Improving Gameplay: Characterising Differences between NPCs & Human Players Jennifer Sandercock.

Improving Gameplay: Characterising Differences between

NPCs & Human Players

Jennifer Sandercock

Outline• 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

http://www.unrealtournament.com/

Bot or Human?Lauren


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Study 1: Quake III

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Study 1: Quake III

Study 2: Unreal Tournament 2004

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Case 1: Playing

Study 2: Unreal Tournament 2004

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Case 2: Observing

Study 2: Unreal Tournament 2004Playing Observing

Passing the Turing Test?

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10

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newbies moderate expert

Expertise

Acc

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cy

Bots Humans

Bot or Human?Renegade



Characteristics of Bots & Human Players

Categories• 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 PowerUps

5. Always uses the same waypoint 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



Playing vs. Observing: Confidence

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newbies moderate expert

Expertise

Co

nfi

den

ce

Playing

Observing

Playing vs. Observing: Accuracy

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newbie moderate expert

Expertise

Acc

ura

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%) Observing

Playing

Bot or Human?Rylisa


Accurate Playing CharacteristicsWhen playing, people who got high accuracy

rated the following as important: Ability to strafe Movement during firing

Inaccurate Observing CharacteristicsWhen observing, people who got low accuracy

rated the following as important: 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 CharacteristicsWhen 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 CharacteristicsWhen 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


Bot or Human?Brock


“Getting Games and Military Simulations to Play Together”

Jennifer Sandercock & Michael Papasimeon

Friday 2:30pm

Latrobe Theatre, Level 2

Questions?

Improving Gameplay: Characterising Differences between NPCs & Human Players Jennifer Sandercock.

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