Overall looking back on the what I have learnt throughout this module I feel as though the lecture on artificial intelligence had the largest impact on my own opinion. Using what I learnt I believe this could help me move forward into learning about AI programming NPCs for games. AI is becoming a larger part of life as time goes on and is becoming more advanced but I initially I thought the consequences of this would be bad in the future. At first, I was not delving into the topic enough and only looking at the surface which was what I was being told by social media. A dystopian idea about AI had engraved itself into my head. However, looking back, I learnt that AI can be very helpful to humans. Looking at modelling for games, AI becomes an important part of making games seem more realistic and immersive. The best video games make the player feel as though they are truly part of the experience. Emotive modelling is a technique I learnt about during the lecture and research processes and how it is being used to help further video game capabilities. Emotive modelling is a technique that enables developers to capture the essence of emotion within an NPC. This is important because it gives players a connection to certain NPCs thorough feelings. This emotive modelling could be programmed for different situations thereby interlinking a relationship with a player on a virtual level. This has all impacted me on a serious level as I never thought that artificial intelligence could help to improve the video game industry at such a phenomenal level, advancing in modelling came as a big surprise because I didn’t know that AI technology was capable.

In addition, the lecture on history of indie and considering different developers and indie companies changed my mind. I never really thought of indie developers being one person and the scene becoming so large like it is in the market today, looking back I learnt a lot about the history in terms of how far indie goes back. Indie games can be traced back to the 1970s which is unbelievable when you think about how the term has only become mainstream now. These small team’s indie teams are competing with large scale companies and beating them. Many smaller scale teams are becoming household names which helps to inspire me as a developer. The work of Jonathan Blow interested me the most because his success has come from such a small team of developers and his outlook on the game industry was like mine. Blow has a strong distrust in the cooperate greed of companies like EA and sees that many companies are going down a cooperate route i.e. microtransactions. Furthermore, Blow also believes that video games are an art form, this passion for design is something I look for as inspiration when I’m developing. I think I resonate with statements and beliefs of Blow and hope to take these forward into my own work.

Sources

http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/ai-video-games-toward-intelligent-game/

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/05/the-most-dangerous-gamer/308928/

References

Norman, D. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things.

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

Hudlicka, E. (2009). Foundations for Modelling Emotions in Game Characters: MOdelling EMotion Effects on Cognition.

What do you see as the positives and negatives around copyright?

Copyright helps people to maintain their creative works such as videos and music. Almost all artist mediums are covered in copyright however copyright does have some negative aspects. The laws surrounding copyright can be very useful in helping people to maintain their own work. One advantage of copyright is that it gives the creator automatic copyright protection which means when work it originally created it automatically comes under copyright protection law meaning it belongs to you if it is original and not reproducing in any shape or form. Defending intellectual property rights is another advantage of copyright law. When you create a work, you don’t want someone else to steal it and claim it as their own this is where copyright law enables you to defend your own property. However, copyright right law is not always positive, it can have several negative effects such as the price of enforcing copyright law. Small businesses can suffer when they try to enforce copyright law on larger companies because it can be expensive to defend copyright cases. In addition, it can expensive to even register your product for copyright protection. All together this does not help small businesses who feel they are being down trodden on.

Is it possible to make anything new?

I think that it is possible to create something new using influences from outside of the medium being used, everyone is unique and has their own experiences that they can add to their art. Thereby nothing created will ever be the same. The term Avant Garde can be best used to describe a new wave of art that pushes the boundaries and norms. The Avant Garde movement is creating art that is unlike anything we have seen before, dada, cubism are examples of artists pushing boundaries and being creative. Every artist has their own approach and using this to create something new is not difficult with the amount of influences you can take from many mediums.

Sources

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/pros-cons-copyright-laws-52554.html

http://blog.stcloudstate.edu/nyesilevsky/2017/04/11/pros-and-cons-of-copyright-laws/

http://www.lawprofessor.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-obtaining-a-copyright/

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/avant-garde

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/definitions/avant-garde-art.htm

References

Norman, D. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things.

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

A) Behavioral modelling is an important part of NPC development for games. Should emotive modelling be part of that development?

