Lectures

Click on a lecture to see the recommended reading for that day. In addition, you can download the slides and any demo code. We do not record lectures in this course. You are expected to attend in order to learn the material.

23. Strategic Planning

In the last lecture on AI, we move away from simulating individual characters and talk about how we would simulate another player. This is the AI that is necessary for complex strategy games.    Details ›

March 29, 2023 slides no demos

22. Pathfinding

We return to game programming with a multi-video sequence of game AI. Are first topic is on pathfinding, which is the process of using AI algorithms to move your game characters about the terrain.    Details ›

March 27, 2023 slides no demos

21. Sensing & Perception

Sensing is the most expensive part of the sense-think-act cycle. In this lecture we show how to optimize this part of the process, so that we can increase the complexity of our NPC behavior.    Details ›

March 24, 2023 slides no demos

20. Character Behavior

When people think about game AI, character behavior is the thing that they usually think of first. How do we control NPCs to move and act without any input?    Details ›

March 22, 2023 slides no demos

19. Level Design

After several programming lessons, it is time to return to design. With alpha release around the corner, we need to talk about how we do proper level design.    Details ›

March 17, 2023 slides no demos