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companions_in_games [2009-01-29 12:44] davegriffithscompanions_in_games [2009-01-29 12:50] davegriffiths
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 Part of [[Project Lirec]] Part of [[Project Lirec]]
  
-A very important aspect of HRI is looking at how people react to artificial companions. Games give us a wealth of easily accessible information on people's attitudes and experiences of playing and problem solving alongside non-player characters (NPCs). Although the complexity of technology involved varies, it's not always the more advanced solutions which work the best, a consistent  +A very important aspect of HRI is looking at how people react to artificial companions. Games give us a wealth of easily accessible information on people's attitudes and experiences of playing and problem solving alongside non-player characters (NPCs). Although the complexity of technology involved varies, it's not always the more advanced solutions which work the best, as a consistent and carefully constructed game environment can work with the constraints of the technical limitations and still produce an experience which people enjoy, and spend hours exploring.
  
 <blockquote>If an enemy monster is stupid (because its “brain” is just a couple of hundred lines of computer code running on a personal computer that is busy doing a lot of other stuff) it isn’t too bad. Hey, it’s a monster. It’s not supposed to be smart. But when a human character shows up the player expects him or her to act like a human. Then when they walk into the player’s line of fire, get confused by doorways, get caught up on scenery, or utter the same phrase for the tenth time, they are exposed as a fraud and the illusion of the gameworld is broken. NPCs have so many ways they can break immersion that it’s difficult to enumerate them all.</blockquote> From a good article on [[http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=237|NPCs and immersion]] <blockquote>If an enemy monster is stupid (because its “brain” is just a couple of hundred lines of computer code running on a personal computer that is busy doing a lot of other stuff) it isn’t too bad. Hey, it’s a monster. It’s not supposed to be smart. But when a human character shows up the player expects him or her to act like a human. Then when they walk into the player’s line of fire, get confused by doorways, get caught up on scenery, or utter the same phrase for the tenth time, they are exposed as a fraud and the illusion of the gameworld is broken. NPCs have so many ways they can break immersion that it’s difficult to enumerate them all.</blockquote> From a good article on [[http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=237|NPCs and immersion]]
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 ^ Game  ^ Game description ^ Attachment level ^ ^ Game  ^ Game description ^ Attachment level ^
-| {{:pikmin.jpg?200}}[[wp>Pikmin]]|The player has to grow and use small creatures called pikmin to retrieve parts of a ship which has crashed, and rebuild it to escape the planet. There are types of pikmin which have different abilities. Up to 100 pikmin can be active at one time.|The focus of the game is to interact with your pikmin as they help you to solve problems and carry out tasks. The game works well due to the large quantity of individuals, which is a much more forgiving strategy than using a single companion. They are also designed to be obviously very alien (as they are part plant) so the player can accept any shortcomings as "natural" and more amusing than frustrating limitations in game technology|+| {{:pikmin.jpg?200}}[[wp>Pikmin]]|The player has to grow and use small creatures called pikmin to retrieve parts of a ship which has crashed, and rebuild it to escape the planet. There are types of pikmin which have different abilities. Up to 100 pikmin can be active at one time.|The focus of the game is to interact with your pikmin as they help you to solve problems and carry out tasks. The game works well due to the large quantity of individuals, which is a much more forgiving strategy than using a single companion. Th ey are also designed to be obviously very alien (as they are part plant) so the player can accept any shortcomings as "natural" and more amusing than frustrating limitations in game technology|
 | {{http://www.pawfal.org/dave/images/work/thething1.jpg?200}} [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(video_game)|The Thing]]|The player is in charge of a small squad of soldiers, and has to use them to move through the game. Your squad is driven by a "trust and fear" mechanic, where your team mates can secretly turn against you.|The trust and fear system put the agent behaviour and emotions at the centre of the game. Characters can have their trust in you increased by giving them weapons, or can be forced to carry out your orders by force - at a cost of trust by characters who witness this happening. Characters who have been with you for a long time become very valuable, and you find yourself protecting them as you play the game.| | {{http://www.pawfal.org/dave/images/work/thething1.jpg?200}} [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(video_game)|The Thing]]|The player is in charge of a small squad of soldiers, and has to use them to move through the game. Your squad is driven by a "trust and fear" mechanic, where your team mates can secretly turn against you.|The trust and fear system put the agent behaviour and emotions at the centre of the game. Characters can have their trust in you increased by giving them weapons, or can be forced to carry out your orders by force - at a cost of trust by characters who witness this happening. Characters who have been with you for a long time become very valuable, and you find yourself protecting them as you play the game.|
 +
 +=====Personal Trainers=====
 +
 +^ Game ^ Interaction ^ Attachment level ^
 +| | | |
  
 ======Conclusions====== ======Conclusions======
  • companions_in_games.txt
  • Last modified: 2009-01-29 13:16
  • by davegriffiths