An Emotional Engine for Behavior Simulators (original) (raw)
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EEP—A lightweight emotional model: Application to RPG video game characters
2011
A key factor for the playing experience in modern video games is the behavior of the agents in the game. Recently, several mechanisms have been put forward, with the objective to define synthetic emotional models, so as to make the player believe that the responses of the software agents are motivated, in some way, by emotions. However, there is currently no virtual agent model that satisfies the restrictions imposed by the software development of a commercial video game, namely limited design time and computational complexity but offering flexible mechanisms to define emotional reactions. In this paper, we present the Emotional Elicitation Process (EEP), a lightweight emotional model suitable for use in real-time video game environments. EEP includes: (1) a parametric definition for the character emotional profile, (2) a mechanism to translate events into emotions, (3) a method to update mood state by these emotions, and (4) a mechanism to map mood state into different behavior controllers. We illustrate this model by an example from a commercial role-playing game (RPG) scenario, in which a relatively simple set-up of EEP can produce realistic emotional behaviors consuming few computational resources.
EEP — A lightweight emotional model: Application to RPG video game characters
2011 IEEE Conference on Computational Intelligence and Games (CIG'11), 2011
A key factor for the playing experience in modern video games is the behavior of the agents in the game. Recently, several mechanisms have been put forward, with the objective to define synthetic emotional models, so as to make the player believe that the responses of the software agents are motivated, in some way, by emotions. However, there is currently no virtual agent model that satisfies the restrictions imposed by the software development of a commercial video game, namely limited design time and computational complexity but offering flexible mechanisms to define emotional reactions. In this paper, we present the Emotional Elicitation Process (EEP), a lightweight emotional model suitable for use in real-time video game environments. EEP includes: (1) a parametric definition for the character emotional profile, (2) a mechanism to translate events into emotions, (3) a method to update mood state by these emotions, and (4) a mechanism to map mood state into different behavior controllers. We illustrate this model by an example from a commercial role-playing game (RPG) scenario, in which a relatively simple set-up of EEP can produce realistic emotional behaviors consuming few computational resources.
Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Foundations of Digital Games - FDG '09, 2009
The tremendous advances in gaming technologies over the past decade have focused primarily on the physical realism of the game environment and game characters, and the complexity and performance of game simulations and networking. However, current games are still lacking in the affective realism of the game characters, and the social complexity and realism of their interactions. To achieve the next leap in the level of engagement and effectiveness, particularly in the arena of serious games, gaming research needs to focus on enhancing the social and affective complexity and realism of the game characters, their interaction, and the game narrative as a whole. To achieve these goals, games and game development tools will need to provide functionality to support the recognition of user and game character emotions, real-time adaptation and appropriate responses to these emotions, and more realistic expression of emotions in game characters and user avatars. To support these functionalities, the games will need to construct affective models of the players, and include computational models of emotion within the game characters. In this paper, we discuss these functionalities, and suggest a set of requirements for an affective game engine, capable of supporting the development of more affectively realistic, engaging, and effective games. The discussion is organized around the functional requirements and the computational tasks necessary to support them. We emphasize the importance of selecting appropriate semantic primitives, and discuss how existing methods and techniques in affective computing and computational affective modeling contribute to the development of affective game engines and game development tools.
Human Emotional Behavior Simulation in Intelligent Agents: Processes and Architecture
Procedia Computer Science, 2017
The paper describes and discusses processes needed for human emotional behaviour simulation, in particular, emotion incorporation into rational thinking, as well as presents corresponding agent architecture. Such system would enable various application fields, perhaps one of the most important being enhancing smart devices with emotions. Decreasing frequency of social contact has become an urgent issue, particularly among young people. Emotional and social intelligence are however highly desired set of skills which is impossible to develop without interacting with others. Although this problem has been acknowledged, and there are some efforts to facilitate social contact, e.g., by augmented virtual reality games, that is still not enough. There is a need to develop environment that would allow learning exactly social and emotional skills. This ongoing research aims at developing intelligent agents that are able to express and incorporate affects into rational processes.
