Research Overview

December 2009

Mirjam Palosaari EladhariGotland University, Sweden

Thesis

• Title: Characterising Action Potential in Virtual Game Worlds Applied with the Mind Module

• Teesside University and Gotland University• Supervisors: Michael Mateas, Clive Fencott,

Paul Van Schaik• Visiting Scholar: Georgia Tech (2005),

Tokyo Tech (2006), University of California SC (2007-2008)

Mirjam P Eladhari

Research Questions

How can virtual game worlds (VGWs) support story construction where each player is the ‘main’ character?

How can the player characters (avatars) in VGWs be designed and implemented to be more interesting?

Mirjam P Eladhari

FieldsMirjam P Eladhari

Game Design Virtual game world design

Artificial Intelligence Believable agentsSynthetic HumansExpressive AI

Psychology Personality theoryAffect Theory

Approach:AI driven game design

Design and implementation of experimental prototypes

Play-testingAnalysis and interpretation of play test data -> informs the

design of the next prototype

Mirjam P Eladhari

Mind Module

Spreading Activation Network of Affect nodesSemiautonomous agent architecture.Semiautonomous agents are partly controlled by their players, and partly controlled by context-sensitive action potential and expression possibilities, as well as by varying degrees of autonomous reactions to in-game situations specific to the VGW the agents inhabits.

Gives avatars virtual minds in addition to virtual bodies.

Mirjam P Eladhari

Affect Nodes of MM

Player might realise it is a good idea to RUN!

PrototypesOuroboros (2003, Zero Game Studio)

Garden of Earthly Delights (2004, 2005, IPERG project, wp Massively Multiplayer Reaching Out)

Mind Music (2006, Georgia Tech)

World of Minds (2007, 2008, Tokyo Tech, UC Santa Cruz)

Pataphysic Institute 2009

Mirjam P Eladhari

Pataphysic Institute

Prototype virtual game world where the personalities of the inhabitants are the base for the game mechanics.

When interacting with other characters, the action potential depends upon the player character's current mood and personality

Mirjam P Eladhari

Pataphysic InstituteMirjam P Eladhari

Players need to defeat physical manifestations of negative mental states by using

Spells Affective actions

The spells available to characters depends on their personality and current mood.

The affective actions available to a character depend on the current mood.

Pataphysic InstituteMirjam P Eladhari

DisseminationMirjam P Eladhari

(2003, 2005, 2009) DIGRA Conference (digital games research association)

(2006, 2008) ACE Conference (Advances in Computer Entertainment)

(2009) DAC Conference (Digital Arts and Culture)

(2008) FuturePlay Conference(2006) DIME Conference(2002) Computers and Games Conference

Future WorkMirjam P Eladhari

Play test of PI prototype focussing on players’ attitudes towards CAP in PI for for role-play

Play test of PI for use of sentiments for story construction

Play test of PI: semi-autonomy – balance of player-control.

Autonomous agents - CAP for NPCs equipped with MMs.

Thank you for listening!

December 2009

Mirjam Palosaari EladhariGotland University, Sweden