U.S. patent application number 13/289512 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-24 for apparatus and method for providing agent-based game service.
This patent application is currently assigned to Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute. Invention is credited to Byoung-Tae Choi, Kyoung-Ill Kim, Sung-Soo KIM, Choong-Gyoo Lim, Chang-Joon Park, Jong-Ho Won.
Application Number | 20120129595 13/289512 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46064852 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120129595 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KIM; Sung-Soo ; et
al. |
May 24, 2012 |
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AGENT-BASED GAME SERVICE
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for providing an
agent-based game service. The apparatus for providing an
agent-based game service includes an input data management unit for
collecting pieces of input data from a terminal device of at least
one user. A data mining unit analyzes patterns of the pieces of
input data and then generates and updates mined data according to
the result of the pattern analysis. A game agent processing unit
creates, using the mined data, a game agent which will replace the
user and play a game instead of the user, and evolves the game
agent to correspond to the updated mined data.
Inventors: |
KIM; Sung-Soo; (Daejeon,
KR) ; Lim; Choong-Gyoo; (Daejeon, KR) ; Kim;
Kyoung-Ill; (Seoul, KR) ; Won; Jong-Ho;
(Daejeon, KR) ; Park; Chang-Joon; (Daejeon,
KR) ; Choi; Byoung-Tae; (Daejeon, KR) |
Assignee: |
Electronics and Telecommunications
Research Institute
Daejeon
KR
|
Family ID: |
46064852 |
Appl. No.: |
13/289512 |
Filed: |
November 4, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/29 ;
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06N 20/00 20190101;
A63F 2300/636 20130101; A63F 2300/535 20130101; H04N 7/181
20130101; A63F 13/493 20140902; G06N 3/006 20130101; G06N 3/004
20130101; A63F 13/422 20140902; G06N 5/043 20130101; A63F 2300/6054
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/29 ;
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 22, 2010 |
KR |
10-2010-0116225 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for providing an agent-based game service,
comprising: an input data management unit for collecting pieces of
input data from a terminal device of at least one user; a data
mining unit for analyzing patterns of the pieces of input data and
then generating and updating mined data according to the result of
the pattern analysis; and a game agent processing unit for
creating, using the mined data, a game agent which will replace the
user and play a game instead of the user, and evolving the game
agent to correspond to the updated mined data.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a management unit
for managing game agents while classifying the game agents into
user-based game agents which respectively correspond to a plurality
of users and pattern-based game agents which are created by
analyzing patterns of the user-based game agents and sorting the
user-based game agents according to pattern.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the management unit allows a
game agent to be created in a relevant game and to replace a
relevant user and play the game instead of the user in response to
a game agent replacement request received from the user, and allows
the game agent to be deleted from the game in response to a game
resumption request received from the user.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the management unit plays the
game using any one of a user-based game agent and a pattern-based
game agent according to selection of the user.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the management unit updates
state information of the game agent with progress of the game.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a control unit for
controlling the game agent using the state information.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit comprises: a
movement control unit for performing spatial movement of the game
agent using a maximum speed threshold for movement of the game
agent, and a maximum conversion speed and an acceleration vector
for animation; an animation control unit for generating motions of
the game agent; and a situation sensing control unit for sensing a
situation of the game agent using a discrimination of
visibility.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the game agent processing unit
comprises: a movement prediction processing unit for predicting a
subsequent location of the game agent based on a location,
directionality and acceleration of the game agent; a learning
processing unit for causing the game agent to learn methods of
coping with respective situations using state information of the
game agent and historical information of the game agent in the
game; and an evolution processing unit for adding state information
different from that of the game agent, updating the methods of
coping with the respective situations, and then evolving the game
agent
9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display unit for
displaying a situation of progress of the game.
10. A method of providing an agent-based game service, comprising:
collecting pieces of input data from a terminal device of at least
one user; analyzing patterns of the pieces of input data and then
generating and updating mined data according to the result of the
pattern analysis; creating, using the mined data, a game agent
which will replace the user and play a game instead of the user;
and evolving the game agent to correspond to the updated mined
data.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising managing game agents
while classifying the game agents into user-based game agents which
respectively correspond to a plurality of users and pattern-based
game agents which are created by analyzing patterns of the
user-based game agents and sorting the user-based game agents
according to pattern.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the managing comprises:
allowing a game agent to be created in a relevant game and to
replace a relevant user and play the game instead of the user in
response to a game agent replacement request received from the
user; and allowing the game agent to be deleted from the game in
response to a game resumption request received from the user.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the managing further comprises
playing the game using any one of a user-based game agent and a
pattern-based game agent according to selection of the user.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the managing further comprises
updating state information of the game agent with progress of the
game.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising controlling the game
agent using the state information.
