Game Programming for Teens

Chapter 12. Artificial Intelligence

As we near the end of this book, we get more to the heart of computer game programming. Unlike any other program that you will find on computers, games need to be able to actually make the computer think! Well, maybe not think, but at least appear as if it is thinking :). In games that have enemies that are not human controlled, the computer has to take over and play against the player. This chapter provides you with the tools to make any enemy appear to act as a human would.

The art of artificial intelligence can be extremely complicated and tough to follow; therefore, this chapter will be a very quick primer to some easier parts of artificial intelligence. There are many more interesting topics above and beyond what I'll teach you, and if you want to learn about some of them, I suggest you seek out other books on the topic.

I'm sure you're itchin ' to get started, so I'm going to conclude the introduction right now. I mean, now. Seriously, the intro is over. I'm not joking.