
Bots Get Smart - jwilliams
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/dec08/7011
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liuliu
It is a trade-off of computing resources. For FPS game, it is easier to employ
good AI as there are fewer NPC. But for RTS type, it is harder. In the ideal
situation, each unit in RTS game should have its own AI. But actually that is
nearly impossible. So now, for RTS game, each unit was operated by FSM and
there are some AI strategies to control the overall flow. A good AI always
means more computing. And unlike graphics, AI algorithms cannot easily be
paralleled. These are the challenges I saw so far.

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Retric
There are a lot of ways AI algorithms can be parallel. Chess being an easy
example, but there are parallel approaches to most AI problems. I could go on
but feel free to suggest a specific example that can't be run in parallel.

PS: It's normal to consider several options, weight them, and pick the best
one. All of these processes can be run in parallel.

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liuliu
In my text, I said "cannot easily". When you consider the general search
problem, it seems so easy to parallel. But to adapt the search process to
thousands of threads, the cost to avoid repeat search is high because you have
to maintain a list of taboo area. By carefully design, you may avoid that
problem. But here, I am talking about extra-time cost and not intend to say
that it is impossible.

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Retric
Modern game programmers still only need to split the AI over 8 or so cores to
take advantage of "Multi processor" systems. Unless you are running the AI off
the GPU. Getting that to work well can be as simple as separating a complex
evaluation of each node across a different CPU. It's not going to be 4x as
fast on 4 CPU's but there would still be a significant boost. Or with multiple
AI's just give each of them a core and move on.

Now if your talking about 10,000 node clusters it becomes a much harder
problem but efficiently doing most things on a huge cluster is hard.

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liuliu
Yes, you get my point. The graphics can take advantage of GPU, but the AI
merely can.

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Dilpil
I'm surprised he didn't mention ninja gaiden. I'm not sure what that game does
AI wise, but it certainly seems to know what it's doing.

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hs
i misread it as 'boss get smart'

luckily i was wrong

