Programming Game AI by Example by Mat Buckland

Programming Game AI by Example

Features

Cover Type: Paperback with 500 pages

Published by: Wordware Publishing, Inc. November 25, 2004

Written in: English

ISBN 10 Number: 1556220782

ISBN 13 Number: 978-1556220784

Book Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches

Weighs: 1.5 pounds

Product Description
This book describes in detail many of the AI techniques used in modern computer games, explicity shows how to implement these practical techniques within the framework of several game developers with a practical foundation to game AI.

From the Inside Flap
"Programming Game AI by Example stands out from the pack by providing industrial-strength solutions to difficult problems, like steering and goal-oriented behavior. Mat guides the reader toward building a foundation robust enough for real games. This book is a must-have for anyone new to the field, and has tips for the seasoned professional as well. I wish I had read it eight years ago!"
---Jeff Orkin, AI architect, Monolith Productions, No One Lives Forever 2 and F.E.A.R

"a nice combination of a lot of really useful information, put together in a way that doesnt make my brain leak."
---Gareth Lewis, Project leader, Lionhead Studios, Black & White 2

"Each chapter of Mats book gently introduces the reader to a fundamental game AI technology before expanding the new idea into a fully formed solution replete with extensive code and clearly worded examples. The tone of the book is uncomplicated and accessible to the reader, allowing a novice programmer the opportunity to get to grips with the basics of game AI programming by implementing their own systems direct from theory or expanding upon code examples offered to gain understanding in a sandbox environment. Once individual technologies are fully understood, the book goes on to combine these ideas into several complete game environments allowing the reader to understand the relationships between the interacting systems of an overarching game architecture."
---Mike Ducker, AI programmer, Lionhead Studios, Fable

"Using easy-to-follow and well-described examples, this book shows you how to use most of the techniques professional AI programmers use. A great introduction for the beginner and an great reference for the more experienced!"
---Eric Martel, AI programmer, Ubisoft, Far Cry (XBox)

"Programming Game AI by Example is an great book for the game programming neophyte, the intermediate programmer, and even the expert - it doesnt hurt to go over familiar ground, does it? The book concisely covers all of the important areas, including basic maths and physics through to graph theory and scripting with Lua, to arm any programmer with the tools needed to create some very sophisticated agent behaviours. very for books of the type, Programming Game AI by Example is solid in its software engineering too, with the example code demonstrating game uses of familiar design patterns. Id have no qualms about recommending Programming Game AI by Example to any programmer. Its an great read and an great springboard for ideas."
---Chris Keegan, Technical director, Climax Studios (Solent)

Reader Reviews
This book is simply one of the best AI texts that I have ever seen. The author has the ability (as those others who have visited his website will attest - http://www.ai-junkie.com/ai-junkie.html ) to take complex topics and break them down into simple, logical steps that make sense even to novice programmers such as myself. Throughout this book, he does that time and time again. He gives thorough examples and describes them very well. These are not "baby" examples that serve only to highlight this or that point - he delivers real, working examples that you could plug right into your own game or simulation. Take Chapter 4, for example. It is an elegant sports simulation of a Soccer match. This single chapter is worth the price of the entire book, in my opinion. The examples are cool. The code is modern and efficient. The techniques are those in use today. For years, I would buy a book on AI Programming, only to find that techniques were only hinted at and not fully explained. It was like, with those authors, they were keeping some mysterious trade-secrets all to themselves. This author doesn't do that. He is confident enough to give you everything you need to know to program your own AI. Be it a Finite State Machine, an intricate sports simulation, or fuzzy logic - just to name a few of the topics you will find in this book. If you have his other book, you know that he is also adept at Neural Nets and GA. So, my advice is biased because I have read this book and I love it. I think you will, too. Buy this book. You won't regret it. Comment | | (Report this)

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Updated on 6-4-2008.