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying a
situation of progress of the game.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2010-0116225, filed on Nov. 22, 2010, which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this
application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and
method for providing an agent-based game service and, more
particularly, to an apparatus and method for providing an
agent-based game service, which create a Non Player Character
(NPC)-type agent based on input data received from the terminal
device of a user and apply the NPC-type agent to a game when
providing a game service in which a plurality of artificial
intelligence NPCs appear, thus allowing the agent to play the game
instead of the user.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] With the advancements in Internet and game service
technology, game services in which intellectual and complicated
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Non Player Characters (NPCs) appear in
games have been rapidly developed. Computer game services have been
developed from a conventional form in which a game program is
independently running on a Personal Computer (PC) into the form of
an online game service or a server-side game service that allows a
user to play the game together with other users over the Internet.
However, typical game services have the problem of causing users to
become addicted to games, so that the users become excessively
attached to such a game, greatly reduce their usual activities, and
get impatient and feel uneasy unless they can play the game. One
fundamental reason for these problems is that a gamer desires to
raise his level in a specific game over a short period of time when
playing the game.
[0006] A conventional game service such as an online game service
is also problematic in that when a game service including
intellectual AI game characters is provided, it is difficult to
prevent a user from becoming addicted to the game and to
continuously switch the game service.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an
apparatus and method for providing an agent-based game service,
which create an NPC-type agent based on input data received from
the terminal device of a user and apply the NPC-type agent to a
game when providing a game service in which a plurality of AI NPCs
appear, thus allowing the agent to play the game instead of the
user.
[0008] In order to accomplish the above object, the present
invention provides an apparatus for providing an agent-based game
service, including an input data management unit for collecting
pieces of input data from a terminal device of at least one user; a
data mining unit for analyzing patterns of the pieces of input data
and then generating and updating mined data according to the result
of the pattern analysis; and a game agent processing unit for
creating, using the mined data, a game agent which will replace the
user and play a game instead of the user, and evolving the game
agent to correspond to the updated mined data.
[0009] Preferably, the apparatus for providing an agent-based game
service may further include a management unit for managing game
agents while classifying the game agents into user-based game
agents which respectively correspond to a plurality of users and
pattern-based game agents which are created by analyzing patterns
of the user-based game agents and sorting the user-based game
agents according to pattern.
[0010] Preferably, the management unit may allow a game agent to be
created in a relevant game and to replace a relevant user and play
the game instead of the user in response to a game agent
replacement request received from the user, and allow the game
agent to be deleted from the game in response to a game resumption
request received from the user.
[0011] Further, the present invention provides a method of
providing an agent-based game service, including collecting pieces
of input data from a terminal device of at least one user;
analyzing patterns of the pieces of input data and then generating
and updating mined data according to the result of the pattern
analysis; creating, using the mined data, a game agent which will
replace the user and play a game instead of the user; and evolving
the game agent to correspond to the updated mined data.
[0012] Preferably, the method for providing an agent-based game
service may further include managing game agents while classifying
the game agents into user-based game agents which respectively
correspond to a plurality of users and pattern-based game agents
which are created by analyzing patterns of the user-based game
agents and sorting the user-based game agents according to
pattern.
[0013] Preferably, the managing may further include allowing a game
agent to be created in a relevant game and to replace a relevant
user and play the game instead of the user in response to a game
agent replacement request received from the user; and allowing the
game agent to be deleted from the game in response to a game
resumption request received from the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an apparatus for
providing an agent-based game service according to an embodiment of
the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the game agent
processing unit of the apparatus for providing an agent-based game
service according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the control unit
of the apparatus for providing an agent-based game service
according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method of providing an
agent-based game service according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing in detail the game agent
creation procedure of the method for providing an agent-based game
service according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of a game
service provided by the apparatus and method for providing an
agent-based game service according to the embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0021] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a processing
procedure performed when a game agent replacement request is
received from a user in the apparatus and method for providing an
agent-based game service according to the embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] The present invention will be described in detail below with
reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following
description, redundant descriptions and detailed descriptions of
known functions and elements that may unnecessarily make the gist
of the present invention obscure will be omitted. Embodiments of
the present invention are provided to fully describe the present
invention to those having ordinary knowledge in the art to which
the present invention pertains. Accordingly, in the drawings, the
shapes and sizes of elements may be exaggerated for the sake of
clearer description.
