| Let's leave the format war between Sony and | | | | deviate from their path when they sense your |
| Microsoft and explore a gaming phenomena that | | | | presence. It is noticeable especially when |
| unquestionably improves current gaming trends | | | | your Pac-Man does not change position at all |
| -- Artificial Intelligence, or AI to many. | | | | -- the ghosts move according to the path, |
| Touted to make new breakthroughs and trends | | | | changing directions only when they get close |
| in the world of gaming, AI is the enabling of | | | | to you.Twenty years later since Pac-Man, |
| intricate decision-making capabilities in a | | | | family computers, and many computer hardware |
| software. Speaking of AI, the Xbox 360 boasts | | | | changes, game developers still use the same |
| of an AI-capable system designed and | | | | simplistic AI tricks. The hardwares evolve to |
| developed by many brilliant and innovative | | | | accommodate the intensity of the modern |
| engineers. Though the Xbox also has this | | | | graphics as well as the sound system for more |
| feature, it is more pronounced and better in | | | | biting audio. However, despite these changes, |
| the new console combined with the HD DVD | | | | AI programs continue to be a sort of |
| technology.Of course, such high-quality | | | | last-minute addition. In fact, the programs |
| consoles deserve top-notch games and the | | | | are deemed to be unimportant in gaming. As a |
| developers stepped up to the challenge. Game | | | | result, the NPCs, largely remained as stupid |
| developers for Xbox and its new improved | | | | bots who don't move even if caught in a |
| counterpart also added AI programs to their | | | | crossfire. This is what the AI programs for |
| games, giving the in-game personas the | | | | the Xbox 360 take care of.Satchell affirms |
| ability to think like a real person. With the | | | | that the new processing model composed of |
| vast power of the new consoles, the whole | | | | three powerful symmetric cores more than |
| universe of gaming comes alive. A summary of | | | | makes up for the lack of "reality" of the old |
| the improvements AI bring to online gaming: | | | | console models. He asserts that this new |
| non-player characters or NPCs act in | | | | Microsoft innovation is really a paradigmatic |
| realistic manner, not to mention that allies | | | | shift because the standard for game consoles |
| are more helpful and enemies become more | | | | and computer hardware is the use of a single |
| fiendish than ever.Such simplistic notions | | | | core. He added that this shift to a |
| cannot fully express the benefit of AI in a | | | | three-core system will add considerable |
| game sequence. The simplicity of the | | | | burden to the lives of game developers but |
| summation only contrives to hide the | | | | add to greater delight of all Xbox 360 |
| complexity of the AI behind the Xbox 360. But | | | | gamers. This is because a fully AI-capable |
| the concept of AI is not a modern one. In | | | | three-core system provides greater |
| fact, AI is a subject of discussion, debates, | | | | flexibility and more cycles which make gaming |
| and practical simulations within the academic | | | | more exciting and interesting.The key to |
| setting for years. Chris Satchell, | | | | achieving that is to make sure that the AI |
| Microsoft's General Manager for Game | | | | programs of the new Xbox run smoothly on all |
| Development, attests to this fact. From the | | | | three cores. Therefore, the developers need |
| development of Pac-Man, game designers and | | | | to take extensive sections from their codes |
| developers have been employing the use of AI, | | | | and test it on all three cores. As a result |
| even if it is just in its simplest state. | | | | of all these great efforts, the CPU's main |
| Take Pac-Man for example, wherein the main | | | | processor does not take all the burden of |
| objective is to eat as many golden pellets as | | | | handling multiple tasks; instead, the added |
| possible without being eaten by the "ghosts." | | | | cores take over the job. The results are more |
| This simplicity is matched by the elementary | | | | efficient gaming, sharper graphics, quality |
| pre-scripted AI patterns used. The ghosts | | | | audio, and thinking characters which give |
| almost always follow a straight line but they | | | | Xbox 360 games advantage over others. |