Simulation Game Idea

   Set up a simulation with several mode of operation and simulation

Digital Logic

Translate net list or other circuit description files from a WYSIWYG circuit editor to a machine language code segment which will perform the circuits logical operation on a data segment containng the current state of ht einputs and internal logic states producing a new copy of the data segment representing the next state. Each input and each gates output (if used as an input to another gate or gates) is assigned a memory address n the data segment one byte wide where onthe first bit is used. Enhancements could include busses of 2 to 16 lines being processed by on instruction. Add input / output / memory / translation black box modules that provide interface to the game world.

For example:

• a life signs scanner which outputs the kingdom, phyllium, genius, species, etc.. of what ever its pointed at
• a matching module that outputs one "true" when a certain input is recieved
• motion sensor arrays with one output for each element
• robot platforms with can be moved, tilted, and panned
• a variaty of weapon systems that can be triggered by circuit output

The above examples could be wired together (by a smart player, or a teacher NPC) to build a monitor robot which would track identify and fill Klingons (or whatever) on sight, or an early warning system, or a robotic message delivery system, or...

Light

Reflexion, absorbtion, refraction allow for complex monitoring systems and laser traps (like laser chess)

Chemistry

If a system for predicting chemical reactions including required tempeture to start the reaction, and energy produced or consumed and the base properties of the resulting material was combines with teleportation - it would be very effective as a system for "magic"

Physics

The reaction jets of a small robot that moves by firing in the opposite direction of the desired travel would be just the type of thing that computers are good at computing values for and would add to the animation of the game. The physics engine in the new DreamWorks game called Trespasser about the Lost World Dinosaurs is a good example (see boot magazine review)

Animal Life

The old CMAC system (Dr. James Albus) of input vectors spread over multiple entries in a multi-dimensional array (one dimension per input or output vector) with the values of the selected elements summed and a random or directed training adjustment to the array entries used which is proportional to the error in achiving a local or global goal. e.g. maximize food intake and minimize pain (including pain of effort). Spreading the input over several array entries promotes generalization. Each input vector is composed of the object type and direction and the output magnitude is scaled by the distance to the object. All objects in the area are ilterated through the array and the otputs are summed to provide the finalaction. The object  type can be summarized to reduce the size of hte input vector (plants, obstruction, herbavor, carnivore, omnivore, etc..) or coded by object attribute (sharpness of teeth, length of legs, size, etc..) where each attribute would become a seperate vector. Outputs can be the direction and speed of movement, in addition the head direction (increasing sensor ability in that direction), head elevation (up for sensing, down to feed), etc...

One array per animal type can be used to simulate an entire herd. Certain ouput dimensions can be ignored as the animal moves into the distance (e.g. head direction then head elevation)

Non player characters

Goal oriented story lines may be difficult to implement well. Ideally each NPC (Non PLayer Character) would have random characteristics such as tendencies to violence, shyness, etc... and certain goals. A rule based language like Prolog would be used to select responses and actions according to the current environment and character settings. A data base of "scripts" or common interactions could be compared against the current situation and matching entries used to augment the realism of NPC actions and to provide dialog (which is bloody impossible to simulate).  The only problem with a script database is that each situation, many factors must be compared to determine the relevancy of a given script. If only the local environment is considered, we may have an NPC following a "you are near a book store..." script when food is desperately required and a "you are a little ways away from a restaurant..." script would be a better match. This may require performing a calculation on every record in the script database or employing some high level search algorithms to find the "best guess" at the best match. A hierarchal dictionary might provide variation of NPC speech through random word replacement after taking the original text from the script. This would work best in a setting of aliens who have imperfect grasp of the language being spoken. E.g. "I exist very joyful to elucidate the type of queries you right now are in possession of." or "This one present pleased to discourse on whatever inquiries yourself contains." instead of "I will be happy to answer any questions you have"

see also:

• Yahoo search results: for "Artificial Intelligence" scripts "natural language" "conceptual dependency" "semantic primitives".
• L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science Syracuse University
• Transformation-Based Part of Speech Tagger w/ small number of simple rules (fewer than 200) ftp://ftp.cs.jhu.edu:pub/brill/Programs/
• http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/students/kimb
• Research efforts related to Lifelike Computer Characters
• Computer-Aided Exploration of Virtual Environments
• An Intelligent Guide for Virtual Environments.
• Roger Shank Quoted in July 1983 BYTE Magazine:

Encyclopedias

Specially encoded encyclopedias may provide "training" or jeust browsing time in each of the symulation systems mentioned here. The data base used by the system can be translated into human readable forms and liked to extra illustrations and english text introducation, summeries, etc...

For example, the classification of life types with a "life signs scanner" could be used in the evaluation of the world if properties and attridutes of the types of like are known. e.g. members of the plant kingdom do not move (leg length=0) and need water so will not be found in arid environs. The fact that plants do not move is also usefull in that this attribute does not have to be hardcoded into the universe generation code but can be pulled from the standard taxotomy database. Many, many other facts - properties - about like forms - taken from the complete database would allow for a very convincing environmental simulation.