Abstract
This paper introduces and motivates the application of parameterization to behavior trees. As a framework, behavior trees are becoming more commonly used for agent controllers in interactive game environments. We describe a way by which behavior trees can be authored for acting upon functions with arguments, as opposed to being limited to nonparametric tasks. We expand upon this idea to provide a method by which a subtree itself can be encapsulated with an exposed parameter interface through a lookup node, which enables code reuse in a manner already exploited by object oriented programming languages. Parameterization also allows us to recast Smart Events (a mechanism for co-opting agents to perform a desired activity) as behavior trees that can act generically upon groups of typed agents. Finally, we introduce a tool called Topiary, which enables the graphically-oriented authoring of behavior trees with this functionality as part of a broader testbed for agent simulation.
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Shoulson, A., Garcia, F.M., Jones, M., Mead, R., Badler, N.I. (2011). Parameterizing Behavior Trees. In: Allbeck, J.M., Faloutsos, P. (eds) Motion in Games. MIG 2011. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7060. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-25090-3_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-25090-3_13
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-25089-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-25090-3
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