Artificial Intelligence for Video Games
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The goal of this course is to teach students how artificial inteligence techniques are implemented inside a video game.
To this aim, standard and advanced techniques will be discussed and implemented in a modern game engine.
To this aim, standard and advanced techniques will be discussed and implemented in a modern game engine.
Expected learning outcomes
The student must be able to describe in a proper, and critic, way algorithms and heuristic techniques used to implement artificial intelligence in a video game. These algorithms and heuristics, must then be put in the context of actual video games on the market. Moreover, the student must also be atle to apply all the techniques proposed by the course to design and implement the artificial intelligence for video game of average complexity.
Lesson period: First four month period
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First four month period
Course syllabus
The main topics are:
- Basics of game engines
- Decision making
- Planning
- Movement and pathfinding
- Strategical and tactical decisions
- Agents coordination
- Procedural content generation
- Genetic algorithms
- Implementation approaches
- Basics of game engines
- Decision making
- Planning
- Movement and pathfinding
- Strategical and tactical decisions
- Agents coordination
- Procedural content generation
- Genetic algorithms
- Implementation approaches
Prerequisites for admission
It is required to know how to program in an object-oriented language.
Teaching methods
Lectures
Teaching Resources
Textbook: Ian Millington and John Funge, 2019, "Artificial Intelligence for Games", 3rd ed., ISBN:978-1138483972
Additional material will be made available on the course website
Additional material will be made available on the course website
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of two parts: a project and an oral interview.
The project, to be carried out individually, will be assigned by the teachers and must be submitted in digital format using the platform provided by the Department of Computer Science at least one week before the exam date.
In the project, the student must implement some artificial intelligence techniques learned during the course, using a game engine.
If the project is evaluated as insufficient, the student will not be allowed to proceed with the rest of the exam.
The project discussion must be in person and accounts for one third of the final grade.
The oral exam, which takes place after the project discussion, consists of a discussion of the theoretical topics covered in the course, with both teachers, and accounts for two thirds of the final grade.
In case of an unsatisfactory performance in the oral interview, the teachers reserve the right to decide whether the project will remain valid for the next exam session.
The final grade, expressed on a scale of thirty, takes into account the student's level of knowledge, clarity of presentation, and command of language.
The project, to be carried out individually, will be assigned by the teachers and must be submitted in digital format using the platform provided by the Department of Computer Science at least one week before the exam date.
In the project, the student must implement some artificial intelligence techniques learned during the course, using a game engine.
If the project is evaluated as insufficient, the student will not be allowed to proceed with the rest of the exam.
The project discussion must be in person and accounts for one third of the final grade.
The oral exam, which takes place after the project discussion, consists of a discussion of the theoretical topics covered in the course, with both teachers, and accounts for two thirds of the final grade.
In case of an unsatisfactory performance in the oral interview, the teachers reserve the right to decide whether the project will remain valid for the next exam session.
The final grade, expressed on a scale of thirty, takes into account the student's level of knowledge, clarity of presentation, and command of language.
INF/01 - INFORMATICS - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
Professors:
Gadia Davide, Maggiorini Dario
Professor(s)
Reception:
Send an email to set up a meeting
Dip Informatica "Giovanni Degli Antoni", Via Celoria 18, room 3005