[0023] Prior to describing an apparatus and method for providing an
agent-based game service according to an embodiment of the present
invention, it should be noted that the term "Non Player Character
(NPC)" refers to a game object which operates by itself based on
artificial intelligence (AI), rather than a character which
operates in a game under the control of a user, and that an NPC may
be configured to interact with a user character in the game. When
such an NPC can be applied to the game in the form of an agent
which operates based on data input by the user, addiction to the
game can be prevented. In addition, the present invention can be
combined with a new profit model such as the exchange and sale of
agents instead of the exchange and sale of existing game items.
[0024] Meanwhile, owing to the development of cloud
computing-related systems and service technology, technology
allowing a server to process various types of software services has
recently been activated. Therefore, there is required a service
method in which the processing of learning, evolution and
artificial intelligence of each agent, which require a large amount
of computation, can be processed by the server using the computing
technology of the server.
[0025] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an apparatus for
providing an agent-based game service according to an embodiment of
the present invention.
[0026] An apparatus 100 for providing an agent-based game service
according to an embodiment of the present invention may receive
input data from the terminal device 111 of each user over the
Internet 112. Further, the apparatus 100 for providing an
agent-based game service according to the embodiment of the present
invention may be provided on a server side and may provide an
agent-based game service using high-performance hardware on the
server side. That is, the apparatus 100 for providing an
agent-based game service according to the embodiment of the present
invention does not perform the artificial intelligence processing
and rendering of a game that uses the Central Processing Unit (CPU)
and the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) of the user terminal device
111, by means of a program installed on a separate terminal.
Instead, the apparatus 100 for providing an agent-based game
service may use a streaming-based game service method which
executes game service components, such as the generation of
animation and sound, the provision of AI system functionality, and
the performance of physical simulation and rendering, by using
hardware resources, such as a CPU and a GPU, that are present in
the apparatus 100 for providing an agent-based game service
provided on the server side, and which provides the resulting video
of the relevant game to the user in the form of streams.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus 100 for providing an
agent-based game service according to the embodiment of present
invention may include an input data management unit 101, a data
mining unit 102, a game agent processing unit 103, a management
unit 104, a control unit 105, and a display unit 106. The apparatus
100 for providing an agent-based game service of FIG. 1 is
illustratively shown, and may be configured such that some
components may be added, deleted or modified as necessary. For
example, in another embodiment, the apparatus 100 for providing an
agent-based game service may be configured to include only the
input data management unit 101, the data mining unit 102, the game
agent processing unit 103, the control unit 105 and the display
unit 106, without including the management unit 104. In a further
embodiment, the apparatus 100 for providing an agent-based game
service may be configured without including the control unit 105 or
the display unit 106. Alternatively, the apparatus 100 for
providing an agent-based game service may include none of the
management unit 104, the control unit 105 and the display unit 106.
Further, the individual components of the apparatus 100 for
providing an agent-based game service may be implemented as a
plurality of distribution systems, so that a parallel computing
environment may be used.
[0028] The input data management unit 101 collects pieces of input
data from the terminal devices 111 of respective users. The user
terminal devices 111 may include all types of devices capable of
running the game and receiving input from respective users, for
example, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile terminal,
etc. Each user can use the streaming-based game service provided by
the apparatus 100 using his or her terminal device 111 over various
types of communication networks such as the wired or wireless
Internet. The pieces of input data received from the terminal
devices 111 of the respective users may be collected over the
various types of communication networks.
