social simulation in games

May 2012Mini-talk at Dagstuhl Seminar 12191, "Artificial and Computational Intelligence in Games"l

Mirjam P Eladhari, with help from Richard Evans and Michael Mateas

An introduction to discussions in the seminar, that could be about

why we would want to simulate social interactions in games and,

some of the main research challenges in the field.

A 3act drama played in one single room, one chamber (Kammarspel, Kammerspiel)

As if we want to open the lid into the private. That which is behind the fascade.What’s *really* going on.

As if we want to open the lid into the private. That which is behind the fascade.What’s *really* going on.

Especially in situations that are complex, tricky, that we try to understand.

That – the purpose of so much art, to better understand the human condition

Add Michaels’ slides

http://www.promweekgame.com

My Sim invited his boss over for dinner.

When he arrived, my Sim let him in - but then he went to have a bath!

He didn’t understand that certain things were expected of him as a host.

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VisitingPicnicBedtimePartiesFights

Entertainment?Usefulness? Use to understand

complex real situations better? (eg conflict resolution in SIREN, or to be ‘good stranger’ in IMMERSE?)

l'art pour l'art?Exploration of human condition?(etc)

The term Social refers to a characteristic of living organisms (humans in particular, though biologists also apply the term to populations of other animals). It always refers to the interaction of organisms with other organisms and to their collective co-existence, irrespective of whether they are aware of it or not, and irrespective of whether the interaction is voluntary or involuntary.

breadth: we have so many different types of practice. A robust social simulation should be able to represent all these different types of practice.

simulation that works in both single- and multiplayer. It should be agnostic about which characters were PCs and which were NPCs

agents to learn new types of social practice based on player behaviour. (currently: coded up by engineers.)

Tackle the hard bits.The complex situations in life that we

need help understanding. SMGA? The social model agent.