Abstract:
The majority of computer games currently use either scripting or state machines for
their high-level AI architecture. While these are both powerful techniques, they are
what I like to think of as "declarative AI" because they leave the bulk of the
intelligence in the hands of the designer, who specifies exactly what the AI should
do in any particular situation.

Goal-based AI is an alternative architecture which has been used in a number of successful
games, including four of the five titles I have worked on personally.  In contrast to the
techniques listed above, I would call it "decisive AI."  Rather than telling the AI what
to do, the role of the designer is to tell the AI what factors to consider and how to
weigh them, and the AI will then examine the current state when deciding which actions
to take next.

In this talk I will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of goal-based AI in comparison
to scripting and state machines.