RED DEAD REVOLVER Artificial Intelligence Critique By Mitchell C. Dodes CIS 588.

RED DEAD REVOLVER

Artificial Intelligence CritiqueBy

Mitchell C. DodesCIS 588

Introduction

• Third person shooter style game.– Story

• Travel through old west themed environments.• Play as multiple characters working toward a complete

story line.• Main character (Red) is a bounty hunter trying to find

out who murdered his family.– Object

• Kill enemies.• Avoid being hit from attacking enemies.• Protect innocent and friendly characters from enemy

attacks.

Use of A.I. In Game

• A.I. is used in different ways.– General enemies.

• Use AI to attack and move throughout the game environment.

– Level “Bosses”• Use AI to attack and move.• Movement is generally different than general

enemies.– Movement and attack may be far more “intelligent” than general

enemies.– Movement may also follow a scripted behavior with attack being

reactionary.

Use of A.I. In Game

• A.I. is used in different ways– Friendly A.I.

• Background characters.– Background characters use A.I. to move throughout a

level. – In some scenarios background characters move to avoid

attacking enemies.– Most scenarios see the background characters

wandering about avoiding obstacles in the game environment.

» Most of these background characters provide clues as to what should be done next when “talked” to.

Use of A.I. In Game

• A.I. is used in different ways– Friendly A.I.

• Friends.– Throughout the game, computer controlled characters

are introduced, which need to be protected.– Many of these friends use AI to attack enemies and

defend against enemy attacks.– Friends have a health meter similar to the main

characters.– Friends either follow a scripted behavior and react to

attacks, or the main characters actions.

Use of A.I. In Game

• A.I. is used in different ways– Friendly A.I.

• Friends.– Included in the friendly category are animals.

» Horses, cows, chickens, etc. are incorporated into game play.

» Animals can be interacted with (ridden, etc.) and avoid being attacked by enemies.

» Animals tend to follow a scripted pattern and react to events.

» After reacting to an event animals return to their scripted movement.

Use of A.I. In Game

• A.I. is used in different ways– Showdowns.

• Throughout the game the player is challenged to showdowns where a duel occurs.

• A.I. is used by the enemies during showdowns to react to the players attacks.

• When a player attacks to slow, the enemy attacks faster.

• When a player attacks fast, the enemy attacks slower.

Movie

A.I. Techniques Used

• Friendly A.I. Techniques.– Friends.

• Friends follow a scripted behavior.• React to changing scenarios.

– If you are getting shot at long enough, a friend will stop what they are doing and engage the attacker.

• After reacting to a changing scenario, a friend will resume to scripted behavior.

A.I. Techniques Used

• Enemy A.I. Techniques.– General enemies.

• Hide and attack sequences.– An enemy will remain behind cover and move into an

attacking position and return to cover when attack is finished.

• Varying use of weapons.– Enemies will use different weapons depending on the

attack to be carried out.» If an enemy is within close range of the player, it may

punch or kick the character instead of shooting.

A.I. Techniques Used

• Enemy A.I. Techniques.– General enemies.

• Listening.– In certain scenarios enemy reaction is sparked by the

noise level of the player.» Noise level can be reduced by walking slower, etc.

• Avoidance.– Enemies will move to avoid being in the line of fire of the

player.» This usually occurs when the player comes into

close proximity of the enemy and is generally accompanied by the enemy using close combat attack techniques.

A.I. Techniques Used

• Enemy A.I. Techniques.– Level Bosses.

• Some bosses follow a scripted pattern and attack when player is in range.

• Bosses use avoidance to minimize the damage they sustain when attacked by player.

– A boss will not generally be still and take attacks.

• The level of intelligence for a boss increases as you move further into the game.

A.I. Techniques Used

• Enemy A.I. Techniques.– Level Bosses.

• Showdown scenes.– AI responds to the speed of the player.

» The slower the player, the faster the enemy and vice-a-versa.

A.I. Tools Used

• Very little information available on the web as to specific tools used in developing Red Dead Revolver.

• Scripted enemies with reactionary movements suggest a rule base AI system.– EX. Do A until B or C, etc.

A.I. Tools Used

• Nothing in the game play suggests that computer controlled characters have any type of learning ability.

• Nothing in game play suggests any type of known AI algorithms.– Min-max, heuristic search, alpha-beta, etc.

A.I. Strengths And Weaknesses

• Strengths.– Friendly AI works well.

• When a friendly character accompanies the player on a mission, the friendly characters do a good job of defending against attacking enemies.

– Enemy AI reacts well to the player in most cases.

• Bosses especially seem to react to attacks well.• Bosses and general enemies chase and attack

well.

A.I. Strengths And Weaknesses

• Strengths.– Enemy AI reacts well to the player in most

cases.• AI used in the showdown sequences improves as

the game unfolds.– By the end of the game defeating the showdown AI

requires almost no mistakes by the user.

– Enemies rarely get “stuck”

A.I. Strengths And Weaknesses

• Weaknesses.– On the whole, the AI in the game is

predictable.• Much of the non-attacking AI used in the game is

scripted.

– Because of the layout of the game the AI being used at times seems redundant.

• At times in the game, multiple bosses must be defeated in the same scenario.

– These bosses tend to use the same tactics for attack and defense

Effect of A.I. on Game play

• Though the game is fun to play, the AI does not add much challenge.– Much of AI is predictable.– Much AI is redundant.

• This is especially true in the category of general enemies.

• Showdown AI becomes increasingly challenging. – The showdown scenarios nearing the end of the

game are the most challenging periods of the game.

Conclusion

• The AI in the game is good from a technical standpoint.– Enemies do not get stuck often.

• AI in the game does not create extremely challenging game play.

• Game remains fun even without much challenge from computer controlled characters.

QUESTIONS?