Designing and Creating Video Game Zombie AI

Overview

Discover the process of designing zombie behavior and implementing AI in Unity with PikPok's team, creators of "Into the Dead:

Our Darkest Days."

Syllabus

• Introduction to Zombie AI
Overview of AI in video games
Key characteristics of zombie behavior
• Basics of Artificial Intelligence in Unity
Introduction to Unity's AI tools
Navigating the Unity interface for AI development
• Designing Zombie Behavior
Defining zombie behaviors and traits
Designing realistic and engaging zombie AI
• Pathfinding and Navigation
Implementing pathfinding using Unity's NavMesh
Creating dynamic navigation systems for zombies
• Sensing and Perception Systems
Setting up line of sight and hearing for zombies
Incorporating noise and environmental interactions
• State Machines and Behavior Trees
Introduction to finite state machines
Implementing behavior trees in Unity
Transitioning between states for dynamic behavior
• Advanced Behavior Implementation
Group dynamics and coordination between zombies
Special behaviors and advanced AI patterns
• Performance Optimization
Balancing AI complexity with performance constraints
Techniques for optimizing AI processing in Unity
• Testing and Iteration
Methods for testing AI behaviors in the Unity environment
Iterative design process for refining AI
• Case Study: "Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days"
Insights from PikPok's development team
Challenges and solutions in creating zombie AI for the game
• Final Project
Designing and implementing a unique zombie AI behavior in Unity
Peer review and feedback session on project implementations

Subjects

Programming