Director AI for Balancing In-Game Experiences | AI 101

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In this episode of AI 101, we take a loot at Director AI: an approach popularised by Left 4 Dead for balancing in-game experiences. We take a look at what it means for an AI to operate as a Director in a game and provide a quick overview of how it works in Left 4 Dead. Plus we explore how a variety of games have since taken this idea and developed on it in different ways.
[00:00] Intro
[01:15] What is an AI Director?
[04:34] Left 4 Dead's Director
[08:14] Directors in Other Games
[13:16] Closing
If you're playing the game on PC and want to know how to turn on the developer debug mode for the Director, check out this page for instructions:
left4dead.fandom.com/wiki/The...
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Опубликовано:

7 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 126

@THExRISER 3 года назад

Another game that deserves a mention is Rimworld with it's AI Storytellers, where you can choose from Cassandra Classic, a standard director that maintains a level headed approach when it comes to ruining your day by gradually increasing the pace of events, Phoebe Chillax who will keep things relaxed and won't throw too many disasters at your colony, or Randy Random who just wants to see the (your) world burn, there have also been many custom made Storytellers by the community.

@nomad5544 3 года назад

Maybe I'm just the luckiest person alive or maybe I just don't play long enough, but I always pick randy and it feels pretty normal

@THExRISER 3 года назад

@@nomad5544 You're definitely lucky, Randy is the embodiment of chaos.

@angelocarantino4803 Год назад

@@nomad5544 I have the same experience. I think we're just too good c;

@GamerTagCaptCluel3ss 3 года назад

I think L4D’s Director is a big reason why that game was so much fun.

@reptiliannoizezz.413 2 года назад

"This design choice is the sole reason why you can play L4D2, 11 years later, and not get bored immediately." - The Act Man

@vashonnoel 2 года назад

@@reptiliannoizezz.413 honestly left 4 dead is better than call of duty zombies. L4D is the best zombie experience I’ve had

@Xenorvya 7 месяцев назад

"Was so much fun", that game is still fun. 2 is just better.

@lambdaspecialist_source 4 месяца назад

"was"? it still is!

@MINERAL-115 3 года назад

But Tommy, it's not even Christmas! You need to stop spoiling us like this! Always a pleasure to see an AI 101.

@AIandGames 3 года назад

Oh but I had to get this out now, given we have quite a few treats between now and xmas. Patrons have voted for a bunch of stuff and we even have some more of those pesky 'industry exclusives'.

@UrWrongKiddoLol 3 года назад

@Chibbanee 3 года назад

if it were upto me, you can keep talking about alien isolation ai all day every day

@Cardinal8427 3 года назад

I second that

@CaptainJeoy 3 года назад

I third that

@tylerbehrens7660 3 года назад

Forth that

@cass7448 3 года назад

Damn it I want a sequel so much.

@Chibbanee 3 года назад

@@cass7448 unfortunately we will never get a sequel cause Sega says that they almost hit break even for the game. they game was not profitable enough to go for a sequel ;-;

@weezersthebluealbum9479 3 года назад

I always love to hear anything about L4D’s AI director.

@frogsinpants 3 года назад

I would be interested in learning a bit about the AI storytellers in Rimworld.

@AceOfBlackjack 3 года назад

I wanna see that!

@YourPalKindred 3 года назад

I think the STALKER franchise was the first to use a living world AI system like in the new AC games. It was pretty cool, AI could encounter each other in the world, trade, fight, or just simply say hi as they walk past. They could hunt, search for artifacts, take over outposts, and some mods even enable them to complete quests independently of the player.

@JtheJangler Год назад

I love watching the player get Rochelle killed by the witch behind the text starting at around 3:00.

@Biel7318 3 года назад

the Assassin's Creed series AI director evolution would be a pretty interesting video

@KhaosEmeraldx 3 года назад

This is great! I'm actually working with valve for my PhD looking at the director, it's a great piece of design.

@impulse4079 9 месяцев назад

How's that coming along? Wishing you the best of luck!

@joedohn9727 4 месяца назад

Is it Cthulu?

@alexreiser6325 3 года назад

Love this channel. Keep up the good work!

@esnevip 3 года назад

Your voice overs are so precise and informative.

@bobcatinsag739 3 года назад

I have been playing Left 4 Dead 2 for years now accumulating hundreds of hours and is one of my fave game. Every playthrough is a unique experience no matter how many times we've played the same map.