Emotive modelling is an extremely important aspect of development in games for NPCs. As video games become more developed and realistic players gradually become more immersed in the experience of playing games. AI has developed as such a fast rate that it has now become commonplace to see smart AI that acts almost human like. Emotive modelling goes a long way in this process to helping players understand emotion in games thereby bringing them more enjoyment.

B) Consider your favorite video game. If it contains AI controlled agents how individualistic are they and their behaviors, and, how might you set about improving them?

Fallout New Vegas uses the gamebryo engine which enabled obsidian to use the engine to create radiant AI which responds to each other and the player in a predetermined behavioural manner. New Vegas is an RPG meaning that it is completely based upon player choices. AI react to the choices you make in the form of factions within this game. NPCS have a range of emotions towards the player and these affects how you can interact with certain people. New Vegas’ NPCS can be difficult at times for example the companions you can have on your quest can prove to be troublesome and annoying sometimes. For example, you could be walking down a tight corridor and they will constantly be blocking your path trying to interact with you. Stealth can be used in New Vegas and the AI can feel buggy at times when you are using the stealth mechanic. Sometimes it feels as though the AI can see through walls and other times they are blind to everything, improving these AI is down to the gamebryo engine itself. The engine is outdated compared to other titles, but it offers and immersive RPG experience.

Sources

Click to access c3628f011a59124946f4b3bef59237ea21f8.pdf

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/12/video-game-characters-emotional-ai-developers

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875952111000486

http://mmi.tudelft.nl/~joostb/files/Popescu_Broekens_Someren_2013.pdf

http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/07311.25139.pdf

https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0903/0903.0735.pdf

http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/ai-video-games-toward-intelligent-game/

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609482/ai-is-dreaming-up-new-kinds-of-video-games/

https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/14/16143392/dota-ai-openai-bot-win-elon-musk

https://www.networkworld.com/article/3160106/artificial-intelligence/how-video-game-ai-is-changing-the-world.html

References

Norman, D. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things.

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

A) select one game of your interest and explain why does it have a good/bad game UI

The highly anticipated release of driving simulator Gran Turismo for the PS4 delivers a stunning user interface experience. The interface used is sleek and intricate but at the same time allows players to navigate through the vast modes easily and understand different aspects of the game. The UI is constantly helping players to become better not just in the meus but on the track. Hints and tips are constant but not annoying and car information is clear as well as allowing you to focus on driving. The information when driving can be complex at first however once you know each icon they become pivotal in helping you win races. In addition, settings can be turned off for a more immersive experience, but the UI is so minimalistic that you won’t want it off. The beauty of this game comes in the sleekness of the user interface.

B) discuss how technology augments human abilities. Reflect upon the implications of the future of HCI.

There are many advantages to HCI that have vastly improved human quality of life, one of these major advances is in medicine. One of the main developments helping doctors is in the technology used. These developments have helped patients be diagnosed faster and treated better. These advancements mean that many lives have been saved all over the world through the spread of this equipment. Overall quality of life has been improved by the advancements of HCI which helps to save lives. Technology plays an important role in every industry as well as in our personal lives. Out of all the industries that technology plays a crucial role in, healthcare is one of the most important.

One benefit of integrating HCI into medical profession is that it improves people’s quality of life. Medical technologies such as better monitoring systems, and more comfortable scanning equipment are allowing patients to spend less time in recovery and more time enjoying a healthy life. Using technology in medical research, scientists have been able to examine diseases on a cellular level and produce antibodies against them. These vaccines against life-threatening diseases like malaria, polio, MMR, and more prevent the spread of disease and save thousands of lives all around the globe. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that vaccines save about 3 million lives per year, and prevent millions of others from contracting deadly viruses and diseases.

Furthermore, the use of HCI has also introduced us to robotic, where in some cases, physicians do not even need to be in the operating room with a patient when the surgery is performed. Instead, surgeons can operate in another room, and patients can have the procedure done in a hospital or clinic, eliminating the hassles and stress of health-related travel. With other robotic surgeries, the surgeon is still in the room, operating the robotic devices, but the technology allows for a minimally-invasive procedure that leaves patients with less scarring and significantly less recovery time.

