Improving the Spatial Awareness of Virtual Agents in Games

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Many modern games incorporate artificially intelligent agents, as*opponents, companions/followers for the player, or even just as*bystanders. These Non-Player Character (NPC) agents have different*roles, but all of them are required to interact with the game*environment in a way that makes sense to the player. Spatially aware*NPC behaviours, however, are rare, with most NPCs enacting simple,*stereotypical and heavily scripted behaviours that indicate little*understanding of spatial properties relevant to their intended*activities. Advanced opponents in games may "take cover" or mimic other*strategic behaviours, but they do so based on embedded, manual space*designations and very simple (and highly localized) properties of the*space. Characters in general are not able to realistically hide, sneak,*explore, ambush, or otherwise exploit an arbitrary space, or one with*dynamic, changing properties. NPCs tend to interfere with each other*and the player, and make overly simple, apparently irrational choices in*contexts not foreseen by the game developer, inducing frustration by*contradicting a player's expectation of how an agent should behave.******This research aims to improve the technical capability and interactive*qualities of artificial agents in modern computer games. It is aimed at*the mechanical benefits, where algorithmic potential exists to better*analyze and abstract a virtual space to improve environmental*awareness. "Summarizing" aspects of the world state in different ways*to better, and more compactly represent spatial qualities relevant to*common movement and strategic planning problems has significant*potential for improving the quality of decisions made by an NPC, whether*applied to opponents in less-scripted game combat simulation, or to*non-combat NPCs that need to align their behaviour with high-level*player expectations. This work addresses challenges in developing*abstractions appropriate to different spatial tasks, focussing on core*issues related to use of visibility and perception. This is coupled*with efficiency requirements due to real-time computation concerns,*typical of interactive environments, as well as the need for practical*implementation designs and tooling necessary in rapid development*contexts like games.******Games have a long history of pushing the boundaries of artificial*intelligence. Modern games continue to raise that bar in presenting*virtual contexts that represent agents and environments in increasing*detail, and thus with increasing need to demonstrate rational and*effective behaviour. This research work benefits Canada's strong*presence in the game development industry, and offers abstractions and*techniques useful for the practical use of artificial intelligence in*the growing, real-world integration of virtual environments.