@MorbidMindedManiac 3 года назад

This is the first video I’ve seen from this channel, and I’m already liking it It looks really well made and edited while also having some humor in it Great work (Oh, and a little nitpick, but I think you messed up the number in the thumbnail, it says “06” when it’s supposed to be episode 56)

@WackyStudio 3 года назад

Risk of rain 2 has an excellent example of a director, with it's credit system for the director. This is an excellent video altogether.

@CharcharoExplorer 3 года назад

I really want you to do the STALKER A-Life system now :P !

@snakejt9241 3 года назад

A friend and I like to "speed run" expert L4D1. It's wild how the director tries to screw you over if you go too fast. Sometimes 2 Tanks will spawn during 1 level, other times 2 Tanks will be active at the same time.

@gabrielandy9272 2 года назад

the good thing is that the director follow the rules of the game it will not right up kill you, it will just do what it can in the rules it can follow, is the player running can i spawn a tank? does he keep runnig? im allowed to spawn another tank? how much should i wait before i can spawn another one and so on, he trys to screw you but he follow rules and thats what i love about it, he also is not trying to kill you cause he can give you medkits and give you long breaks he just make sure the game is experienced the right way.

@Twadfire 3 года назад

The Vermintide series is also a good example of AI director as afaik its similar to the one in L4D. There's fixed/predictable events but most of the plays is different between sessions.

@KnyteGaming 3 года назад

Have you thought about looking at Phasmiphobia? I'd love to hear a break down of the AI in that game.

@casedistorted Год назад

Sadly I don’t think the AI in Phasmo is that advanced. They just do some preset things and have a set chance to do things. At least back when your comment was made. Made they’ve made It More advanced since then

@MattEland 3 года назад

Wow, that cocain comment...

@AIandGames 3 года назад

I'm waiting for Bobby Kotick to prove me wrong.

@Knuckx117 3 года назад

yeah, I had to rewind to make sure I heard that correctly. xD

@solidreactor 3 года назад

@@Knuckx117 Oh I heard it correctly the first time, but still listened to it twice more just for the laughs! :D

@FriendlyHouseCentipede 3 года назад

there might not be that much cocaine but the heroin, oops, I mean, Adrenaline shots, make up for it.

@The23rdGamer 3 года назад

Here before notifications catch up!! Will watch the video later :)

@MomoMizrahiLand 3 года назад

This channel deserves more views and subs tbh

@handsomejack3444 3 года назад

Its been a very long time since I've played a game and went, wow thats great ai

@Fezezen 3 года назад

I like how you've done another video on Left 4 Dead's AI director after the game has become popular again due to the recent update.

@JayLatne 3 года назад

L4D'S director system is such a smart way of keeping things action packed

@Sir.Craze- 3 года назад

Been a while or is it just me? One way or another, it's always nice to know one of your favorite creators hasn't merged with the great A.I in The sky!

@AIandGames 3 года назад

It's been.... a good 6-7 weeks since the last video. But - for reasons I can't talk about just yet - I'll be back... very soon!

@c0mmanderKeen 3 года назад

I love this channel. I have not gotten around to binge it, but big thanks to the Scotsman in apparent charge

@FemboysAreAwesome 3 года назад

I could listen to you talk about ai directors all day. Your videos are so informative and brilliant!

@Hemlock32 3 года назад

Doing an episode on Payday 2 would be interesting. The AI in that game has a ridiculous amount of hidden features that you don't really notice at first glance, like, the police being scared and running away if you shoot at them, or hit them but don't kill them, or, the whole way they react to hostages verbally and delay the Police Assault as a result

@jtms1200 3 года назад

wow... 12 years later and left 4 dead still looks great

@DinnyForst 3 года назад

Creating complex and balance AI director can be very challenged in development. It works well to offer different and dynamic experience to players going from pint A to B scenario. Hope to see more games apply full potential of AI director.

@mothman8300 3 года назад

If you haven't, look into AI Dungeon it is an interesting project that I find enjoyable

@mike7DILFLUVR 3 года назад

L4d's ai director always fascinated me

@PsychadelicoDuck 3 года назад

The mention of AC Odyssey's NPC memory and Witcher's spawn trees intrigued me. Do you have any recommendations for further reading on either of those?

