State Relationships

The following tables describe the player derived actions from the pilot case study, as well as the relationship that certain states have with each other. It also shows how certain actions are typically performed within the realm of another state or even shared between two different states simultaneously.

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Table 4.3 - Uncertainty States

Actions State Relationship: Uncertainty States

Looking for enemy

Actively looking for the enemy the player appears to both continue to arm up and recheck places of interest where pickups on longer reappear times are located. This would appear to be to catch the opponent performing the same actions as them off guard and with the upper hand. Constant use of explosive, area of effect weaponry is usually accompanied with these actions. This is seen to give the player an immediate firepower advantage upon finding a possible enemy who would have little to no time to react.

Checking pickups/observing key locations

Checking corners with weapon fire

Table 4.4 - Weapon and Health States

Actions State Relationship: Weapon States and Health

States

Looking for ammo

The act of looking for weapons, ammo, health and armour is seen to be a combined act in certain situations (e.g. spawning, rearming after an engagement). Usually forms what is known as a patrol route amongst gamers, certain pickups will have differing priorities at certain times. Health and armour are observed to be equally important with health taking a slightly higher priority. However, the four actions can be split into Weapon States and Health States when the player is only focusing on one or the other (offensive and defensive pickups). Looking for ammo and weapons would be the Weapon States, Looking for health and armour the Health States.

Looking for weapon

Looking for health

Looking for armour

Table 4.5 - Out of Combat States

Actions State Relationship: Out of Combat States

Looking for enemy

The actions listed here are all commonly performed out of combat. These states are undertaken before engaging or even seeing the enemy. When an enemy is spotted and/or in line of sight, player moves into combat mode with actions moving the action priority from those in this category.

Checking pickups/observing key locations

Checking corners with weapon fire

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Looking for ammo

Looking for weapon

Looking for health

Looking for armour

Table 4.6 - In Combat States

Actions State Relationship: In Combat States

Engaging Enemy (shooting dodging, jumping, weapon mechanics etc – many smaller states)

These actions can be described as In Combat

activities. It is observed that players can do multiple actions at the same time. Players fighting a

noticeably losing battle seem to both engage the enemy while actively fleeing from them. This usually involves running in an advantageous, cover based direction while facing the enemy and firing, all the while actively looking for or moving towards health and armour. Explosive weapons seem to be more effective for covering ones retreat. It should be noted that the action of engaging the enemy in itself includes many smaller actions and behaviours. Fleeing Enemy

Looking for health

Looking for armour

Table 4.7 - Undesirable States

Actions State Relationship: Undesirable States

Dead These states are undesirable due to the negative

positions they leave the player in. This should not be a state considered necessary or ideal in player gaming representation.

Suicide

The flow chart in Figure 4.7 is an initial graphical representation of the previous tables. It has clustered the linking state relationships into hierarchical primary state groups, that being Out of Combat, Weapon Related, Health Related, Combat Related, Uncertainty and Undesirable states. It shows how a player can and usually will transition between these states and how some, such as Health Related states, can be considered as both a Combat and Out of Combat state.

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Figure 4.7 - State Relationship Map

The State Relationship Map in Figure 4.7 portrays the ability for a player to transition from any of the major or minor states within the hierarchical state relationship map. The flowchart allows representation of relationships between states, for example, 'Looking for Enemy' and 'Looking for Weapon' can be considered as 'Out of Combat States' and therefore desirable states to transition to should the player wish to stay out of combat. Some states, such a 'Looking for Health' are shared states that are found to be performed both in and out of combat for various reasons. However, the flowchart should not be viewed as a set of states that are performed individually from one another. From the Expert FPS Gameplay Study, players were found to, for example, actively flee from the enemy, search for health and check corners with weapon fire. This combined performance includes a Combat Related, Health Related and Uncertainty state all in one, with the general goal of Undesirable States Out of Combat States

Weapon Related States

Looking forAmmo

Looking forWeapon

Uncertainty States

Looking for Enemy

Checking pickups/Observing KeyLocations Checking corners with weapon

fire

Suicide

Dead

Combat Related States

Engaging Enemy Fleeing Enemy  Shooting  Dodging  Jumping etc  Weapon Mechanics Health Related States Looking for Health

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getting Out of Combat, staying alive and still being well equipped. This combination of actions states is rarely seen in modern FPS bots and is an important quality in terms of representing player-like actions and behaviour.