E-AI an emotion architecture for agents in games & virtual worlds
2010
Characters in games and virtual worlds continue to gain improvements in both their visual appearance and more human-like behaviours with each successive generation of hardware. One area that seemingly would need to be addressed if this evolution in human-like characters is to continue is in the area of characters with emotions. To begin addressing this, the thesis focuses on answering the question "Can an emotional architecture be developed for characters in games and virtual worlds, that is built upon a foundation of formal psychology? Therefore a primary goal of the research was to both review and consolidate a range of background material based on the psychology of emotions to provide a cohesive foundation on which to base any subsequent work. Once this review was completed, a range of supplemental material was investigated including computational models of emotions, current implementations of emotions in games and virtual worlds, machine learning techniques suitable for implementing aspects of emotions in characters in virtual world, believability and the role of emotions, and finally a discussion of interactive characters in the form of chat bots and non-player characters. With these reviews completed, a synthesis of the research resulted in the defining of an emotion architecture for use with pre-existing agent behaviour systems, and a range of evaluation techniques applicable to agents with emotions. To support validation of the proposed architecture three case studies were conducted that involved applying the architecture to three very different software platforms featuring agents. The first was applying the architecture to combat bots in Quake 3, the second to a chat bot in the virtual world Second Life, and the third was to a web chat bot used for e-commerce, specifically dealing with question and answers about the companies services. The three case studies were supported with several small pilot evaluations that were intended to look at different aspects of the implemented architecture including; (1) Whether or not users noticed the emotional enhancements. Which in the two small pilot studies conducted, highlighted that the addition of emotions to characters seemed to affect the user experience when the encounter was more interactive such as in the Second Life implementation. Where the interaction occurred in a combat situation with enemies with short life spans, the user experience seemed to be greatly reduced. (2) An evaluation was conducted on how the combat effectiveness of combat bots was affected by the addition of emotions, and in this pilot study it was found that the combat effectiveness was not quite statistically reduced, even when the bots were running away when afraid, or attacking when angry even if close to death. In summary, an architecture grounded in formal psychology is presented that is suitable for interactive characters in games and virtual worlds, but not perhaps ideal for applications
Analyzing and modeling emotional movements: a framework for interactive games with robots
This paper provides a framework for recording, analyzing and modeling of 3 dimensional emotional movements for embodied game applications. To foster embodied interaction, we need interfaces that can develop a complex, meaningful understanding of intention-both kinesthetic and emotional-as it emerges through natural human movement. The movements are emulated on robots or other devices with sensory-motor features as a part of games that aim improving the social interaction skills of children. The design of an example game platform that is used for training of children with autism is described since the type of the emotional behaviors depends on the embodiment of the robot and the context of the game. The results show that quantitative movement parameters can be matched to emotional state of the embodied agent (human or robot) using the Laban movement analysis. Emotional movements that were emulated on robots using this principle were tested with children in the age group 7-9. The tests show reliable recognition on most of the behaviors.
Emotional agents in computer games
2008
In this paper, we consider emotion as a factor in the decision-making process and actions taken by an agent can be represented by a model, called "emotional model" created with specific focus on computer games development. It is designed to explore people's behavior in certain circumstances, while under specified emotional states. Special attention was given to the thought process and actions displayed in the hypothetical scenarios. We characterized thoughts and actions associated with each scenario and emotional state. Each particular action or proof of steps taken in the thought process was given a percentage value directly proportional to answers given by the test population. Finally, we developed an experimental game program for the evaluation of our emotional decision making model. The aim of the evaluation was to find out how real life agents reacted in certain situations and what processes the human mind runs through when thinking and acting upon certain situations.
Proceedings of the 4th …, 2011
Computer games are unique elicitors of emotion. Recognition of player emotion, dynamic construction of affective player models, and modelling emotions in non-playing characters, represent challenging areas of research and practice at the crossroads of cognitive and affective science, psychology, artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction. Techniques from AI and HCI can be used to recognize player affective states and to model emotion in non-playing characters. Multiple input modalities provide novel ...