This unit will introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques that can be used in games development. General capabilities of AI technology, behaviours/circumstances that need to be simulated/learned/reproduced by the smart non-player characters/environments in smart games, AI techniques (such as evolutionary and neural computations) used in the development of smart games will be discussed at length. This unit will build upon previous programming skills, and provide a strong grounding for further study in this area, especially related to games engine development. The unit will examine intelligent game creation using C++.
2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs laboratories/wk
Students will be expected to spend a total of 12 hours per week during semester on this unit as follows:
and up to an additional 8 hours in some weeks for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.
Alan Dorin: Consultation hours: 3-4pm, Thursday by arrangement during labs & lectures or email
Alan Dorin
Examination (2 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%
| Assessment Task | Value | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Player Character Game Controller | 20% | Week 7, 20 April 2012, 6pm |
| Coordinated Non-Player Character Game Controller | 20% | Week 12, 25 May 2012, 6pm |
| Examination 1 | 60% | To be advised |
Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through SETU, Student Evaluation of Teacher and Unit. The University's student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.
For more information on Monash's educational strategy, and on student evaluations, see:
http://www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/directions.html
http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html
The lecture notes and tutorial material now provide further detail on vector arithmatic for applications in steering behaviour computation.
If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp
Please check with your lecturer before purchasing any Required Resources. Prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library, and prescribed software is available in student labs.
On-campus students may use the software which is installed in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook.
You will need access to:
| Week | Activities | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0 | |
| 1 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) | |
| 2 | Introduction to Artificial Life (AL) | |
| 3 | History of AI and AL | |
| 4 | The interactive game loop, Finite State Machines | |
| 5 | Neural Networks | |
| 6 | Mid-course revision | |
| 7 | Vectors and Steering Behaviour, Introduction to Search Algorithms | Assignment 1 due Week 7, 20 April 2012, 6pm |
| 8 | Cooperative strategies for agent behaviour | |
| 9 | Growing plants and forests intelligently and realistically | |
| 10 | A* Search algorithm | |
| 11 | Artificial Evolution | |
| 12 | Virtual Ecosystems | Assignment 2 due Week 12, 25 May 2012, 6pm |
| SWOT VAC | No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC | |
| Examination period | LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/ academic/education/assessment/ assessment-in-coursework-policy.html |
*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your MUSO (Blackboard or Moodle) learning system.
Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/unit-assessment-hurdles.html)
You will be assessed on how efficiently you write the software and on how well your controller plays the game including how frequently it hits and sinks other ships and how infrequently it is hit itself.
Please consult the detailed online document that will be provided for further info.
You will be assessed on how efficiently you write the software and on how well your controller plays the game including how frequently it hits and sinks other ships in a coordinated stragey with its allies and on how infrequently it is hit itself, especially by its allies.
Please consult the detailed online document that will be provided for further info.
It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz).
Submission must be made by the due date otherwise penalties will be enforced.
You must negotiate any extensions formally with your campus unit leader via the in-semester special consideration process: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/equity/special-consideration.html.
Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University's academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them.
You can find Monash's Education Policies at:
http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html
Key educational policies include:
The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at www.monash.edu.au/students. For Sunway see http://www.monash.edu.my/Student-services, and for South Africa see http://www.monash.ac.za/current/
The Monash University Library provides a range of services and resources that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. At Sunway, visit the Library and Learning Commons at http://www.lib.monash.edu.my/. At South Africa visit http://www.lib.monash.ac.za/.
Academic support services may be available for students who have a disability or medical condition. Registration with the Disability Liaison Unit is required. Further information is available as follows:
No prescribed text is required. Recommended reading lists will appear each week with the lecture notes.
Some useful web resources
www.ai-depot.com
www.generation5.org
www.ai-junkie.com
www.gamedev.net