“I think it can be a common mistake for junior programmers; often when they think of AI, they think ‘Okay, I want something smart, that can be optimal, that can really show that it’s found the right solution to the problem,’” Robert said. “People in AI programming love to solve problems.”
Developers on Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry games want their AI to solve problems, sure -- but only up to a point, and only in a way that makes the player feel satisfied.
“AI is not here to serve a solution; it’s here to entertain the player. To interact with the player. It shouldn’t look stupid (except if we want it to look stupid) but we don’t want it to be optimal,” said Robert. “Often, as programmers, we tend to try and solve problems instead of focusing more on good game design.”