Artificial Intelligence and Video Games By: Jaraad B. 5/20/17 EnG2420

What is Artificial Intelligence? Artificial Intelligence is a very complex concept. It basically is intelligence that is processed and contained within technology or machines. It is created by humans and it has been around for a very long time and continues to improve and develop until this day. AI is something we deal with everyday, whether it be with shopping, household uses, education or VIDEO GAMES.

MY Question… There are many questions I actually have about AI and also many things I do want to learn about it as well. But one of my main questions I do have about it is how has it been established in the world of video games and how does it continue to develop in that aspect as it can affect players and how it continually grows? The reason why I wanted to ask this question and learn more about AI in terms of this aspect was because I been playing video games for a while and why not, like who does not like video games?

Artificial Intelligence and video games Throughout the years as video games have been created, players would experience and feel different things. When we play games it involves the use of our brains to overcome challenges that are found within games. Like for example when playing games there could be puzzles, challenges or even the enemies that you face are an example of AI. These aspects challenges and affects our brain waves to think in a manner in which could be the best possible solution in order to overcome those obstacles. Like for example the puzzles you would find in a game called God of War

AI in video games… Artificial intelligence in video games is not just how enemies do certain actions or how players deal with situations. It is actually more than that. It also is how data is being used and processed to make games to be more enjoyable and fun for players.

Back then when players would try to overcome these challenges they would do so by adapting and learning the predictable patterns so that they can push through, but now it is more different and challenges players to use their brains more differently. According to the article Active Video Gaming Changes Brain Waves it says: “Subjects who played the shooter video game showed the greatest improvement on the visual attention task and also exhibited significant changes in their brain waves. The remaining subjects-included those who had played the puzzle game- did not.” This shows that video game and AI can help affect the way players think and apply what they learned in the real world because of the fact that there brain waves were affected in that manner.

As games continue to develop and improve, it continues to challenge there cognitive and even physical abilities. An example would be when a player plays first person shooters they are required to learn about the maps, weapons and player types and apply that in the situation as they compete against others who have to do the same thing as well. Also game patterns would follow a scripted design but as AI in this concept continues to change, it tries to establish ways where it utilizes more unpredictable patterns. Like instead of getting killed by enemies in game and learning the way they move and interact to beat them, now it is where the enemy won’t display those same predictable patterns. Like for example in the game Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, when you get killed by a enemy they can gain rank to be a captain and they will remember you in the next encounter

The way that improvements in AI within video games affects players is that it can sometimes make them choose on decisions within games rather than playing through a story that is written, like for example there are games with morality choices like infamous which affects how the story will be affected and the ending. It also affects a players sense and awareness and makes players feel as though video games can be very realistic, like for example when controlling a player and they move across a wall, you can actually see their hand brushing against that wall.

Moving forward… Overall as the years past AI in video games continue to improve as game developers try to incorporate more into the games and create and introduce us to new concepts. They look for new ways to challenge players and I have learned a lot about how AI in video games are developing and getting better. I learned that the improving AI in in games can help players get better in certain things that pertain in real life like driving or other activities compared to people who do not play video games. I also learned that AI in games is actually more complex, like it can be ways the player interacts within environment or even the graphics and mechanics themselves because at first I thought it would be just the enemies you fight against in games. The improving AI introduces players to new concepts and situations that as they see the world of video games getting more advanced.

References https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijcgt/2015/271296/ http://www.makeusof.com/tag/future-videogame-ais-will-seriously- freak/ https://psychcentral.com/news/2012/04/27/active-video-gaming- changes-brain-waves/37927.html http://www.bbc.com./news/technology-34255492 https://www.giantbomb.com/artificial-intelligence/3015-218/ https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/video-games-artificial- intelligence-realistic-teach-ai-what-the-world-looks-like