[0029] The data mining unit 102 analyzes the patterns of the pieces
of input data collected by the input data management unit 101, and
then generates and updates mined data according to the result of
the pattern analysis. For example, the data mining unit 102
classifies and integrates the pieces of input data, and then
analyzes the patterns of the input data. In an embodiment, the data
mining unit 102 may perform a cleansing procedure for removing
repeated or meaningless data from the collected input data. Next,
the data mining unit 102 may convert pieces of cleansed data into
pieces of data for game agents, classify the pieces of data for
individual users, integrate the classified data, and analyze the
patterns of the input data to generate mined data.
[0030] The game agent processing unit 103 creates a game agent,
which will replace a relevant user and play the game instead of the
user, using the mined data, and evolves the game agent to
correspond to the updated mined data. The game agent processing
unit 103 infers the mined data using an inference engine which is a
part for performing processing related to artificial intelligence,
learns using a well-known learning technique such as the machine
learning, and then creates each game agent. Further, the game agent
processing unit 103 can evolve the game agent to correspond to the
minded data newly updated by the data mining unit 102. The detailed
construction of the game agent processing unit 103 will be
described in detail later with reference to the attached
drawing.
[0031] The management unit 104 manages game agents created by the
game agent processing unit 103 while classifying the game agents
into user-based game agents 121 which respectively correspond to a
plurality of users, and pattern-based game agents 122 which are
created by analyzing the patterns of the user-based game agents 121
and sorting the user-based game agents 121 according to pattern.
The user-based game agents 121 are game agents corresponding to the
game sessions of the respective users. The pattern-based game
agents 122 are game agents which are sorted according to pattern
based on the actions, game score abilities and tactics of the
plurality of user-based game agents 121. All of these game agents
are managed by the management unit 104, wherein the management unit
104 may be a type of management database (DB).
[0032] Further, the management unit 104 may provide the function of
allowing a game agent to be created in a game and to replace a
relevant user and play the game instead of the user in response to
a game agent replacement request received from the user, and
allowing the game agent to be deleted from the game in response to
a game resumption request received from the user. When the game
agent replacement request is received from the user, the management
unit 104 can play the game using any one of a user-based game agent
121 and a pattern-based game agent 122 depending on the user's
selection.
[0033] Further, the management unit 104 can update the state
information of the game agent with the progress of the game. The
state information of the game agent denotes the state of the game
agent that varies with the progress of the game, and may include
the location, directionality, movement acceleration, items being
held, game score, and the surrounding situation (e.g., safe,
cautious, and dangerous situations) of the game agent.
[0034] The control unit 105 controls the game agent using the state
information provided by the management unit 104. When a game agent
replacement request is received from the user, the management unit
104 allows the game agent to be created in the game and to replace
the user and play the game instead of the user in response to such
a request. The control unit 105 functions to control the playing of
the game agent when the game agent plays the game. The detailed
construction of the control unit 105 will be described in detail
with reference to the attached drawing.
[0035] The display unit 106 displays the situation of the progress
of the game. The display unit 106 displays the situation of the
progress of the game conducted by the game agent, thus allowing the
user to monitor the situation of the progress of the game at any
time. The situation of the progress of the game displayed on the
display unit 106 may be displayed in the form of a streaming
video.
[0036] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the game agent
processing unit of the apparatus for providing an agent-based game
service according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0037] Referring to FIG. 2, the game agent processing unit of the
apparatus for providing an agent-based game service according to
the embodiment of the present invention may include a movement
prediction processing unit 201, a learning processing unit 202, and
an evolution processing unit 203. The game agent processing unit of
FIG. 2 is illustratively shown, and may be configured such that
some components may be added, deleted or modified as necessary.
[0038] The movement prediction processing unit 201 predicts a
subsequent location to move to on the basis of the location,
directionality and acceleration of a relevant game agent in the
game. The movement location is primarily predicted in this way, so
that the surrounding situation in the game can be sensed and the
operation of the game agent can be reflected in the game. Such
prediction can be performed using a well-known Kalman filter or an
extended Kalman filter.
[0039] The learning processing unit 202 causes the game agent to
learn methods of coping with respective situations using the state
information of the game agent and the historical information of the
game. In this case, as the learning methods, a machine learning
technique may be used.
[0040] The evolution processing unit 203 adds state information
different from the state information of the game agent to the state
information to update the methods of coping with respective
situations, thus evolving the game agent. That is, the evolution
processing unit 203 evolves the game agent by adding new state
information which was not present previously, rather than using the
existing state information of the game agent, thus allowing the
game agent to more precisely decide upon its own intention in the
game.
[0041] FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the control unit
of the apparatus for providing an agent-based game service
according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0042] The control unit of the apparatus for providing an
agent-based game service according to the embodiment of the present
invention may process the function of allowing a game agent to
spatially move in a game, processing a natural animation, and
sensing a surrounding situation by using the internal state
information of the game agent (the location, directionality,
movement acceleration, items being held, game score and the
surrounding situation of the game agent).
[0043] Referring to FIG. 3, the control unit of the apparatus for
providing an agent-based game service according to the embodiment
of the present invention may include a movement control unit 301,
an animation control unit 302, and a situation sensing control unit
303. The control unit of FIG. 3 is illustratively shown and may be
configured such that some components may be added, deleted or
modified as necessary.
[0044] The movement control unit 301 performs the spatial movement
of a game agent using the maximum speed threshold for the movement
of the game agent and the maximum conversion speed and an
acceleration vector for animation.
[0045] The animation control unit 302 creates the motions of the
game agent. The animation control unit 302 creates natural motions
when the game agent performs motions such as running, jumping or
brandishing a weapon.
[0046] The situation sensing control unit 303 senses the situation
of the game agent using the discrimination of visibility of the
game agent. The situation of the game agent may include the number
of surrounding enemies, the danger level of an environment (e.g.,
the level of safety, caution or danger), etc.
[0047] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method of providing an
agent-based game service according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 4, when the method for providing an
agent-based game service according to the embodiment of the present
invention is initiated, pieces of input data are collected from the
terminal device of a relevant user at step S401. Here, all of the
pieces of input data may be accumulated and stored.
[0049] Next, the patterns of the pieces of input data are analyzed,
and then mined data is generated and updated according to the
result of the pattern analysis at step 5402.
[0050] If the mined data is generated at step S402, a game agent
which will play a relevant game instead of the relevant user is
created using the mined data at step S403. Further, the game agent
is evolved to correspond to the updated mined data at step
S404.
[0051] Thereafter, when a game agent replacement request is
received from the user, the game agent is created in the relevant
game, replaces the user and plays the game instead of the user in
response to such a request at step S405.
[0052] While playing the game, the game agent can be controlled
using the state information of the game agent at step 5406.
Further, the situation of the progress of the game can be displayed
so that it can be monitored by the user at step S407.
[0053] When a game resumption request is received from the user
while the game is being played, the game agent is deleted from the
game in response to such a request at step S408, and the playing of
the game by the game agent is terminated.
[0054] Since the method for providing an agent-based game service
according to the embodiment of the present invention performs a
game service process in a manner similar to that of the apparatus
for providing an agent-based game service of FIG. 1 according to
the embodiment of the present invention, the description of FIG. 1
is applied in the same manner to FIG. 4, and thus a detailed
description thereof will be omitted unless a mention is especially
given. Similarly to FIG. 1, in FIG. 4, all of the steps of the
flowchart of FIG. 4 are not essential steps, and some steps may be
added, modified or deleted in other embodiments.
[0055] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing in detail the game agent
creation procedure of the method for providing an agent-based game
service according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0056] Referring to FIG. 5, pieces of input data from a relevant
user are collected and stored at step S501. From the pieces of
stored input data, repeated or meaningless data is removed, so that
the input data is cleansed at step S502. Next, the cleansed data is
converted into data for a game agent at step S503, and thereafter
data classification and analysis are performed via a mining
procedure at step S504. Thereafter, the state information of the
game agent based on the data mining is assigned, and thus a game
agent is created at step S505.
[0057] The agent creation procedure of FIG. 5 is illustrated as an
embodiment, and it is apparent to those skilled in the art that an
embodiment with a different construction from that of the agent
creation procedure of FIG. 5 could have been derived.
[0058] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of a game
service provided by the apparatus and method for providing an
agent-based game service according to the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0059] Referring to FIG. 6, a game service provision apparatus 30
corresponds to the apparatus for providing an agent-based game
service according to the embodiment of the present invention. A
user 10 accesses a game service provision apparatus 30 provided on
a server side, requests the apparatus 30 to initiate a game
service, and plays a game at step S601. The game service provision
apparatus 30 provides the game service requested by the user at
step S602, and stores data input by the user in an input data
management unit at step S603. Further, the game service provision
apparatus 30 performs data classification, data integration and
pattern analysis using the stored input data to generate mined data
at step S604, and creates a game agent using the mined data at step
S605.
[0060] Thereafter, when a game agent replacement request is
received from the user 10 at step S606, the game service provision
apparatus on the server side creates a game agent, in which the
session information of the user at the time point of the reception
of the request is reflected, in the game and duplicates the
behavior of the game agent at step S607. Thereafter, when a game
agent 20 plays the game at step S608 without the user 10 personally
playing the game, the game service provision apparatus 30 provides
a relevant game service at step S609. Here, the game agent will
have the form of a Non Player Character (NPC). Game agent state
information depending on the game played by the game agent 20, that
is, information about the location, directionality, movement
acceleration, items being held, game score, and the surrounding
situation (e.g., safe, cautious and dangerous situations) of the
game agent 20, is updated in the management unit. Video related to
the game playing performed in the service provision procedure (step
S609) may be displayed or not be displayed in the form of a
streaming video according to the state of the user (connection or
the termination of the connection). Thereafter, when the game
resumption request received from the user 10 is input to the game
service provision apparatus 30 at step S610, the state and behavior
of the game agent being run are reflected in the user session at
step S611. After the game agent 20 has been stored in the
management unit, it is deleted from the game at step S612.
Thereafter, in response to a game play request S613 received from
the user 10, the game service provision apparatus 30 again provides
the game service starting from step S602 in the same manner at step
S614.
[0061] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a processing
procedure performed when a game agent replacement request is
received from a user in the apparatus and method for providing an
agent-based game service according to the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0062] Referring to FIG. 7, when the user requests the game service
provision apparatus provided on the server side to replace himself
or herself by a game agent at step S701, whether such a request
corresponds to a request for replacement by a user-based game agent
or a request for replacement by a pattern-based game agent is
determined at step S702. If it is determined that the request
corresponds to the request for replacement by a pattern-based game
agent, a pattern-based game agent is searched for and selected at
step S703, and the behavior of the selected pattern-based game
agent is duplicated at step S704. The duplication of the behavior
denotes the creation of a new agent object in which the state
information of the game agent has been duplicated. After
duplication has been performed at step S704, the created
pattern-based game agent is applied to the game, and then the game
agent plays the game at step S705.
[0063] If it is determined that the request corresponds to a
request for replacement by a user-based game agent at step S702,
the user is replaced by a user-based game agent, and thereafter the
game agent plays the game at step S706. Thereafter, at the same
time that the game is played at step S706, the processing of the
learning and evolution of the user-based game agent is performed at
step S707. Furthermore, in order to reflect data required to create
pattern-based game agents, user-based game agents are sorted into
pattern-based game agents at step S708.
[0064] The above-described agent-based game service provision
method, the game agent creation procedure, the flow of the game
service, and the processing procedure performed when a game agent
replacement request is received from the user, have been described
with reference to the flowcharts presented in the drawings.
Although the method has been shown and described using a series of
blocks to simplify the description, the present invention is not
limited to the sequence of the blocks. Some blocks may be performed
in a sequence different from that shown and described in the
present specification with respect to other blocks, or may be
simultaneously performed. Furthermore, various different branches,
flow paths and block sequences that achieve the same or similar
results can be implemented. Further, all blocks shown in the
drawings to implement the method described in the present
specification may not be necessarily required.
[0065] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
can be provided an apparatus and method for providing an
agent-based game service, which create an NPC-type agent based on
input data received from a user's terminal device and apply the
NPC-type agent to a game when a game service in which a plurality
of artificial intelligence NPCs appear is executed, so that the
agent can play the game instead of the user, thus reducing the time
that the user is actually required to play the game.
[0066] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there can be provided an apparatus and method for providing an
agent-based game service, which can also be applied to the
simulation of special disaster prevention or the simulation of
fights, as well as games.
[0067] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have
been illustrated and described, it is apparent to those skilled in
the art that the technical spirit of the present invention is not
limited by the attached drawings and the above description, and
various modifications and changes are possible without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should be
understood that these modifications are included in the claims of
the present invention without departing from the spirit of the
invention.
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