1. The AI Babysitter

2. Book Learnin’ University of Chicago BA in General Studies Masters work in AI & Information Systems Northwestern University PhD work in AI: Robotics & Video Games

3. Street Smarts Game Design and Tuning Workshop Indie Game Jam/Experimental Gameplay Workshop IGDA Education Committee Currently: Lead Designer: MySims

4. The Designer-Player Relationship  Designer  Player Game CreatesConsumes

5. The Designer-Player Relationship  AI  Player Game CreatesConsumes

6. A Formal Model of “Game Consumption” Rules“Fun” System Behavior

7. The MDA Framework MechanicsAestheticsDynamics

8. Our Task Hide-and-seek game CMU: “Woggles” Tag the T

9. Our Task Hide-and-seek game Can be played from both perspectives the babysitter and the child Simple, 3 room environment

10. Our Map

11. Avatar: Babysitter Moves Speaks Extra Moves? Why?

12. Eight Kinds of "Fun" 1. Sensation Game as sense- pleasure 2. Fantasy Game as make-believe 3. Narrative Game as drama 4. Challenge Game as obstacle course 5. Fellowship Game as social framework 6. Discovery Game as uncharted territory 7. Expression Game as self-discovery 8. Submission Game as pastime

13. The Dynamics of Hide and Seek excitement exhaustion

14. The Babysitter What kinds of fun? What kinds of AI?

15. Technical Details Waypoints? Obstacle detection? Cover points?

16. Seek! Brainstorm: 5 behaviors Babysitter (NPC) Baby (PC) Prototype/Play/Discuss Goal: Clearly understand mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics of this design

17. Our Map

18. Results? What makes playing with the babysitter fun?

19. New Constraints Player = babysitter What kinds of fun? What kinds of baby AI?

20. AI : Baby Reconsider: Hiding behaviors

21. AI : Baby Reconsider: Hiding behaviors “Tells”

22. AI : Baby Reconsider: Hiding behaviors “Tells” Group goals?

23. AI : Baby Reconsider: Hiding behaviors “Tells” Group goals? Pacing and Flow

24. Seek! Brainstorm: What changes? Babysitter (PC) Baby (NPC) Prototype/Play/Discuss How has the player experience changed?

25. Hunter vs. Hunted What makes playing with the babies fun?

26. Baby AI Advanced abilities and moves?

27. Technical Details Waypoints? Obstacle detection? Cover points?

28. Technical Details Waypoints? Obstacle detection? Cover points? World view?

29. Technical Details Waypoints? Obstacle detection? Cover points? World view? Competition?

30. But Wait – There’s More!! Full-blown simulation of tag Multiple Babies “Real Strategic Gameplay” Showcase character AI.

31. Baby AI What does it look like NOW?

32. Reality is Expensive Can’t do it all by hand! Consider “style” or “personality” Easier to recognize/predict Different targets require different skills This means more granularity – more complex representation.

33. Fidelity Hiding How much cover is the fern...as opposed to the closet or under the table? Do AIs perceive others and plan around them? Do they track the babysitter? What if they can turn on and off lights?

34. Scale Did your design scale when player character changed? Does it scale when the aesthetic itself changes? Is it still fun To desgin To play

35. Other Thoughts?