Integrating realistic human group behaviors into a networked 3D virtual environment

Distributed Interactive Simulation DIS-Java-VRML Working Group. Includes supplementary material provided from the contents of a CD-Rom issued containing the work of all three Working Group members and all supplementary material, in compressed format.Virtual humans operating inside large-scale virtual environments (VE) are typically controlled as single entities. Coordination of group activity and movement is usually the responsibility of their real world human controllers. Georeferencing coordinate systems, single-precision versus double-precision number representation and network delay requirements make group operations difficult. Mounting multiple humans inside shared or single vehicles, (i.e. air-assault operations, mechanized infantry operations, or small boat/riverine operations) with high fidelity is often impossible. The approach taken in this thesis is to reengineer the DIS-Java-VRML Capture the Flag game geolocated at Fort Irwin, California to allow the inclusion of human entities. Human operators are given the capability of aggregating or mounting nonhuman entities for coordinated actions. Additionally, rapid content creation of human entities is addressed through the development of a native tag set for the Humanoid Animation (H-Anim) 1.1 Specification in Extensible 3D (X3D). Conventions are demonstrated for integrating the DIS-Java-VRML and H-Anim draft standards using either VRML97 or X3D encodings. The result of this work is an interface to aggregate and control articulated humans using an existing model with a standardized motion library in a networked virtual environment. Virtual human avatars can be mounted and unmounted from aggregation entities. Simple demonstration examples show coordinated tactical maneuver among multiple humans with and without vehicles. Live 3D visualization of animated humanoids on realistic terrain is then portrayed inside freely available web browsers.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Non-determinism in the narrative structure of video games

PhD ThesisAt the present time, computer games represent a finite interactive system. Even in their more experimental forms, the number of possible interactions between player and NPCs (non-player characters) and among NPCs and the game world has a finite number and is led by a deterministic system in which events can therefore be predicted. This implies that the story itself, seen as the series of events that will unfold during gameplay, is a closed system that can be predicted a priori. This study looks beyond this limitation, and identifies the elements needed for the emergence of a non-finite, emergent narrative structure. Two major contributions are offered through this research. The first contribution comes in the form of a clear categorization of the narrative structures embracing all video game production since the inception of the medium. In order to look for ways to generate a non-deterministic narrative in games, it is necessary to first gain a clear understanding of the current narrative structures implemented and how their impact on users’ experiencing of the story. While many studies have observed the storytelling aspect, no attempt has been made to systematically distinguish among the different ways designers decide how stories are told in games. The second contribution is guided by the following research question: Is it possible to incorporate non-determinism into the narrative structure of computer games? The hypothesis offered is that non-determinism can be incorporated by means of nonlinear dynamical systems in general and Cellular Automata in particular

Crystalline

Crystalline is a fast action arena shooter with a focus on gunplay. The core objective of this project was to create a fun multiplayer First Person Shooter. To achieve this goal as a team we had to best leverage the tools and technology available to us. As First Person Shooter games typically have teams far larger than our own, we had to work hard and smart on Crystalline. Unreal Engine 4 was used in lieu of Unity or an in-house engine, saving hours of development time and allowing us to focus on gameplay and assets more. Thanks to Unreal Engine 4, we were able to produce a game that, based on playtesting, appears to meet our core objective. Due to the limited time available for the project, there are still far more designed features to be implemented. However, the core gameplay has been completed leaving opportunity for expansion and future work. This document is divided into nine chapters and an appendix. Chapter 1 will introduce readers to the core concepts of Crystalline. Market analysis and background research are covered in Chapters 2 and 3 respectively. The prototypes and general process that took Crystalline from concept to game are outlined in Chapter 4. Chapters 5 and 6 outline the core design of the final iteration of Crystalline, technical or otherwise. Chapter 7 describes overall visual designs of the game, both 2D and 3D. Playtesting data is reported and assessed in Chapter 8, and a post mortem is detailed in Chapter 9. This document concludes with an appendix containing an asset bible

A VIEW THROUGH THE PERISCOPE : ADVANCED AND GEOSPATIAL VISUALIZATION OF NAVAL BATTLEFIELDS

Battlefield visualizations have existed for nearly ten thousand years and are found in almost all corners of the world. These may range from simple representations of opposing hunting parties depicted in Neolithic cave art to the examples found in today's military atlases. The practices used to visualize these, almost ubiquitous human acts, have changed along with the sciences, arts, and military technology and strategy. Although the most drastic changes in military technology have occurred within the last century, little advancement has been made concerning battlefield visualization techniques. Essentially, new military technologies and strategies have been visualized with outdated techniques and methodologies.   This study attempts to identify the key trends and deficiencies in battlefield visualizations so that new or alternative techniques may be proposed. Inspiration for these alternative methodologies will come from closely associated academic disciplines that already utilize these techniques. Once these trends and techniques are identified, then an exploration into these innovated battlefield visualization techniques is possible. These new and innovative techniques are important because they advance the discourse of battlefield visualizations and may increase the conveyance of ideas between scholars and the public.  M.A

Examination of interactive experience: Construction of physical and social presence in virtual environments

Interactivity seems to be a familiar concept, which partially explains its frequent use in discussions about new communication technologies and what they can bring to communication studies. However, interactivity research has yet to reach a comprehensive and concrete consensus concerning the antecedents and consequences of interactive experiences. The main objective of this research is to determine the factors responsible for fostering the interactivity experience in the multiuser virtual environments and to observe how this variance in interactivity will affect the formation of physical and social presence. The study also examines the possible relationship between physical and social presence via correlation analysis and uses a one-way ANOVA with Post-Hoc Tests to designate the effects of interactivity on physical and social presence

Ludotopia

Where do computer games »happen«? The articles collected in this pioneering volume explore the categories of »space«, »place« and »territory« featuring in most general theories of space to lay the groundwork for the study of spatiality in games. Shifting the focus away from earlier debates on, e.g., the narrative nature of games, this collection proposes, instead, that thorough attention be given to the tension between experienced spaces and narrated places as well as to the mapping of both of these

Mixed reality entertainment with wearable computers

Master'sMASTER OF ENGINEERIN

Ludotopia

Where do computer games »happen«? The articles collected in this pioneering volume explore the categories of »space«, »place« and »territory« featuring in most general theories of space to lay the groundwork for the study of spatiality in games. Shifting the focus away from earlier debates on, e.g., the narrative nature of games, this collection proposes, instead, that thorough attention be given to the tension between experienced spaces and narrated places as well as to the mapping of both of these