Worksheet No.4

Introduction

For this project I intend to create a believable character that can influence the consequences of a game's storyline. The idea is for not only the PC but also the NPC's to be able to move a storyline forward.

 

Motivation

My motivation for this project is current games. Graphics have come a huge way in the games industry however when you look at your very detailed, realistic companion they stair lifelessly back at you. Characters in games are seen as collectible or interchangeable for example Mass Effect 2 built collecting characters into the game but then that's all they were, collectibles, tools to be used. In Dragon Age Origins the characters are also collectible but they did put characters into the story however they are still just tools this time to be used by the story. Finally Fallout New Vegas, these characters are interchangeable, so you don't get the feeling that you need them as they can be swapped they also try and put them into the game but just into situations that build a relationship, they have no actually effect on the game.

Issues

The main issue I want to address is making a believable character. A character that can actually effect the games story by independently making decisions relevant to the story such as having a lever in a room that needs pulling instead of the player always having to do it a NPC can do it, depending on there personality. Or on a bigger scale if the player were to decide to not kill a character that another NPC thinks should be dead, that NPC might decide to kill him them self maybe angering another character.

Research question

"Can a believable character, with personality and emotions be created that can actively and realistically effect consequences in a game's story?"

Addressing the Question

For the practical application I plan on creating a simple storyline and four different characters. The storyline will have four points a beginning, a middle, a climax and an end, between these points it will be possible for the characters to move the story forward using multiple variables they will be able to access, like the player.

The first system will be created using finite state machines as a standard and will be the base for comparison with the hybrid system. The hybrid system will be built upon the finite state machine using different AI techniques to improve it and hopfully create a more believable character. I am hoping the game will be similar to a table top game having five characters that can make independent decisions about where the story line is heading. 

Progress

To conclude I am hoping the FSM will produce predictable results, so that when the same scenario is done through the hybrid system, the emergent behavior produced should be able to be analyzed to hopefully show a more realistic reaction to a situation.