The Last of Us: AI so good you’ll weep when you kill it

We speak with one of the Lead Gameplay Programmers for Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us about the next generation of AI, and how it could change the way you think about shooters.

[AO1JMM]

I think the game will be fantastic but I seriously doubt I will be amazed by the AI.

[IWentBrokeForGaming]

Just the gameplay previews showed me enough to know that the AI is better than 98% of console games I've played this gen!

[rezzah]

Some of the best AI I ever came across are in KZ2 and Fear 1 and 2.

[Trenta27]

There were very few enemies in those videos. They need to show us video of many enemies in a small place, like 10 or more.

[AO1JMM]

LOL, So you all think I will be amazed?

[Plagasx]

Lets not forget Halo :)

[NoFanboyRequired]

People seem to forget how good the AI is in Halo. Halo 4 is just going to make it even better.

The AI alone on normal is harder than any other halo game. Could imagine what it will be like on lgendary. -_-

But on topic. I haven't really been paying attention to TLoU for spoiler reasons. Big uncharted fan and cant wait to play ND's next great masterpiece! :D

[BitbyDeath]

ND should seriously consider making game engines for 3rd parties nextgen.

[Just_The_Truth]

They're owned by Sony.

[No FanS Land]

then sony could make an engine and license it out to 3rd party companies and shake UE3's marketshare.

[jd666]

Why should they when Microsoft do all they can to make sure 360 has exclusive content, If u want to play a Naughty Dog game, BUY A PS3 I say

[MySwordIsHeavenly]

I'm not sure how they do this stuff...but I love them for it.

[r21]

Man, this new AI frightens me abit....Sounds radically different compared to other AI's I've faced.

[colonel179]

Well that is a good thing. It means that this game will feel fresh and exciting. It will be a completely new experience while playing it.

Something you don't find easily anymore.

[r21]

That's what Im hoping to get when I play TLOU :) ND hasnt let me down yet!

[NastyLeftHook0]

gotd

[telekineticmantis]

Absolutely wrong about the Combat system for Uncharted, you always have to stay on the move. I remember the train scene from Uncharted, I ended up wall crawling on the side of the train waiting to catch enemies when they are not looking, I would then grab them and pull them out the train, unless there was 2 of them, then I have to find another way. I continued that kind of trend attacking them from many different angles.

That must have been one of the most exciting play throughs in Uncharted and videogame history, I wish I got that on tape.

As for the last of Us, I wanted a game that makes a hand gun as powerful as it seems in TLOU. Not everybody walks around with a AK47, and those rifles make handguns seem like BB guns, this game has a nice realism to it.

[ChunkyLover53]

I look forward to weeping then!

[Just_The_Truth]

I hope they make it multi player it'd be fun to play with my gf as Ellie, she loved Uncharted. Multiplayer online would be great too.

[XB1_PS4]

Holy crap, I live in pittsburgh. This is based in pittsburgh. This is gonna make me buy a ps3. ^.^

[Alcohog]

Pittsburgh is one of the environments. It is a journey across a portion of the U.S.

[ZeekQuattro]

There is too much happening this year otherwise I would pick up this game. I will differently get it sometime next year though.

[Bumpmapping]

It's not coming out this year sometime in 2013.

[ZeekQuattro]

Whoops. Well it works out then. lol

[Pintheshadows]

It doesn't come out until next year.

Bumpmapping beat me.

[FanMan]

even if it was this year, how can you pass this up !!!? 0_0

[smashcrashbash]

I saw when the guy held you in place so his friends could shoot at you through the window or when the guy ran off and hid somewhere when he saw you with a gun and mounted a surprise Molotov attack on you when you came looking for him. This AI is awesome.

[ZeekQuattro]

It was pretty cool but it felt scripted much like any other environmental hazard in a ND game. Lets not over hype the A.I. That being said the game is awesome.

[Pintheshadows]

Not this 'it felt scripted' crap again. I thought that had been put to rest after the second gameplay demo was released.

[BitbyDeath]

Define scripted?
Obviously everything has to be scripted/developed or it wouldn't exist. Same goes for real life, people are scripted in how they operate. Your brain is pretty much just a complex computer.

ND have shown the same scene in two different ways so it is obviously not linear scripting if that's what you mean. IE same thing occurs everytime.

[srcBFMVBMTH]

It "FELT" scripted because it felt so real.

Nobody's over hyping anything dude, but I do see a lot of people trying to downplay it. lmao

Even Hideo Kojima himself confirmed it wasn't scripted and was even confused by Naughty Dog's tech. http://www.gamepodunk.com/_...
http://www.computerandvideo...

Try and keep updated buddy! :)

[Bathyj]

The graphics, story and acting all looks brilliant, but the AI is the reason I'm really excited about this game as I feel its been the most neglected area of game design with barely any progress made this gen.

LoU looks head and shoulders above every other game either out already or still in developement.

It will never happen but I would love Sony to buy the rights for Tenchu and have ND apply that magic to that franchise.

I can dream cant I?

[dafegamer]

yeah I would love that too *boner*

[smashcrashbash]

Are you guys kidding? No one ever lets anything rest. People are going to say that the gameplay is scripted from now til the game comes out and even if there is 100% proof that it isn't scripted people will STILL say it even years later and try to prove anyone who says it isn't wrong. To this day people STILL try to prove that UC2 was not a good game even after all the awards, scores and claims. In fact if PASBR ends up being a great game prepare yourself for about ten years of calling it a clone and a rip off and trying to prove how wrong everyone was about it being a good game especially if we get a sequel.

[TCG_Returns]

This is something i've been waiting for for years now.AI has sorely needed a leaping step forward.

Not to say AI was better when i was younger, but they seemed to have more personality, more humanity so to speak.

Games nowadays..

It's almost scary how immune i've become to artificial life.GTA for example, the pedestrians mean nothing to me.They are simply obstacles in my way.All FPS shooters are even worse.I'm just murdering hundreds of AI's with no emotions.No second thoughts, nothing.

AI needs more emotions.TLOU is giving them just that.Making them more human.Not just angrily rushing at you and trying to kill you.

The way the guy in that video ran for his life when his friend was killed.Hiding behind the luggage, terrified.That was special.That is whats going to make me think about my choices should i choose to chase him.

Good on ND pushing the boundaries once again.

[Holeran]

If anyone can do it.....

[Drainage]

yea i doubt it

[SOULJER]

Looking forward to this game. By the way in Naughty dog is first party developer.

[Baddo_Ekkusuchi]

pre-ordered this game through newegg last week for for $47!!
along with God of War:A, Beyond 2 Souls, Bioshock Infinite, Xcom, Playstation Allstars, and Assassin's Creed 3 all for $47 a pop! gotta love newegg

[bubblebeam]

Nice. Very subtle advertising there lol. Cryptic. /s

Joking. Might check it out. Though it did sound like MASSIVE advertising lol ;)

[MacDonagh]

Really?

I think I'll wait until I play the game before I jump on this hype train.

[Alcohog]

Oh, you.

[sdplisken]

cant wait 4 this game!
crash, jak, uncharted, and now the last of us!
naughty dog rules!!!!!!!

[Nac]

Seems like the AI is second to none.