Building the Battlefield AI Experience

Mikael HedbergLead AI ProgrammerEmail: mhedberg@ea.comTwitter: slicedlime

Critical acclaim for BF: BC

Critical acclaim for BF: BC

Critical acclaim for BF: BC

Critical acclaim for BF: BC

Critical acclaim for BF: BC 2

Critical acclaim for BF: BC 2

Critical acclaim for BF: BC 2

Critical acclaim for BF: BC 2

Critical acclaim for BF: BC 2

Overview

• Challenges• What is AI?• Design Philosophy• Improvements• The Frostbite AI

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Working with Soldiers• The Uncanny Valley

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Friendly Squad AI• Immortal friends• Personalities

Enemy lifespan

Freq

uenc

y

Battlefield AI Challenges

• ”Battlefield”– Infantry– Stationary Guns– Armed cars– Tanks– Helicopters– Quad bikes– Passenger Positions

Battlefield AI Challenges

• ”Battlefield”– Infantry– Stationary Guns– Armed cars– Tanks– Helicopters– Quad bikes– Passenger Positions

Battlefield AI Challenges

• ”Battlefield”– Infantry– Stationary Guns– Armed cars– Tanks– Helicopters– Quad bikes– Passenger Positions

Battlefield AI Challenges

• ”Battlefield”– Infantry– Stationary Guns– Armed cars– Tanks– Helicopters– Quad bikes– Passenger Positions

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Destruction

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Destruction

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Destruction

• Open world

Battlefield AI Challenges

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Open world

Battlefield AI Challenges

• DICE + Single Player = ?

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Code base from BF2, BFV, BF1942• Multi-player bot-style AI

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Code base from BF2, BFV, BF1942• Multi-player bot-style AI

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Code base from BF2, BFV, BF1942• Multi-player bot-style AI

Battlefield AI Challenges

• Code base from BF2, BFV, BF1942• Multi-player bot-style AI

What is AI?

• Behaviors?

What is AI?

• Behaviors• Animations?

What is AI?

• Behaviors• Animations• Character Experience?

What is AI?

• Behaviors• Animations• Character Experience• AI Experience:– Decision system– Behaviors– Animations– Scripting– Voice overs– ... more?

AI Experience – Main Problems

• Coupling between:– AI behaviors– Scripting– Animations

• Animation fluidness• Non-reactive NPCs• Decision Oscillations

AI Experience – Acting

• Cheating = win

AI Experience

• 80% bulk AI behaviors• 20% memorable moments

Improvements for BF: BC 2

Sensing Rewrite

Improved Scripting Support

Dynamic Pathfinding Features

Improved AI-Animation Integration

Seemless Cutscene to AI transitions

AI Insertion SequencesAI Soldier Death Animations

Improved Combat Cover Selection

New Cover Animations

Improvements for BF: BC 2

• Death animations

Improvements for BF: BC 2

• Death animations

Improvements for BF: BC 2

• Sensing rewrite

Improvements for BF: BC 2

• Focus on the player experience• Script the memorable moments• Open world -> wide corridor, arenas

The Frostbite AI

• Environmental awareness

The Frostbite AI

• Environmental awareness

The Frostbite AI

• Frontlines– Positional awareness– Personalities

The Frostbite AI

• Automatic cover detection

The Frostbite AI

• Reactivity over planning• Layers of ordered behavior lists

Summary

• Uncanny Valley• Player impression of AI is what matters• Stable bulk + memorable moments• Cheating = win

Questions?Mikael HedbergLead AI ProgrammerEmail: mhedberg@ea.comTwitter: slicedlime