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 detailshttp://pesona.mmu.edu.my/~johnsee/teaching/tgp2281• Some materials will be in MMLS • Classes: Tuesdays & Thursdays 1100-1300 (…but not always,

please check course timetable for changes) • Consultation hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 1400-1600pm. 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

• Ponghttp://www.download-free-games.com/online/game/pong

• Pacmanhttp://www.freepacman.org

• Dune 2http://games.brothersoft.com/dune-ii.html

• Galconhttp://www.galcon.com/flash/

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?