212CR Module Guide
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, Environment & COMPUTING
School of Computing, Electronics and Maths
304CR
Assignment (coursework 2)
Games and AI
Deadline: 7th April, 2017
Location – Moodle
304CR: Assignment
Build a game AI
Your assignment represents 65% of the module mark. All learning outcome will be addressed by this assessment.
Read the instructions carefully. Your task is to create a fully functional game with AI. Your submission should include:
· Commented program source code written in a programming language of your choice
· A report with an analysis of your approach to the problem and your solution
· A runnable executable (any libraries required by the executable must be included)
· A video showing screen capture showing the game in action.
· Please Note: A submission without running game and without video will be considered a non-submission and lead to a 0 mark for the application part of the submission
· Please Note: There will be a separate report and game submission point. Please submit the appropriate artefact to the appropriate submission point.
Task
Your task is to design and build the AI for a game of your choice. The game can be any game type or genre, such as a board game, a card game, a first person shooter or a strategy game. You should deliver a simple but functional demo game that provides a specific scenario allowing user interaction to show the AI in action. You can use any suitable game engine or framework e.g. Unity, UDK, Flash etc. of your choice as long as you write the AI algorithms yourself. You can use any built-in AI algorithms your chosen engine or framework has as long as you mention this and do not claim these as one of the required techniques.
The report should:
· Briefly explain the game design
· Explain the AI behaviour needed for your game.
· You should use at least two AI techniques, either to achieve more complex behaviour, or to achieve multiple behaviours.
· Write a critical analysis describing the strengths and weaknesses of which algorithms you could consider and whey you choose the ones you did
· Discuss some tricks that you can do to save processing resources and still look realistic.
The demo should fulfil the following requirements:
· At least one level of functioning game play with at least one AI controlled entity.
· At least 2 AI techniques used (excluding any built-in to your framework/ game engine etc.
· Incorporate some visualisation illustrating how the underlying algorithms are running e.g. display lines representing the steering direction, path-finding results, indication of how it classifies other entities, how moves are being considered etc. For example, you could display the other entities in red if they’re predators, in green if potential mate, in yellow if food source. Again, use your imagination!
· Allow the user to interact with the program, e.g. to select where entities should move to, to set algorithm variables or to allow direct control over them.
· Be imaginative and creative.
· Graphics sounds and physics are not assessed and serve purely to show the AI in action.
Your work should be provided as a zip file uploaded to Moodle containing all the files and directories in a well organised structure – including source code, executables and accompanying documentation for each answer as detailed above. Don’t forget to include your name and student ID in the zip file name.
The demo should be presented in the portfolio in its own directory, including a copy of the executable (and any required DLLs), as well as the game assets (including game code scripts) in a well organised structure. In addition to a “readme” file, explaining how to start the game demo, you should also provide a short manual, explaining the engine and how it is used (this could be done in any common format such as plain text (.txt), PDF or HTML).
Marking Criteria
You will be assessed on two things: the software implementation as well as a report where you will explain how you have done the implementation, the problems you faced as well as diagrams explaining the most significant aspects of your work. Also note that all the code must be provided in the Appendix section. What will be assessed is the AI implemented, the analysis that led to this choice and the level of challenge this presents. Graphics sounds and physics are not assessed and serve purely to show the AI.
The structure of the report must be the following:
· Title page
· Abstract (or summary)
· Introduction
· Brief description of game and AI type
· Explain chosen approach
· Explain Implementation
· Explain which 3rd party assets, engines and scripts were used
· Conclusions
· References
Marks Breakdown
Students Name…………………………………………………… Students ID……………………
Application 50%
Report 50%
Out of /100%
· Fully functioning demo, incorporating enhancements beyond the basics covered in the course.
· Well written and clearly commented code.
· At least different 2 AI techniques used.
· Challenging game and techniques chosen (from an AI point of view)
· Demonstrated excellence in communication of concepts and AI theory.
· A thorough description of the algorithms and their theoretical background.
· Comprehensive report on what you did and why you did it.
· Detailed critical analysis including strengths and weaknesses. At least different 2 AI techniques used.
· Challenging game and techniques chosen (from an AI point of view)
>70%
· Functional program, readable commented code.
· At least different 2 AI techniques used.
· The game design & AI chosen offers a medium level of challenge
· A complete report describing your work and a critical analysis. Demonstrating an understanding of the theoretical principles underlying the program.
· At least different 2 AI techniques used.
· The game design & AI chosen offers a medium level of challenge
>55%
· A basic program which runs and achieves most of the required functionality. Some comments.
· No added sophistication.
· The game design & AI chosen offers a minimal level of challenge
· An adequate report describing your choices and justifications.
· Some critical analysis.
· The game design & AI chosen offers a minimal level of challenge
>40%
50%
50%
40%
Overall Grade %
Feedback
304CR Assignment 2. Page 3