monumental
11-09-09, 12:09
Just wanted to do a quick note about the AI in the video. It’s buggy!
As we’re using the AI on the players handling, it basically means that we have to re-balance all of the AI. This is a painstaking black art, which involves tweaking 20+ variables that affect how much and how hard they lean.
The ‘wobble’ is caused by the AI’s leaning parameters not being 100% setup and how aggressively they want to keep to their racing line. I can assure you that I wasn’t happy when I saw the start line had made it into the video as this highlights the bug quite badly!
So, what other funky stuff are we doing with the AI to make up for this video!?!
Well let me begin:
First up, we’ve written a system where the designers have set down Hotlaps with the in-game bikes. These Hotlaps store all the breaking points and racing line for the bike. This means that the AI is going to be racing on the best lines for the bike, not some artificial spline, (mathematical curves) which has been made in 3D program.
This is great, because minor tweaks in the base handling parameters during development dramatically change the best racing line. For example changing the breaking power will affect how late you enter the corner and the line, which the designer would take.
Throughout development we are constantly tweaking and changing the handling, looking for that sweet spot (which I think we’re pretty close this week). So once the handling is locked down, we will race all the tracks and get the best splines.
Is there anything else... well yes!
Overtaking is a key aspect to racing and we didn’t want the AI overtaking willy-nilly. So with this in mind we implemented a new overtake system, where the AI will try and overtake you on the corners. This occurs either by out-breaking you or taking a different line. These overtake opportunities are setup around the track, so during the race, the AI will be more likely to overtake you on certain corners than others! We’re testing this at the moment and it really is feeling quite fantastic.
Further to this, we have done more work on the pack behaviour too, so now the AI riders will fight within their pack and try to move up to the next pack. Each rider will be fighting their own personal battle, so during the race you will see the number of packs change and riders moving between them.
What about…
Well, finally, we doing something, which internally we are calling fluctuating catch-up. This is a system that pace’s the AI. This means, for example, during the start of the race the opposition will be racing as hard as possible to establish their positions in the pack. Then, mid race, they might start to pace themselves more, focusing on maintaining their position. Finally, on the final lap, they might push for 1st and race as hard as possible again. This means the player will get a real sense that he is climbing up through the pack, or if they qualify, put more value on getting a good position on the starting grid!
Greg Bryant - Senior Producer
As we’re using the AI on the players handling, it basically means that we have to re-balance all of the AI. This is a painstaking black art, which involves tweaking 20+ variables that affect how much and how hard they lean.
The ‘wobble’ is caused by the AI’s leaning parameters not being 100% setup and how aggressively they want to keep to their racing line. I can assure you that I wasn’t happy when I saw the start line had made it into the video as this highlights the bug quite badly!
So, what other funky stuff are we doing with the AI to make up for this video!?!
Well let me begin:
First up, we’ve written a system where the designers have set down Hotlaps with the in-game bikes. These Hotlaps store all the breaking points and racing line for the bike. This means that the AI is going to be racing on the best lines for the bike, not some artificial spline, (mathematical curves) which has been made in 3D program.
This is great, because minor tweaks in the base handling parameters during development dramatically change the best racing line. For example changing the breaking power will affect how late you enter the corner and the line, which the designer would take.
Throughout development we are constantly tweaking and changing the handling, looking for that sweet spot (which I think we’re pretty close this week). So once the handling is locked down, we will race all the tracks and get the best splines.
Is there anything else... well yes!
Overtaking is a key aspect to racing and we didn’t want the AI overtaking willy-nilly. So with this in mind we implemented a new overtake system, where the AI will try and overtake you on the corners. This occurs either by out-breaking you or taking a different line. These overtake opportunities are setup around the track, so during the race, the AI will be more likely to overtake you on certain corners than others! We’re testing this at the moment and it really is feeling quite fantastic.
Further to this, we have done more work on the pack behaviour too, so now the AI riders will fight within their pack and try to move up to the next pack. Each rider will be fighting their own personal battle, so during the race you will see the number of packs change and riders moving between them.
What about…
Well, finally, we doing something, which internally we are calling fluctuating catch-up. This is a system that pace’s the AI. This means, for example, during the start of the race the opposition will be racing as hard as possible to establish their positions in the pack. Then, mid race, they might start to pace themselves more, focusing on maintaining their position. Finally, on the final lap, they might push for 1st and race as hard as possible again. This means the player will get a real sense that he is climbing up through the pack, or if they qualify, put more value on getting a good position on the starting grid!
Greg Bryant - Senior Producer