
Other Coursework Midterm Test – Test on AI knowledge and concepts (no programming involved!) Class Homework – Short homework pieces (can be programming or theory) that you are required to hand up after a few days or….on the same day.
Do you need to come to class? I don’t care about your attendance, BUT the problem is…
More course policies, sort of 1.Honour Code – Acknowledge the people you ascertain help from (can be coursemates, external parties) – Acknowledge material taken from elsewhere – Acknowledge source of code used 2.I’m wasting your time, you’re wasting my time (IWYTYWMT) syndrome
More course policies, sort of 3.How much should you learn that will be enough? 4.Late days and late penalties – Each student given 3 late days to use at his/her discretion – If project partners want to take a late day, each project member must contribute a day from his allocation – Once the late days run out, any late submission penalized at 2% per day. No coursework may be handed in more than 7 days late.
Toilet break… Any further questions about the course?
What you are expected to learn – Game AI Fundamentals – Game NPC Movements – Flocking and Function-based Movements – Basic Pathfinding – A* Pathfinding and Extensions – AI Scripting – Finite State Machines – Fuzzy Logic and Rule-based AI
What you are expected to learn – Tactical and Strategic AI – Advanced Topics (Neural Nets, Genetic Algorithms, Machine Learning)
Early AI in Games Atari’s Pong – one of the first video games ever created and released to the public Tracking AI: How does it work?
Board games Video games Backgammon on Atari 2600 Pathfinding AI
Space Invaders Pattern AI. Moving and reacting based on patterns
Obsolete? Are these early ideas in Game AI still used in today’s games? What do you think and WHY?
First-Person Shooters Quake 3 – How do AI bots find cover under fire? Way points? – Line of sight computations
First-Person Shooters Halo 3 – Acting together: Team or group-based AI – Coordination: Fixed / Adaptive
Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Warcraft 2 What are “strategies” consider in an RTS game? Managing resources / economy Scripting
Simulation Games The Sims – Artificial life – Programmable / adaptive behaviours, emotions – Open-ended concept
Play & Tell Pong Pacman Dune 2 Galcon
In the coming classes This Thursday – Introduction to XNA Game Studio and how to create a simple game engine from ground up Next Week: XNA Walkthrough Week – More tutorials on XNA to gain more experience
Any Questions?