Denzinger, JörgDavison, Timothy2017-12-182017-12-182012Davison, T. (2012). The huddle: combining ai methods to improve handling a group of characters by a human game player (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/4975http://hdl.handle.net/1880/105976Bibliography: p. 97-101Most pages are in colour.The huddle is a concept for extending computer games in which the player controls more than one character. It combines several AI methods to allow the player to create a cooperative strategy for his team of characters. It takes away the need for the player to frantically switch his control from character to character to carry out the strategy that he has in mind. The player enters the huddle from a saved game state where he provides the key ideas of a strategy in the form of situations that his characters can be in and actions for those situations (SAPs). Based upon these ideas, a learner fills in the missing details by adding additional SAPs to create a complete strategy that can be used in the real game. The learning component uses a simulation of the real game, with models of the non­player characters created from the observed behaviours of those characters, in order to evaluate candidate solutions. When a solution is found, the player is given the opportu­nity to take it to the real game and have the behaviour of his characters replaced by the combined strategy created by himself and the huddle. The huddle was evaluated with a fantasy-themed role playing game. It was shown that the huddle allowed the player to focus on developing a strategy without taking away the requirement for him to create the key ideas for that strategy.xi, 122 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.master thesishttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/4975