Vision

Artifical emotion

My goal is to take a journey to explore modeling of AI of living being.

Yes, there is already a lot of work done in this area primary in game development and specifically in RPG.

My effort is not targeting inventing new "shortest path algorithm" or original battle tactics.

I'm naively targeting field which eludes us humans for as far as we know in history - emotions, virtues and shortcomings of human being.

It is one thing to create AI to play chess and completely other to model emotions.

Of course this is unclear and misty path.

This field is realm of culture - theater, literature, poetry, philosophy.

It penetrates much deeply in very essence of human civilization.

Actually I'm taking with modern tools upon myself same task as did any writer or poet.

How to describe or explain what drives us toward inspiration, anguish, love or bravery?

Ideally Vega AI will provide model of persons whom dwell in collective unconscious web as described by some philosophers. 

So apart from, not easy, task of modeling human emotions I'll try to model human as being connected with other humans on sup-tile levels. 

Inspirations in real world

Some of my goals are inspired by games. One of the earliest is Sid Meyer's "Civilization I" where nation leaders act based on some basic emotions of fear or boldness.

Very successful example and mine shiniest model is "Mound & Blade" game single player. Building trust, leadership qualities and even courting ladies for wedding is nicely implemented.

In world of literature it is definitively Robert C.C. Martin's "Game of Thrones" with endless rainbow of human emotions and interactions that on the end determine the faith of whole realms.
One of characters Sandor Clegane, ruthless child killer, layer and in whole brutal person influenced by two little girls Arya & Sansa grows some small elements of kind person and acts in protective manner.
Same goes for character Jamie, also child killer that gets inspired by Briene to no matter what practice his chivalry - again change of personality.
Then Tyrion - dwarf, womanizer, cunning opportunist then at right moment chooses to do what its right and to protect the city and lead defense.  

Another my favorite masterpiece is blockbuster "Gladiator" with Russel Crowe. Lowest level of people, killers are inspired to learn about honer and to be willing not to live but to die for something.

Target simulation/game types 

Other inspirations and visions describe inspiration on type of game Vega AI could be used.
Movie "Crimson Tide" depicts extremely critical situation - faith of whole world  reside in hands of few man.
These people use leadership skills and convincing of their team to achieve their goals.

Encouragement, convincing, moral speech and devising meaningful plan to solve situation are key elements.

I'm also great SF fan. Hence "Star Gate" and "Star Trek" tv shows are very inspirational.

I guess that bottom line in defining game genre is RPG adventure with heavy emphasis on emotions, virtues, moral qualities and shortcomings in achieving goal.

Game examples

I'll try to paint some game ideas to more vigorously depict targets of Vega AI project.

#1 Sub commander

Game plays in real time.
It can be successfully completed by achieving goal(s) in given time. So time is equally important.
All AI players act in same real time and can win before player.

Briefing

First required game part is briefing.
Player(s) are in real time briefed about submarine and crew they are assigned to.
For replay-ability of game this info should be always different to avoid remembering
and cheating.

Scenario & goals

After briefing game starts by explaining game scenario.
One of example is that ship is in some kind of jeopardy - fire, under attack, malfunction etc. Also situation must be handled in known time limits.
It is possible that player(s) actions change this time limit beneficial or on worse.
This kind of scenarios are frequently used in action TV shows.

Interaction with game

Player(s) interaction with game goes primary through interaction with crew members.
In old adventure games like Sierra's "Leisure Suit Larry" you had to type in your commands and by guessing come up with correct command or question.
That was one of main tricks in those games - to figure out who and what to ask.
It was fun and part of game addiction. I love it and i want same concept.
Maybe typing commands is not anymore acceptable but definitely a clickable list of all possible commands should not be provided.

Ways to win

So you basically talk to people and gather intel. If you failed in brifing part you'll have to do a lot catch up asking and anoying your crew memeber.
They on the other hand maybe want be always so pleased to answer.

You can reaassign your crew memebers to different task as you please or as they please. Some of them may reject your ideas or fail to perform new duites.

On of keys to success is to build your leadership and charisma. If you can impress right crew memebers that you have what it takes or simply impress them with your knowledge about ship they will be more willing to propose solutions and help.

The perfect example of situation in which I want to put player(s) is depicted in movie "Crimson tide". First you do estimation of situation and make a choice what should be done. Your choice is chalenged by others and people in your crew.
Can you take the pressure? Will you change your mind?
Or you will enforce your way and make sure that others accept it.
For some you'll have to impress it through fear, others ratio and third through patriotisam and etc.

So finding or choosing solution is only smaller and less important part.
As history teaches us as a leader you can achieve only as much as you can impress on community nothing more. People under inspirational leadership can immensly outperform any rational expectations. Also under poor command and divided among themselves they wan't even function as collective no matter how briliant plan you have.

My bottom line is that game should encourage player(s) to get to know their crew and inspire them to follow their lead or even come up with solution themselves.
People do that in real life. Hence that would be real chalenge of my Vega AI.
So even if you have poor solution but you manage to pull it of in a limited time span is better then devising briliant plan and not implementing it.

Other approach is to try with bribery and Roman saying "divide and conquer". So diplomacy is also important.
Fun part is to play with virtues and shortcomings of your members.

Third approach is birocratic and liest effective. It resides on player's ability to get very well aquinted with both ship and crew memeber and by reassigning them to proper tasks and asking specific questions achiving goals.
This is time consuming since no one does not birocrats and to be treated as tool.

One game scenario and solutions

Let's paint some scenario and possible solutions.
For example there is a fire on ship. The catch is that fire distinguish system is down. Person that can repair it is hospitalized and goes through its own personal trauma. He tried suicide. One solution to scenario is to try calming crew members and investigate reasons for this person behavior and try directly or through others help him overcome his personal problem and help in solving current fire situation.
If player manages this situation will be quickly solved.
Alternative is to try finding and inspiring other memeber(s) to repair system.
Catch is that missuse of fire distinguish system inflicts security protocol to block system for long period. This of course puts everyone in jepardy. Hence it is crucial to secure that this memeber is both encouraged to give it a try in repairing and rest asured that he is protected from others if he fails and risks all of their lives.
Third possible solution is slowest and organizational. It is basically issuing commands and inspecting results. Assembling a team and leading it personally in reparing system. Team members will exert fear and ocasionally give up their task. They must be repeatedly monitored, briefed, helped and pushed to acheive goal.

Vega world

As one can see it this game scenario requires one important game engine - scenario world. It would be used to describe game winning and loosing conditions.
Character that "lives" in Vega AI must be able to easily interact with Scenario world.
This is very chalenging task by itself but still bellow Vega AI requirements.