[MUD-Dev] New topic: AI and NPCs

[Jon A. Lambert]

On 27 Aug 97 at 11:22, Nathan Yospe wrote:
> Both of the following apply to my GURU engine. Phymud++ has pitifully little
> in the way of advanced AI. I'm still working on it...
<snipped strategy>

I agree with the difference.  

> As for tactics... there is no 
> way a computer can match a human in tactics, they are by far too situational.
> So I don't try. Instead, I mirror player controlled entities into non PCs,
> from some remote encounter elsewhere in the world, modifying NPC populations
> to match some currently existant PC population, a heartbeat behind. This
> gives NPCs a frightening intelligence. (I'm assuming that, by the time this
> project is finished, I will have figured out how to handle enough
> simultanious users to make this work. Its already distributed, so possibly
> links could be garnered from remote servers as well.)
>

This is fascinating.  Are you saying that a creature/NPC will lock on 
to a currently existing combat in another part of the mud world and 
attempt to perform similar actions in it's current combat turn?

This does sound like it could be "frightening".  With enough player
base, you could lock on to specific types (NPC mages implementing
other PC mages).

I've been thinking of another possibility.  A given intelligent NPC
could produce a virtual session log of combats against it.  This log
could be immediately parsed into some sort of "computerese" shorthand
an is used to modify a weighted table of that NPCs "archetype" or
prototype.  The success or failure of given tactics could be applied
to the weighted table.   The table might also figure in the perceived
PC "archetypes" attacking it.  e.g. "Hmm, mage in party"  "Choose 
entry 434 -  Take mage out with missile"  etc.

I think I'm getting into neural net areas, no?  This area is new to
me although I do have some samples around dealing with handwriting 
recognition.  Nathan, Do you know of some good web/ftp addies that
might lead me to some introductory applications?

Thanks

Jon A. Lambert