@jonathanfaber3291 3 года назад

The first minute of this is just straight roasting other media and I’m here for it

@nicolasriveros943 3 года назад

If i'm not mistaken, Resident Evil 4 also uses an AI Director. I would love to see you break down how it works. Great job as usual!

@sodakick6884 3 года назад

Not necessarily a criticism of the (good) video, but I'm kind of surprised you didn't mention Resident Evil 4. They used a director in a similar fashion to L4D to keep skilled players engaged and help dial back the stress for players struggling with the difficulty and QTEs. It's almost like an accessibility slider that does all the work for you. GMTK did a wonderful video on it and I think about how many games could benefit from a similar implementation.

@rayfields7749 3 года назад

Different NPC's spawning in different sectors was in games since GTA 3 or maybe even the 2d ones. Virtualization where NPC's are active but not spawned has been at least since Stalker Clear Sky. You could track them via the map while they went around their business even across completely different and unloaded maps and meet them if you want.

@pepperyicecream783 3 года назад

Yep, "S.T.A.L.K.E.R."'s A-LIFE system really nice! But I think it's not about "balancing" gameplay like a "director" systems mentioned in the video, it's more about raw AI simulation experience.

@tharsis 3 года назад

S.T.A.L.K.E.R's Alife system predates Left 4 Dead (Albeit barely) which seems to use a similar mechanism to those you described for Assassin's Creed - out of sight AI switches to a less demanding AI mechanism but otherwise continues to exist. I find Alife extra fascinating as - while Assassins Creed tends to be open world now without distinct levels, S.T.A.L.K.E.R's was still heavily level based, and these Alife agents (Both human and wildlife) could freely wander between levels. You could watch a guy walk through a level transition, then find him on the other side going to wherever he was going prior.

@Gaff. 3 года назад

Kind of curious about how RE4 did its AI. It tried to maintain what Mikami called 'flow', and from the sound of it, it would have needed a director to do that. Probably a more rudimentary example but it's one of my favourite games, so I'm interested in learning more about how it works internally.

@davidsabillon5182 2 года назад

Fascinating. Like commented and subscribed 👍

@Flippo___ 3 года назад

I like films, but the roasts on the film industry were 🔥

@Lord_of_Dread 3 года назад

I'd definitely like to hear more about Rocksmith. I used to play my guitar a lot but now I mainly just game, so some inspiration to get into rocksmith would help. The only reason I never got it was because I wasn't sure if it would be worth buying the peripheral for

@manpacman9600 3 года назад

Resident Evil 4 does some difficulty adjustments on the fly to help-challenge the player.

@1DrowsyBoi 3 года назад

I'm surprised there was no mention of Risk of Rain 2. Despite that, great video!

@MangoAssassin8 3 года назад

Sounds like I'm about to be recruited for the Thieves Guild

@anthonyapm 3 года назад

Would be sweet with a video about Black & White's creature AI

@jamesedleymusic 3 года назад

Why hasn’t there been another game like L4D where the director decides the path of the player depending on different circumstances?

@fraundakelmbrilpondaprost90 2 года назад

I imagine it ups production time and cost quite a bit, but it would definitely be a great idea to expand on.

@imperialistgondola3488 3 года назад

where are my vermintide bros when the elf runs ahead and the ai spawns 3 assassin rats

@lln6123 8 месяцев назад

Very very interesting, thank you for sharing all these informations Btw. I dont know if this was intended, but Id like to watch your playlists from the first to last episode. The way you sorted at least this one is from last to first and I cant change that manually as a viewer.

@matthewfermin8893 3 года назад

please explore the session director for rocksmith, it sounds interesting

@harrisonblock 3 года назад

Knowing too much about how the AI in Alien Isolation works does mess with the experience. I usually save crossing open areas or doing tasks for right after the Xeno has buggered off because the fear meter got too high.

@charlesgeringer8489 3 года назад

I feel like Stalkers ALife system should have been mentioned. Any chance of a video on that?

@foxxbaker 3 года назад

I love this

@MrPerson61 3 года назад

I'm assuming that system you mentioned in newer Assassin's Creed games that has AI characters remember you and such used the same or similar system that the Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor/War did with the Uruk generals? It sounds very similar at least.

