Challenging AI

Abstract

Providing a challenging Artificial Intelligent opponent is an important aspect of making video games enjoyable and immersive. A game that is too easy, or conversely too hard may frustrate or bore players. Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment is a method that aims at improving the traditional methods of difficulty selection, by providing an opponent that tailors the challenge it presents to players such that it is at an optimal level for them. This research presents a player evaluation of three different Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment approaches using Monte Carlo Tree Search and measures their impact on player enjoyment, realism and perceived level of difficulty. In particular, it investigates the effect that different win/loss ratios, employed by Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment, have on player enjoyment.