Comments on: Musings http://orangeriverstudio.com/monksbrew/2010/02/musings/ Anecdotes on the adventure of indie game development Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:35:01 +0000 hourly 1 By: Rubes http://orangeriverstudio.com/monksbrew/2010/02/musings/comment-page-1/#comment-811 Rubes Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:12:12 +0000 http://orangeriverstudio.com/monksbrew/?p=387#comment-811 I think "game directors" and other types of drama managers are most interesting new direction that games are taking in this domain. I'm not as familiar with the one used in L4D, but the concept is certainly intriguing. It's still not clear to me, though, whether this type of drama formulation is just a different way of imposing scripting and linearity upon the open world, to produce drama. I think “game directors” and other types of drama managers are most interesting new direction that games are taking in this domain. I’m not as familiar with the one used in L4D, but the concept is certainly intriguing. It’s still not clear to me, though, whether this type of drama formulation is just a different way of imposing scripting and linearity upon the open world, to produce drama.

]]> By: Kimari http://orangeriverstudio.com/monksbrew/2010/02/musings/comment-page-1/#comment-810 Kimari Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:40:44 +0000 http://orangeriverstudio.com/monksbrew/?p=387#comment-810 How about Left 4 Dead's "Game Director" then? That's an AI specifically created to formulate dramatic moments within the world based entirely on the actions of the players. Granted, the actions available to the player are not that many (shoot, jump and run basically) in that game, but one could extrapolate the idea of a Game Director and apply it to a much more open game in terms of verbs and player freedom, don't you think? Personally, the idea of "AI that takes into account the player's actions to concot possible future scenarios for the player" is perhaps one of the designs that interest me the most. The thing is, it just so happens to be mind-blowingly complex to actually design and program. How about Left 4 Dead’s “Game Director” then? That’s an AI specifically created to formulate dramatic moments within the world based entirely on the actions of the players. Granted, the actions available to the player are not that many (shoot, jump and run basically) in that game, but one could extrapolate the idea of a Game Director and apply it to a much more open game in terms of verbs and player freedom, don’t you think?

Personally, the idea of “AI that takes into account the player’s actions to concot possible future scenarios for the player” is perhaps one of the designs that interest me the most. The thing is, it just so happens to be mind-blowingly complex to actually design and program.

]]> By: Jason http://orangeriverstudio.com/monksbrew/2010/02/musings/comment-page-1/#comment-809 Jason Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:28:40 +0000 http://orangeriverstudio.com/monksbrew/?p=387#comment-809 Around the same time we invent strong AI. The problem is that emergent behavior in an open-ended game like The Sims is more like watching a puppy. There's too many limitations both in what people can do in the game world, and the ability for the AI to come up with something genuinely interesting. If you replace the puppies with 13 year olds, the same thing applies to MMORPGs ;) It's already hard enough for most humans to come up with compelling drama. Expecting it to come out from a computer is a little too much to ask. Around the same time we invent strong AI. The problem is that emergent behavior in an open-ended game like The Sims is more like watching a puppy. There’s too many limitations both in what people can do in the game world, and the ability for the AI to come up with something genuinely interesting.

If you replace the puppies with 13 year olds, the same thing applies to MMORPGs ;)

It’s already hard enough for most humans to come up with compelling drama. Expecting it to come out from a computer is a little too much to ask.

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