Sources

http://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/gran_turismo_sport

https://www.driving.co.uk/news/products/gran-turismo-sport-game-review/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUyROK4joLw

http://www.healthcarebusinesstech.com/medical-technology/

https://healthinformatics.uic.edu/resources/articles/5-ways-technology-is-improving-health/

https://online.king.edu/healthcare/digitizing-healthcare-how-technology-is-improving-medical-care/

References

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

A) Choose one of the indie designers / developers and outline why there work and approach is of interest to you.

Jonathan Blow is a massive inspiration for me not just as an indie developer but also as a person. Blow is honest about the video game industry and makes great points about the society we live in today. Jonathan Blow is an American indie developer and programmer who is best known as the creator of the independent video games Braid (2008) and The Witness (2016), both of which released to critical acclaim. Being an indie developer is an increasingly difficult task especially when you are competing with large companies producing AAA titles. Blow has spoken many times about his views on independent video games both in interviews and in public speeches, although he has said on his blog that he has got what he wanted out of conferences from speaking at them. For his sometimes-controversial views, he has received praise, notably being called “the kind of righteous rebel video games need” and “a spiritual seeker, questing after truth in an as-yet-uncharted realm. Jonathan often speaks of the potential for games to be more. He has said that he tries to make games that are more adult for people with longer attention spans and noted that games could have a “much bigger role” in culture in the future but current game development does not address this potential, instead aiming for low-risk, high-profit titles Blow has spoken out against some games for immoral game design. On Farmville, he has said that the design of the game reveals the developers’ goal to degrade the quality of players’ lives, ultimately calling it “inherently evil.” He approaches his games using critical thinking and he is always trying to innovate to bring games to the next level. This kind of think resonates with me and works as inspiration towards my work.

B) What do you think could be the most exciting indie projects that are in development

One of the most exiting indie games currently in development is called Praey for the Gods. After an initial name change due to a clash with Bethesda’s Prey this looks to be a very promising project. It’s an action-adventure survival game being developed by No Matter Studios. Heavily influenced by eth latest Zelda title it gives players a realistic survival experience. Survive the harsh winter, slay some giant gods. It has a new climbing system that lets you grappling-hook to any rock surface and climb. The story seems very similar to that of Horizon Zero Dawn. The character will start off her journey on a frozen island without any equipment whatsoever, wherein she must find items, to survive dynamically generated weather, and climb onto massive bosses to defeat them. Players will track giants on the island and look to climb to defeat them, and use weapons they find on the island to approach these giants howsoever they choose. The game has an exhaustion system. Everything the player does will affect the level of exhaustion. To illustrate, the player will walk slower in deep snow, and to spend too long or to run too fast will affect those levels. Said element will likewise slow down the player to the point where it is easier for the in-game giants can catch up. Furthermore, dodging and sprinting can help to avoid attacks but will also wear on the exhaustion system. One such way that a player can resolve this quandary of exhaustion is by resting. When the player is exhausted their hunger, cold, and stamina states will lower. Locating campfires can help to refill their health, and exhaustion.

Sources

http://time.com/4355763/the-witness-jonathan-blow-interview/

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/27/jonathan-blow-designer-video-games-braid-the-witness

http://www.pcgamer.com/jonathan-blow-interview-social-game-designers-goal-is-to-degrade-the-players-quality-of-life/

http://www.pcgamer.com/action-survival-game-praey-for-the-gods-adds-breath-of-the-wild-style-climbing/

References

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

 A) select one example to outline the key concepts of the interactive narrative genre?

An Interactive narrative is a form of digital interactive experience in which users create or influence a dramatic storyline through their actions. From a narrative perspective, The Last of Us is perhaps the most realistic story we have ever been told. The focus is of the narrative is entirely on the main characters of Joel and Ellie and how they develop over the course of the game. One key concept in the interactive narrative genre is symbolism. The last of us uses symbolism throughout to foreshadow events or tell us about different characters or locations. Joel’s broken watch, for instance, representing his lost past and the fact that he has never been able to move on. Another character holds a toy robot as he ponders philosophically over the consciousness of zombies. Gameplay is another key concept that the last of us takes full advantage of. When the game wants us to feel distant and disconnected from a character we have grown close to, it physically shifts our viewpoint to another character. When it wants us to feel conflicted, it forces us to do things we don’t want to do. For all its cinematic presentation, The Last of Us is so compelling because it knows it’s a game, and it takes full advantage of the medium. Combat in The Last of Us is stealth-oriented, but almost inevitably turns sloppy. Ammo is sparse, and things can get brutal all too quickly. What’s great about this system is that it really puts the player into the mindset of the character, especially on the higher difficulties. Sneaking around is tense. Head-on combat is messy and violent, and you never feel like you have everything you need to get the job done. Scavenging for supplies becomes as much a necessity for the player as it does for Joel and Ellie. There’s a constant feeling of desperation.