@MidnightSt 3 года назад

I wouldn't even call it a "philosophy". I would call it the most straightforward approach to tuning/controlling what's going on in the game to ensure players are in the state of flow, ideally at all times. It's also kind of a complete opposite to systemic design/approach, in that in systemic/simulationist approach one would simulate the elements in the hope of getting interesting emergent situations, but with a director one just decides to create an "emergent-looking situation" from top-down - "okay, I want to make player face this. what are the requirements? what elements and systems in what configuration do i need to spawn where for the emergent-looking situation to work?

@shimaxbox 3 года назад

Would be cool to see how system works in games like Diablo

@stfu2253 2 года назад

gas station explode zombie: not my problem start the lift zombie: ok you ask for this

@SubcribeMinecraftNOW 2 года назад

*Thousands of gunshots* Zombies: I sleep *Like 5 crows croaking* Zombies: REAL SHIT?!

@heartattackphil 3 года назад

Please cover the AI of Phasmaphobia! it's such an interesting game with such a smart AI

@PopMusicKiller 3 года назад

Please look at the AI of Risk of Rain 2. It allegedly mixes the director with a timer to increase difficulty and makes for an awesomely chaotic experience.

@maxmustermann-zx9yq 3 года назад

singleplayer strategy games are in serious need of a director AI to provide more challenges if you are already steamrolling

@i_love_hitagi 3 года назад

What game is it from 10:28? With the bow.

@sfedi 3 года назад

Aside from Vermintide, World War Z, and all zombie/horde games for that matter utilizes some sort of Director AI

@wile123456 3 года назад

What about how left for dead the director changes the map routes and health spawns. Is it entirely random what route it picks and if not can you "trick" the director to get a desired outcome?

@ThompsonExpress Год назад

0:43 For the life of me i cannot find the console command that let me see the zombie locations (the white dots when they are idle) and all that information as the player move. I'd would love to see how the game react to my actions.

@nothanks39 10 месяцев назад

there is apparently a link to a page with the console commands in the description, white dots might be z_debug

@yearzero7802 3 года назад

I'm not gay, (kinda,) but I can listen to this man talk all day.

@attackofthecopyrightbots 3 года назад

considering the og thief series is one of the games with the best ai im baffled you havent covered them yet

@cocopud 3 года назад

You had me at “... a lot less cocaine...” 😂

@TheZanzibarMan 3 года назад

Don't forget to like the video

@ghostalen4179 3 года назад

Try to look a-life system in stalker franchise, it simulates behavior of npcs all across the game world( works best at call of pripyat and mods)

@blastermaster5039 2 года назад

I am still incredibly annoyed whenever the director AI spawns a damn jockey or a charger just behind a door or wall two feet near you. It gives you little to no chance of ever detecting both special infected which is unfair in my opinion

@Gamer88334 Год назад

Do you have full captions enabled? That should help at least a little bit.

@djgaming6050 5 месяцев назад

thats why this game is not boring because it will random spawn zombies unlike other games u know where the enemies are

@mycupoftea583 3 года назад

You sound like Dr. Glen Pierce from superliminal

@sashapinesnguyenhienhoa8003 3 года назад

Follow those rule eh tell that to those speed run people do solo run

@Heyheyhey0475 3 года назад

4:07 The mask slips🍀

@slyaspie4934 3 года назад

Direct all you want just don't startle the witch 😱

@creed200569 2 года назад

I like Back for Bloods director much better. Having that much variety in gameplay like playing in the dark or fog, birds, different variety of zombies makes for a great gameplay experience. They just need to tone down the spawn of special infected a little lol

@selphconscious 9 месяцев назад

.. youre the only one lol

@El-Burrito 3 года назад

GET TUDA CHOPPA

@rossanderson4156 3 года назад

L4D2 AI really struggles to slow down a group of players sprinting through the level I feel, wish it had more capabilities to slow people down

@gabrielandy9272 3 года назад

it does waht it can, its not supossed to cheat and don't allow the player to have skill tho, it does spawn hordes and mobs but it don't cheat then, if the player have the skill to kill the hunter it will kill the hunter.

@selphconscious 9 месяцев назад

.. i wish i was punished for doing exactly what im suppose too lol 🤷🏻‍♀️ try dark souls? lol

@sofia.eris.bauhaus 3 года назад

ensuring players play along the rules, huh? i wonder what speedrunners think of that 😎. sounds like could make for some pretty interesting interactions.

