Game AI has a very similar project to Game Physics; we are choosing a topic to research and replicate in the subject of Game AI. This one is independent and again, the expansive choices of the AI world have made selecting a topic challenging, but fun.
I've decided to try and build the AI of Alien: Isolation. The Alien's hunting system is incredible and I would love to try and figure it out and replicate it.
In a nutshell: the Alien has some very specific and special traits to it that make it so original and interesting, at least to me:
- The Alien does not have a set patrol path- it chooses where it hunts
- It has a sensor system, meaning if a player makes noise, moves, opens a door, etc- the Alien will notice and act upon that
- The AI does not know where the player is, it is genuinely hunting
I especially loved the fact that it does not have a set patrol path. The developers gave the Alien the hiding spots in the environment that are particularly common and then let the AI go from there. The Alien can even double-check some places, adding to unpredictability. This builds that fear and horror aspect to the game- you don't know where that Alien is going to look next.
I'm hoping to start with the basics of setting up the player and hunter and then make the manager that watches them both, but does not tell the hunter where the player is. I plan to keep building on it to add the hunter's director and, if I have time, the sensor system.
I'm really excited, this topic is genuinely really interesting and I want to dive into it and see what I can find.
If you would like to learn more about the AI in Alien: Isolation, this is the link that I used to develop the topic proposal: