Evolving MMOG content

Some multiplayer games clearly stand out from the usual MMOG series. For example, the Galactic Arms Race space game is made by scientists from the University of Central Florida (the game looks like the good old StarControl), and here the developers are trying to implement some fundamentally new approaches. For example, an evolving weapon .

The game constantly appear new types of weapons, and they appear by themselves, but based on statistics on the use of previous types of weapons. Which guns are more popular with players (and, therefore, more effective) - they give “offspring” in the form of guns with new characteristics.

The neural network for the generation of weapons was previously tested by the chief developers in its past project, NEAT . The author emphasizes that NEAT can also be used to generate other content: 3D models, textures, effects. Details are described in this scientific paper .
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In principle, it is now becoming the general opinion that evolution algorithms should generate content in the MMOG along with UGC. Such are the successful multiplayer games of the future, because developers simply do not have time to meet the needs of gamers on their own, especially in the most popular MMOGs. For six months, developers have been creating a new content pack, which players pass in a couple of hours.

via slashdot