structure

styleChris Hecker Maxis / EA

chrishecker.com

vsvs

disclaimerdisclaimer

concrete

specific

fancy demos

big name game

provided solution

concrete

specific

fancy demos

big name game

provided solution

What technology hashad the most profound

impact on games?

What technology hashad the most profound

impact on games?

QuestionQuestion

The Heartbreaking Beauty of theTexture Mapped Triangle

The Heartbreaking Beauty of theTexture Mapped Triangle

Powerful structurePowerful structureThe computer can reason about the triangle at a deep level...

morphologytransformrasterizelighthit test

topologytraverse

The computer can reason about the triangle at a deep level...

morphologytransformrasterizelighthit test

topologytraverse

xyzuvwhd

texelsconnect

xyzuvwhd

texelsconnect

Expressive styleExpressive styleThe artist can represent subtle but rich designs...

minimal DOFssimplelinear

intuitive DOFsverticestexture pixels

The artist can represent subtle but rich designs...

minimal DOFssimplelinear

intuitive DOFsverticestexture pixels

This is much deeper than“data-driving”.

This is much deeper than“data-driving”.

Other ExamplesOther Examples

skinned mesh & bonesskinned mesh & bones

Other ExamplesOther Examples

wavetable synthesiswavetable synthesis

Style Machines, Brand & Hertzmann, 2000Style Machines, Brand & Hertzmann, 2000

Other ExamplesOther Examples

mocap processingmocap processing

Other ExamplesOther Examples

Lucas KovarLucas Kovar

mocap processingmocap processing

Other ExamplesOther Examples

spore creature animationspore creature animation

Henry GoffinHenry Goffin

Other ExamplesOther Examples

spore creature paintspore creature paint

Other ExamplesOther Examples

html+csshtml+css

Other ExamplesOther Examples

typefacestypefaces

This decomposition is everywhere

hard interactive problemsare being solved.

This decomposition is everywhere

hard interactive problemsare being solved.

structure stylevsvs

What is a“hard interactive problem”?

What is a“hard interactive problem”?

Not...

“wicked” problems. (Rittel & Webber, Hocking)

“how to make this game fun” problems.

Not...

“wicked” problems. (Rittel & Webber, Hocking)

“how to make this game fun” problems.

Also, not “easy” problems...

no quantitative success metric.

don’t care about CPU, RAM,even P or NP.

Also, not “easy” problems...

no quantitative success metric.

don’t care about CPU, RAM,even P or NP.

What is a“hard interactive problem”?

What is a“hard interactive problem”?

Problems at the intersection of...

technology,

aesthetics,

interactivity.

Problems at the intersection of...

technology,

aesthetics,

interactivity.

What is a“hard interactive problem”?

What is a“hard interactive problem”?

I think solutions to hard interactive problemswill always have a deep

structure vs styledecomposition.

I think solutions to hard interactive problemswill always have a deep

structure vs styledecomposition.

My Theory...My Theory...

Why?Why?

Emotion & aesthetics demand that a human be “in the loop”.

Emotion & aesthetics demand that a human be “in the loop”.

Interactivity demands that the computer be “in the loop”.

Interactivity demands that the computer be “in the loop”.

Humans in the LoopHumans in the Loop

algorithmsalgorithms

datadata

create

execute

create

execute

generate

illustrate

judge

generate

illustrate

judge

Humans vs ComputersHumans vs Computers

Humans & ComputersHumans & Computers

Bridging the Gap?Bridging the Gap?

What technology shouldhave had the most profound

impact on games?

What technology shouldhave had the most profound

impact on games?

QuestionQuestion

AI technology is the keyto deep

interactivity, consequence, and

meaning.

AI technology is the keyto deep

interactivity, consequence, and

meaning.

We have not yet found a

structure vs styledecomposition for

AI.

We have not yet found a

structure vs styledecomposition for

AI.

What is structure?What is structure?

What is style?What is style?

xyzuvwhd

texelsconnect

xyzuvwhd

texelsconnect

structurestructure

stylestyleValues for the DOFs describing the object. Values for the DOFs describing the object.

Static specification of the DOFs describing the object. Static specification of the DOFs describing the object.

staticstructure

staticstructure

xyzuvwhd

texelsconnect

xyzuvwhd

texelsconnect

You can reason about it. You can write code that reasons about

it.

You can reason about it. You can write code that reasons about

it.

malleablestyle

malleablestyle

You can write code that changes it.It is data.

You can write code that changes it.It is data.

intuitiveexpressive

frugalblendableefficient

intuitiveexpressive

frugalblendableefficient

It took a long time for the triangle to “win”.

The rigid body has not yet won.

It took a long time for the triangle to “win”.

The rigid body has not yet won.

Choosing style DOFs is an ArtChoosing style DOFs is an Art

structure vs style for AIstructure vs style for AI

structure vs style for AIstructure vs style for AI

What are the style DOFs for AI?What are the style DOFs for AI?

Can code be a style DOF?Can code be a style DOF?

Does behavior mean code?Does behavior mean code?

Note: this is still code!Note: this is still code!

Where does the code live?Where does the code live?

Not in the DOFsNot in the DOFs

Code is not...Code is not...

intuitiveexpressive

frugalblendableefficient

intuitiveexpressive

frugalblendableefficient

tick_ai() is not a good DOF!tick_ai() is not a good DOF!

My Prediction...My Prediction...

There will be astructure vs style

decomposition for AI.

There will be astructure vs style

decomposition for AI.

Its style will not be based on code.

Its style will not be based on code.

There will be a “Photoshop of AI”.

There will be a “Photoshop of AI”.

Near TermNear Term

Look for thestructure vs style

DOF decomposition for your game’s AI.

Look for thestructure vs style

DOF decomposition for your game’s AI.

Thank You.Thank You.