B) does the interactive narrative still have a role to play in video games today. Give exemplary examples?

Interactive narrative still plays a huge part in video games today. One example within video games is South Park The Stick of Truth. The Stick of Truth enables players to do whatever they want within the south park universe. It’s a giant South Park sandbox game. In this game players will take on the role as the new kid, a silent protagonist of the players own design, as they try to win back the Stick of Truth from Clyde and his horde of Twilight fans. This game is completely self-aware meaning that it knows what it is. Self-deprecation is amazing for this game because no other game could do it the way south park does. Its satirical attitude towards its own storyline is hilarious and shows off its interactive narrative by enabling players to do whatever they like. Interact with most of your favourite characters for hilarious results. Customization is also very strong in this game. There are thousands of possibilities for character creation in this game. In addition, players can also take advantage of their surroundings to solve puzzles, make pathways, or even knockout enemies before they get to you. The open world of south park is phenomenal and really makes you feel as though you are in one giant episode.

Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b071h083

http://gdcvault.com/play/1021862/Classic-Game-Postmortem

https://www.pcmag.com/feature/317795/the-top-10-interactive-games-for-story-lovers

https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/ThomasGrip/20130819/198596/5_Core_Elements_Of_Interactive_Storytelling.php

References

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.

What are the key components of Post Modernism ?

The dictionary describes post modernism as a “late 20th-century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism, which represents a departure from modernism and is characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general distrust of theories” The term was first used around 1970. Postmodernism is difficult to define because there is no one theory or idea behind the work. It embraces many different approaches to art making, and many day began with pop art in the 1960s and to embrace much of what followed including conceptual art, neo-expressionism, feminist art. Postmodernism was a reaction against modernism. Modernism was generally based on idealism and a Utopian vision of human life and society and a belief in progress. It assumed that certain ultimate universal principles or truths such as those formulated by religion or science could be used to understand or explain reality.

Roy Lichenstein – Whaam!

Whaam! is based on an image from All American Men of War published by DC comics in 1962. Throughout the 1960s, Lichtenstein frequently drew on commercial art sources such as comic images or advertisements, attracted by the way highly emotional subject matter could be depicted using detached techniques. Transferring this to a painting context, Lichtenstein could present powerfully charged scenes in an impersonal manner, leaving the viewer to decipher meanings for themselves.

What games do you think exemplify this in there design decisions ?

Metal Gear Solid 2 is an example of postmodernism in video game culture using hyperreality and by subverting player expectations in an increasingly over-the-top way. These subversions begin with the game’s marketing within the context of its release. The initial trailers marketed Metal Gear Solid 2 as an epic continuation of Solid Snake’s adventure. That is, until Snake apparently died in the opening. Players take control of Raiden, an often whiny operative, with extensive experience in virtual reality missions but no actual experience in the field of combat. Kojima knew that fans would be infuriated at the realization that they would be controlling the unlikable Raiden for the rest of the game, and deliberately designed the opening sequences of his mission poorly.  Raiden’s mission was consistently interrupted by long-winded, unnecessary tutorials.

Raiden was trained as a soldier through virtual reality, playing through simulations of Snake’s previous missions, each of them “indistinguishable from the real thing”. In context, Raiden represents geek culture, he believes that he is qualified for his mission because he played as Snake in combat simulations, lending him a strange inability to grasp the increasingly surreal nature of his adventure. In a closing monologue, Snake asks the player to embrace subjectivity and disregard the search for an objective reality.

Sources

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/postmodernism

http://www.theartstory.org/definition-postmodernism.htm

https://study.com/academy/lesson/post-modernism-art-definition-theory-characteristics.html

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13312484700A52189400&page=0

http://screwattack.roosterteeth.com/post/51230202

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-08-16-metal-gear-solid-2-the-first-postmodern-video-game

References

Lebowitz, J. (2011). Interactive Storytelling for Video Games.