Artificial player character for massive multi-player on-line game

Abstract

An artificial intelligence system for autonomous artificial player characters in an on-line game is provided. The artificial player character (APC) makes use of an adaptive neural net wherein the function of the artificial player character at any given time is determined as a composition of other functions defined by one or more of the following: the game designer, the personality preference filters of the artificial player character, the current statistical levels of the artificial player character, the database of historical interactions of the artificial player character, a master database of historical interactions by other artificial player characters, and interactions of the artificial player character with other characters and / or the game environment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 903,381, filed on Feb. 26, 2007, and incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on even date herewith, having attorney docket number B575.101.102, and incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates generally to a form of an autonomous artificially intelligent software entity for a computer game. More specifically the invention relates to a form of an autonomous artificially intelligent player character for a massive multi-player on-line game.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Massive multi-player on-line (MMO) games are computer games capable of supporting a number of players (e.g., hundreds or thousands of players) simultaneously. In one arrangement, players log onto a central server over the Internet and particip...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This is a somewhat more complicated process than it might look at first, since it requires balancing a number of variables which include, for example, the perceived ability of the Player Character to find Monster Y, the amount of time required to do so, the risks of travel to Monster Y's location, the ability of the Player Character to kill x number of Monster Y, the likelihood that the Player Character will survive the encounter, the trustworthiness of the NPC to make good on its end of the bargain, and finally, the value of the reward on offer to the Player Character.

Their presence and location are usually constant and unchanging within the game, subject only to their temporary elimination by a Player Character or the failure of a Player Character to trigger their presence.

Their statistics, appearance, and skill sets are essentially static, and their decision-making capabilities are crude and essentially limited to a binary option of fight or flight.

They are non-autonomous, their movement is typically limited, and they seldom have significant interaction with the Player Characters.

In contrast, none of the five other character forms are able to do any of these things as without the direction of a human mind providing purpose and personal preferences for the character, they simply do not have the capacity.

And while MMO games are rightly very popular in the gaming community, they are already running into a fundamental design limitation due to their heavy reliance upon Player Characters to provide the dynamic aspect of the entertainment.

Since MMO game designers have limited control over the decision-making processes of the participating Player Characters and are forced to leave the vast majority of these decisions to the discretion of human beings controlling the Player Character, they are forced to spend an inordinate amount of time limiting an individual Player Character's ability to destroy the gaming experience for himself and others.

This discretion is often exercised to the disadvantage of other Player Characters and to the detriment of the game experience.

For example, it is not uncommon for a Player Character to find himself suddenly abandoned in the midst of a horde of enemies because the other Player Characters with whom he was cooperating have departed the scene, either because it was necessary for them to go off-line or simply because they had already achieved their goals and were uninterested in continuing to help the Player Character.

This occurs frequently in current MMO games and severely detracts from the game's entertainment value.

Furthermore, the wide variety in maturity levels and sophistication among the players of an MMO game means that Player Characters are often interacting with each other under the handicap of possessing mutually incompatible entertainment goals.

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