RED DEAD REVOLVER
Artificial Intelligence Critique
By
Mitchell C. Dodes
CIS 588
Introduction
• Third person shooter style game.
– Story
• Travel through old west themed environments.
• Play as multiple characters working toward a complete
story line.
• Main character (Red) is a bounty hunter trying to find
out who murdered his family.
– Object
• Kill enemies.
• Avoid being hit from attacking enemies.
• Protect innocent and friendly characters from enemy
attacks.
Use of A.I. In Game
• A.I. is used in different ways.
– General enemies.
• Use AI to attack and move throughout the game
environment.
– Level “Bosses”
• Use AI to attack and move.
• Movement is generally different than general
enemies.
– Movement and attack may be far more “intelligent” than general
enemies.
– Movement may also follow a scripted behavior with attack
being reactionary.
Use of A.I. In Game
• A.I. is used in different ways
– Friendly A.I.
• Background characters.
– Background characters use A.I. to move throughout a
level.
– In some scenarios background characters move to avoid
attacking enemies.
– Most scenarios see the background characters
wandering about avoiding obstacles in the game
environment.
» Most of these background characters provide clues
as to what should be done next when “talked” to.
Use of A.I. In Game
• A.I. is used in different ways
– Friendly A.I.
• Friends.
– Throughout the game, computer controlled characters
are introduced, which need to be protected.
– Many of these friends use AI to attack enemies and
defend against enemy attacks.
– Friends have a health meter similar to the main
characters.
– Friends either follow a scripted behavior and react to
attacks, or the main characters actions.
Use of A.I. In Game
• A.I. is used in different ways
– Friendly A.I.
• Friends.
– Included in the friendly category are animals.
» Horses, cows, chickens, etc. are incorporated into
game play.
» Animals can be interacted with (ridden, etc.) and
avoid being attacked by enemies.
» Animals tend to follow a scripted pattern and react to
events.
» After reacting to an event animals return to their
scripted movement.
Use of A.I. In Game
• A.I. is used in different ways
– Showdowns.
• Throughout the game the player is challenged to
showdowns where a duel occurs.
• A.I. is used by the enemies during showdowns to
react to the players attacks.
• When a player attacks to slow, the enemy attacks
faster.
• When a player attacks fast, the enemy attacks
slower.
Movie
A.I. Techniques Used
• Friendly A.I. Techniques.
– Friends.
• Friends follow a scripted behavior.
• React to changing scenarios.
– If you are getting shot at long enough, a friend will stop
what they are doing and engage the attacker.
• After reacting to a changing scenario, a friend will
resume to scripted behavior.
A.I. Techniques Used
• Enemy A.I. Techniques.
– General enemies.
• Hide and attack sequences.
– An enemy will remain behind cover and move into an
attacking position and return to cover when attack is
finished.
• Varying use of weapons.
– Enemies will use different weapons depending on the
attack to be carried out.
» If an enemy is within close range of the player, it may
punch or kick the character instead of shooting.
A.I. Techniques Used
• Enemy A.I. Techniques.
– General enemies.
• Listening.
– In certain scenarios enemy reaction is sparked by the
noise level of the player.
» Noise level can be reduced by walking slower, etc.
• Avoidance.
– Enemies will move to avoid being in the line of fire of the
player.
» This usually occurs when the player comes into close
proximity of the enemy and is generally accompanied
by the enemy using close combat attack techniques.
A.I. Techniques Used
• Enemy A.I. Techniques.
– Level Bosses.
• Some bosses follow a scripted pattern and attack
when player is in range.
• Bosses use avoidance to minimize the damage
they sustain when attacked by player.
– A boss will not generally be still and take attacks.
• The level of intelligence for a boss increases as
you move further into the game.
A.I. Techniques Used
• Enemy A.I. Techniques.
– Level Bosses.
• Showdown scenes.
– AI responds to the speed of the player.
» The slower the player, the faster the enemy and vicea-versa.
A.I. Tools Used
• Very little information available on the web
as to specific tools used in developing Red
Dead Revolver.
• Scripted enemies with reactionary
movements suggest a rule base AI
system.
– EX. Do A until B or C, etc.
A.I. Tools Used
• Nothing in the game play suggests that
computer controlled characters have any
type of learning ability.
• Nothing in game play suggests any type of
known AI algorithms.
– Min-max, heuristic search, alpha-beta, etc.
A.I. Strengths And Weaknesses
• Strengths.
– Friendly AI works well.
• When a friendly character accompanies the player
on a mission, the friendly characters do a good job
of defending against attacking enemies.
– Enemy AI reacts well to the player in most
cases.
• Bosses especially seem to react to attacks well.
• Bosses and general enemies chase and attack
well.
A.I. Strengths And Weaknesses
• Strengths.
– Enemy AI reacts well to the player in most
cases.
• AI used in the showdown sequences improves as
the game unfolds.
– By the end of the game defeating the showdown AI
requires almost no mistakes by the user.
– Enemies rarely get “stuck”
A.I. Strengths And Weaknesses
• Weaknesses.
– On the whole, the AI in the game is
predictable.
• Much of the non-attacking AI used in the game is
scripted.
– Because of the layout of the game the AI
being used at times seems redundant.
• At times in the game, multiple bosses must be
defeated in the same scenario.
– These bosses tend to use the same tactics for attack and
defense
Effect of A.I. on Game play
• Though the game is fun to play, the AI does not
add much challenge.
– Much of AI is predictable.
– Much AI is redundant.
• This is especially true in the category of general enemies.
• Showdown AI becomes increasingly challenging.
– The showdown scenarios nearing the end of the
game are the most challenging periods of the game.
Conclusion
• The AI in the game is good from a
technical standpoint.
– Enemies do not get stuck often.
• AI in the game does not create extremely
challenging game play.
• Game remains fun even without much
challenge from computer controlled
characters.
QUESTIONS?