Some may see NPCs and intelligent virtual agents as one in the same, others might not. Either way they share many characteristics and overlap on technology. Seeing as TapBot would like to use them as the basis for intelligent virtual characters, I’m always interested in new developments with either. And you can understand my excitement when I heard the new MMO Stargate Worlds was uisng AI to create personality with their NPCs. However after viewing the interview I was a bit disappointed.
Apparently personality equates to an aggressiveness variable.
An aggressive enemy might throw caution to the wind and charge the player with a knife, while a defensive one will play it safe behind cover.
It’s great that they’re experimenting with AI to make NPCs more life like and interesting, but I wouldn’t go as far as to call that personality.
I’m generally not a fan of personality variables. I can’t help it, I come from the world of screenwriting where you don’t think of personality in number variables. As screenwriters are taught - a character is defined by what they do, the actions they take. No one in the theater cares if their aggressiveness variable is an 8 or even if the character said they were aggressive. It all comes down to what they do on the screen. Understandably though controlling an NPC or virtual intelligent agent in this way is quite problematic, but right now I’ve got to think there is a way. I certainly know we will need a more advanced method for creating personality than what is offered in the Stargate Worlds MMO.
{ 0 comments… add one now }