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A Borg-like Artificial Intelligence For Lionhead's New Game

Posted by timothy on from the you-will-be-arsesimilated dept.

cybaea writes: "The creator of Black & White is experimenting with new work on group minds - but unlike the Borg, the characters in the new game are already descending into bar brawls, reports ZDNet UK, quoting Richard Evans (famous for the AI engine in Black & White). My favourite quote: '[AI] Characters [in the game] even have the ability to dynamically create their own language, constructing simple sentences on a word by word basis.'"

13 of 165 comments (clear)

  1. But we already have that... by Lothsahn · · Score: 2, Funny

    Last time I checked, half the dialog consisted of made up wurds, or |>hr4535...

    --
    -=Lothsahn=-
  2. Codename by orkysoft · · Score: 5, Funny
    Lionhead's new game, code-named Dmitry,

    Looks like they won't be including the manual in pdf format :-P

    --

    I suffer from attention surplus disorder.
    1. Re:Codename by opti6600 · · Score: 2, Funny

      At least they're not calling it Bush and letting you create your own Homeland Security Force.

  3. Consequences? by handsomepete · · Score: 5, Funny
    "The same thing happened in Black & White too -- a character went off for a poo in the middle of a conversation. It was clear they did not understand the social consequences of terminating a conversation in such an abrupt manner."
    It's clear that he doesn't understand the social consequences of taking your poo right there during conversation.
  4. Wow... by Anenga · · Score: 3, Funny
    quoting Richard Evans (famous for the AI engine in Black & White). My favourite quote: '[AI] Characters [in the game] even have the ability to dynamically create their own language, constructing simple sentences on a word by word basis.'"

    Jeez, I can't even do that! Next thing you know, your characters will be calling you dirty things in a language you don't even know! Who will be "Intelligent" then?
  5. Two times a loser by charnov · · Score: 2, Funny

    Great, now I can buy a video game to be able to fail a fitting in...

    --
    [RIAA] says its concern is artists. That's true, in just the sense that a cattle rancher is concerned about its cattle.
  6. Drunken Borg. by DarkHelmet · · Score: 4, Funny
    but unlike the Borg, the characters in the new game are already descending into bar brawls

    Have you ever seen an intoxicated borg? No. Does that exclude the fact that you'll ever see one?

    No! There's always seasons 2-7 of Enterprise. The borg will be so drunk or stoned off their ass that they'll focus on assimilating Archer's dog.

    *arf* *arf *arf*
    Translation: Resistance is futile.

    --
    /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
  7. Hmmm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I wonder how long it would take for the little A.I. men to start trying to get the little A.I. women into bed.

  8. Re:Burger King Banned in UK by wfmcwalter · · Score: 3, Funny
    >13.6% of "suspects" arrested in England last year (2001) were never heard from again.

    It's worse than you think.

    Those 13.6% are infact transported to a massive underground slave complex in Milton Keynes, where they labour on computers, remotely providing (in real time) the "intelligence" for characters in the "popular" computer game Black and White.

    I've learned that my Black and White creature (Wally the Wolf) is in fact a lady named Jenny from Swansea, who was pulled over for doing 75 on the M4 last year. She says that if she messes up (and has Wally eat his own poop or something) then Richard Evans will hit her with a rolled up copy of the Milngavie & Bearsden Herald.

    That's just plain wrong!

    --
    ## W.Finlay McWalter ## http://www.mcwalter.org ##
  9. Re:How is this borg like? by Ziviyr · · Score: 2, Funny

    I mean, a group of minds is not the same thing as a group mind.

    Getting into a barfight dosn't seem like something the borg would do.

    Even of they assimilate the vodka?

    --

    Someone set us up the bomb, so shine we are!
  10. The language bit sounds interesting.... by NeoSkandranon · · Score: 4, Funny

    I hated B&W, but I might give this a shot...and it sounds neat to have them create their own languages...however, the MOMENT i hear one of the little guys spit out something like
    ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn, i'm reformatting and selling my copy of the game =)

    --
    If you can't see the value in jet powered ants you should turn in your nerd card. - Dunbal (464142)
  11. Re:And we should believe their claims because? by szap · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ugh. I have, and it's been a waste of time. While there are many things that are cool, they're poor substitutes of interface (gestures -- cool, but ultimately frustrating for me) and A.I. (it's easier to teach a goldfish to dance than to teach these critters anything). In the end, it feels more like work to me to find "fun" in the game.

    On the other hand, I swear the critters are TEACHING ME to do all the hard work managing the villagers, while pretending to be learning from me.

    "Oooh... Master wants me to water the grains, and put grain into granary. Fine, I'll do it once."

    "Again?! Okay, I'll pretend to forget how to do it so Master can demonstrate it a few more times. Heheh. Then I'll do it and he'll feed me... Life is goooood!"

    This says nothing, just Your Mileage May Vary, and I'm glad you liked it -- because I knew a lot of people who don't.

  12. Re:How is this borg like? by TyZone · · Score: 2, Funny
    After they assimilate the vodka:

    We are Drunk of Borg. Resilience is floor tile. Wan'be sim'lated?

    --
    TyZone