Having played rts games for many many years it has become plain to me what the primary drawback to computer opponent artificial intelligence is. There have been a few exceptions to these - such as Act Of War's attempt to simulate a modicum of limited awareness - but here then are the 3 'O's that STILL plague rts game design:
Omniscience
Omnipotence
Omnipresence
Omniscience - The quality of knowing all things; universal knowledge; thus, God
Omniscience is the trait whereby a computer opponent is eternally, universally aware of all things at all times. No human can be so.
Omnipotence - Unlimited power
Omnipotence is the capacity of a computer opponent to play a game masterfully - flawlessly, to execute without mistake or hesitation. No human can possibly match such ability.
Omnipresence - Universal presence; the state of being everywhere at once
Omnipresence is the unerring capacity of a computer opponent to be everywhere at all times - simultaneous focus on unlimited event multitudes. No human can ever concentrate on more than a single task at a time.
Humans must labour under constraints derived from having only one brain, neural processes that conform to limitations of Einstein laws & theories, imperfect interfaces with their inherent delay & response issues, and the drawback of possessing only two arms/hands. Advances in A. I. should therefore strive to replicate or mimic these deficiencies.
The greater the degree to which one mimics those human qualities, the fairer the contest against (and even with...) a computer opponent shall seem.
Developers and their publishers are fond of bandying about words like "revolution" and "redefine". Most of the time they mean nothing more than the inevitable predictable advancement in graphic technology.
If one wishes to bring about a TRUE revolution in strategy game design, one must focus on the 3 'O's.
Omniscience
Omnipotence
Omnipresence
Omniscience - The quality of knowing all things; universal knowledge; thus, God
Omniscience is the trait whereby a computer opponent is eternally, universally aware of all things at all times. No human can be so.
Omnipotence - Unlimited power
Omnipotence is the capacity of a computer opponent to play a game masterfully - flawlessly, to execute without mistake or hesitation. No human can possibly match such ability.
Omnipresence - Universal presence; the state of being everywhere at once
Omnipresence is the unerring capacity of a computer opponent to be everywhere at all times - simultaneous focus on unlimited event multitudes. No human can ever concentrate on more than a single task at a time.
Humans must labour under constraints derived from having only one brain, neural processes that conform to limitations of Einstein laws & theories, imperfect interfaces with their inherent delay & response issues, and the drawback of possessing only two arms/hands. Advances in A. I. should therefore strive to replicate or mimic these deficiencies.
The greater the degree to which one mimics those human qualities, the fairer the contest against (and even with...) a computer opponent shall seem.
Developers and their publishers are fond of bandying about words like "revolution" and "redefine". Most of the time they mean nothing more than the inevitable predictable advancement in graphic technology.
If one wishes to bring about a TRUE revolution in strategy game design, one must focus on the 3 'O's.
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