@TitanInfiltration 3 года назад

Been watching a lot of your clips with great interest as they have fundamentally helped shaped the various AI we are employing in Project Titan. We have a multi-tiered GOAP based system that broadly follows the chain of command within the game and feeds down to a number of behavioural trees on each of the units for more tactical decision making. We are also using a few directors to manage the overall consistency of pace and threat and A* for solving a range of navigational problems... I would love to get the development of our game on your radar as it combines, what we think is a fairly unique mix, of real time strategy element along with features more at home in action games -if you get chance, have a look at the RU-vid and Facebook pages for it and I am more than happy to have a conversation around any areas we could expand or refine.... Keep up the awesome work! :-)

@fearoffema 3 года назад

I'll determine how much cocaine is in my game, thank you

@orchid9 3 года назад

talking about AI and not digging into Stalker franchise? C'on, you really need to do your research how Stalker was built (and how the AI systems are crippled in order for the game to work).

@apotheosis27 3 года назад

Great video. That game looks like a freaking nightmare to me. No thanks.

@AlfaPro1337 3 года назад

The Director AI is the worst. I remember playing L4D/2, on any difficulty at random gameplay, it will continually trigger Incoming Attack, not event trigger or those blockade. It's just when you are normally traversing across a map. High HP? Incoming Attack. Low HP? Incoming Attack. Just clear a horde? Incoming Attack. Just inside safe room and bar not lifted? Incoming Attack. Just exited safe room? Incoming Attack. I thought it's just for that map, nope, it's the entire campaign--or rather the lobby. I had to quit and create another lobby. Once again, I thought this was exclusive to console, nope, it's also on the PC.

@monkyyy0 3 года назад

>101 >topic is something only used a dozen or so times

@raptecclawtooth9046 3 года назад

I don't know if is me but, sadly to advance in Valve games, you should be some a kind of a mediocre player until the point to the A.I thinks "Hmm i should have to help this player", and that's bad, because if for some reason you manage to discover a way to advance quick (L4D), or make easy money (Dota) or make a good strategy (CS), or practically being a good player, you reward to be a experimented player is: fuck you! get stuck, you don't gain nothing for know all the quirks of the game, and items, lore, last patches, because anything you do, will be overshadowed for what the director thinks is "fair"... Yeah fair to the stupid flow of the game, but i don't want that, i want to know my invested time and experience actually serves to ME, to something i can actually exploit in MY benefit, REAL benefit. Don't get me wrong, i love L4D 1 and 2, and DOTA 2, there are great games, but is really discouraging when you invest so much time, and get nothing in return or something what you don't expect.

@IronCandyNotes 3 года назад

There is something about Director AI as a concept that makes me puke... It babysits your experience and kills emergence somewhat... systemic gaming should be the future. Director AI feels related to AI cheating & jump scares...

@megalonoobiacinc4863 3 года назад

I can see your viewpoint, on the other hand, very large, open games like far cry 5 obviously profit from such a system. Rather than viewing it as an experience babysitter (you're the action star all the time, gotta toss stuff your direction) its a rational way of handling content and interaction at all in a very large sandbox environment where more and more happens procedurally rather than scripted. The key is to not make it seem like you are the action star (unless you aim towards the simple crowd) but use the director as a means of achieving huge diversity within a large but naked playing field. L4D is kinda unique though, and the director is kinda the gimmick of the game (is why i installed it, and the guns feel good). I agree it could suck if it became the norm, unless of course it was terribly well hidden.

@IronCandyNotes 3 года назад

@@megalonoobiacinc4863 I guess to me learning is an important part of playing a game... Thats why I like games that have realism and are more like simulations. To me fun is derived from that... Director AI, everything is designed/linear etc.. short cuts that and just throws sugar/dopamin moments at you. It's like a Marvel movie: Emotional sugar not interlectuall depth... GTA Online pisses me off because it is 95% simulation and then something like the spawning system, player icons on map and other gameplay arbitrariness break that totally. Fun should be emergend not planned and it has this weird being treated like a dog/rat kind off feel to it. Director AI feels like a business decision not a product optimization... to sell more candy and have positive hooking moments for players fast... who cares if they get sick of it after they bought it 4 weeks in.... next DLC promises the next hit... its hedonistic gamedevelopment?!