Improving Gameplay:
Characterising Differences between
NPCs & Human Players
Jennifer Sandercock
Outline
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Introduction
Testing Methods
Characteristics of Bots and Humans
Playing vs. Observing
Characteristics and Accuracy
The Future
Conclusions
Questions
Bot or Human?
Lauren
www.unrealtournament.com
Outline
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Introduction
Testing Methods
Characteristics of Bots and Humans
Playing vs. Observing
Characteristics and Accuracy
The Future
Conclusions
Questions
Study 1: Quake III
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Study 1: Quake III
Study 2: Unreal Tournament 2004
Case 1: Playing
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Study 2: Unreal Tournament 2004
Case 2: Observing
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Study 2: Unreal Tournament 2004
Playing
Observing
Passing the Turing Test?
100
90
80
Accuracy
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
newbies
moderate
Expertise
Bots
Humans
expert
Bot or Human?
Renegade
www.unrealtournament.com
Outline
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Introduction
Testing Methods
Characteristics of Bots and Humans
Playing vs. Observing
Characteristics and Accuracy
The Future
Conclusions
Questions
Characteristics of Bots &
Human Players
Categories
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Skill Level
Personality
Persistence & Vengeance
Anticipation
Learning
Teaming
Bot limitations and advantages
Characteristics least used
Playing
Observing
1. Ability to learn from watching
others
1. Similarity to known avatar (Bot)
personality
2. Similarity to known avatar
(Bot) personality
2. Ability to learn from watching
others
3. Use of warning shots
3. Use of warning shots
4. Number of suicides
4. Exploration of the entirety of the
terrain
5. Knowledge of exact location of 5. Always uses the same waypoint
PowerUps
as an attack point
Characteristics most used
Playing
Observing
1. Easy/hard to kill
1. Direction of normal movement
(e.g. always runs forwards)
2. Amount of movement during
firing
2. Amount of movement during
firing
3. Number of kills
3. Amount of movement throughout
entire game (e.g. stands still lots)
4. Aim Accuracy
4. Ability to perform multiple tasks
(e.g. jumping and firing
simultaneously)
5. Amount of movement
throughout entire game (e.g.
stands still lots)
5. Movement through terrain:
creative paths vs. erratic in a
predictable way
Bot or Human?
Romulus
www.unrealtournament.com
Outline
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•
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Introduction
Testing Methods
Characteristics of Bots and Humans
Playing vs. Observing
Characteristics and Accuracy
The Future
Conclusions
Questions
Playing vs. Observing:
Confidence
5
4.5
Confidence
4
3.5
Observing
3
2.5
Playing
2
1.5
1
newbies
moderate
Expertise
expert
Playing vs. Observing:
Accuracy
100
90
80
Accuracy (%)
70
Observing
60
50
Playing
40
30
20
10
0
newbie
moderate
Expertise
expert
Bot or Human?
Rylisa
www.unrealtournament.com
Outline
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•
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•
Introduction
Testing Methods
Characteristics of Bots and Humans
Playing vs. Observing
Characteristics and Accuracy
The Future
Conclusions
Questions
Accurate Playing Characteristics
When playing, people who got high accuracy
rated the following as important:
 Ability to strafe
 Movement during firing
Inaccurate Observing Characteristics
When observing, people who got low accuracy
rated the following as important:
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Use of sniping positions
Number of suicides
Persistence to kill & to chase
Number of kills
Position during firing
Ability to see behind
Ability to react to being fired upon
Accurate Bot Characteristics
When playing, people who got high accuracy rated the
following as important:
 Amount of movement during firing
 Direction of normal movement (eg always runs forwards)
 Ability to perform multiple tasks (eg jumping & firing
simultaneously)
 Types of weapons used
 Movement through terrain: creative paths vs erratic in a
predictable way
 Movement to points in the room already traversed
 Priority to obtain PowerUps when entering rooms
 Ability to see behind their avatar
 Ability to react to being fired upon
Inaccurate Human Characteristics
When observing, people who got low accuracy
rated the following as important:
 Movement through terrain: creative paths vs
erratic in a predictable way
 Interesting to watch
 Similarity of mistakes (eg always falls off a ledge
at a given point)
 Exploration of the entirety of the terrain
Bot or Human?
Virus
www.unrealtournament.com
Outline
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Testing Methods
Characteristics of Bots and Humans
Playing vs. Observing
Characteristics and Accuracy
The Future
Conclusions
Questions
Bot or Human?
Brock
www.unrealtournament.com
“Getting Games and Military
Simulations to Play Together”
Jennifer Sandercock & Michael Papasimeon
Friday 2:30pm
Latrobe Theatre, Level 2
Questions?