Artificial intelligence Introduction

Introduction

Elements of artificial intelligence used in computer games have come a long way. In the beginning, the developed systems were based on sets of rules written directly in the code of the game or on the behavior
scripts interpreted by the code, with the whole thing based most commonly on the appropriate selection of importance of the random factor in the process of choosing the appropriate behavior. That time witnessed the birth of such memorable games as the immortal River-Raid, Donkey-Kong, Boulder-Dash, and many other objects of fascination for users of eight-bit machines, back in the 1970's.

Another step in the development process was introducing simple computer science methods, such as the still popular and frequently used Finite State Machine method, into describing the behavior of the computer-controlled enemies. However, as the demands of the players grew day by day, games grew more and more complicated, thanks to the use of more and more advanced computing algorithms. The dawn of the era of Introduction

Elements of artificial intelligence used in computer games have come a long way. In the beginning, the developed systems were based on sets of rules written directly in the code of the game or on the behaviour scripts interpreted by the code, with the whole thing based most commonly on the appropriate selection of importance of the random factor in the process of choosing the appropriate behaviour. That time witnessed the birth of such memorable games as the immortal River-Raid, Donkey-Kong, Boulder-Dash, and many other objects of fascination for users of eight-bit machines, back in the 1970s.

Another step in the development process was introducing simple computer science methods, such as the still popular and frequently used Finite State Machine method, into describing the behaviour of the computer-controlled enemies. However, as the demands of the players grew day by day, games grew more and more complicated, thanks to the use of more and more advanced computing algorithms. The dawn of the era of RTS-type games (Real Time Strategy) has caused a significant shift of interest (in terms of frequency of use) to algorithms which determine the optimal path between two specified points on a map.

Fast technical progress and rapid increase of processing power of home computers were also a catalyst for the development of applications using artificial intelligence in computer games. The first games and artificial intelligence algorithms had to settle for limited capabilities of machines available at that time, with the processor frequencies no higher than 2 MHz. The first PCs brought in new possibilities and new applications. After PCs with 386/486 processors became the standard for a home computer, programmers were given new possibilities; that led to the start of a race between game development companies. For a long time, the foremost indicator of a computer game's quality was the quality of three-dimensional graphics it featured; however, a realisation soon came that nice graphics, sound, and character animation is not everything. Recently, one of the most important elements of computer games has been identified as artificial intelligence – as the primary factor behind the so-called playability of present-day video games.

The process of production of computer games has undergone significant changes as well. Even though programming the artificial intelligence of a game used to be treated slightly unfairly, and its implementation tended to be pushed to near the end of the production of the game's engine, at present, planning the modules of artificial intelligence and their co-operation with other components of the game is one of the most important elements of the planning process.

More and more frequently, at least one of the members of a programming team is designated to, full-time and ever since the beginning of the project, handle designing and programming the modules of artificial intelligence.

At present, when in most homes, one can find PC-class computers with Pentium IV processors with frequencies in the range of 3 to 4 GHz, it is being considered to let computer games make use of the most advanced and sophisticated methods of artificial intelligence: neural networks, genetic algorithms, and fuzzy logic. In the age of Internet and network games, artificial intelligence systems in games have been given new tasks: a computer player should, in its behavior and strategies of playing, be indistinguishable from a real player on the other side of an Internet connection. type games (Real Time Strategy) has caused a significant shift of interest (in terms of frequency of use) to algorithms which determine the optimal path between two specified points on a map.

Fast technical progress and rapid increase of processing power of home computers were also a catalyst for the development of applications using artificial intelligence in computer games. The first games and artificial intelligence algorithms had to settle for limited capabilities of machines available at that time, with the processor frequencies no higher than 2 MHz. The first PCs brought in new possibilities and new applications. After PCs with 386/486 processors became the standard for a home computer, programmers were given new possibilities; that led to the start of a race between game development companies. For a long time, the foremost indicator of a computer game's quality was the quality of three-dimensional graphics it featured; however, a realization soon came that nice graphics, sound, and character animation is not everything. Recently, one of the most important elements of computer games has been identified as artificial intelligence – as the primary factor behind the so-called pliability of present-day video games.

The process of production of computer games has undergone significant changes as well. Even though programming the artificial intelligence of a game used to be treated slightly unfairly, and its implementation tended to be pushed to near the end of the production of the game's engine, at present, planning the modules of artificial intelligence and their co-operation with other components of the game is one of the most important elements of the planning process.

More and more frequently, at least one of the members of a programming team is designated to, full-time and ever since the beginning of the project, handle designing and programming the modules of artificial intelligence.

At present, when in most homes, one can find PC-class computers with Pentium IV processors with frequencies in the range of 3 to 4 GHz, it is being considered to let computer games make use of the most advanced and sophisticated methods of artificial intelligence: neural networks, genetic algorithms, and fuzzy logic. In the age of Internet and network games, artificial intelligence systems in games have been given new tasks: a computer player should, in its behavior and strategies of playing, be indistinguishable from a real player on the other side of an Internet connection.