Toward a Rapid Prototyping Environment for Character Behavior

Abstract

I describe work in progress on a system for interactiveprototyping of AI-based characters. A sort of "Sims construction set," the system combines a simple physics simulation with a set of domain-specific languages to allow programmers to quickly build and test character AI. It allows iterative, incremental development in which behaviors can be compactly authored, tested, monitored, and hot-swapped for new behaviors, using in-game editing and debugging facilities.