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Transactions on Computational Science XXVIII pp 88–107Cite as

How the Perceived Identity of a NPC Companion Influences Player Behavior

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((TCOMPUTATSCIE,volume 9590))

Abstract

This paper explores how the perceived identity of a Non-Player Character (NPC) effects a players behaviour in computer games. We explore whether the players will change their behaviour towards a synthetic in-game companion if it assumes different identities. Specifically, will the players change their behaviour if they interact with an identical artificial intelligence, assuming a guise of a human or robot companion. To investigate this question we developed a top-down, 2D on-line game where the player is given the objective of surviving successive waves of hostile opponents. As a secondary objective the player is asked to protect a unarmed male, female or robot companion. The intention is to explore whether the player is more protective over a known NPC assuming either a human or non-human identity. The results of our study indicate that superficially changing the identity of an AI companion can have a dramatic influence over the players behaviour. The players in this study are shown to be significantly more protective to human rather than robot companions, despite the underlying AI being identical. Moreover, our results highlight further differences between the male and female companions.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Phaser.js game engine and documentation can be downloaded from https://phaser.io/.

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Acknowledgement

The authors extend their thanks to the reviewers who contributed to the development of this paper. Furthermore, HPC Wales is thanked for their ongoing research support. Additionally, Christopher Headleand acknowledges Fujitsu for their ongoing financial support of his PhD and research activities.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bangor University, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

    Christopher J. Headleand, James Jackson, Ben Williams, Lee Priday, William J. Teahan & LLyr Ap Cenydd

  2. University of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, UK

    Christopher J. Headleand

Authors
  1. Christopher J. Headleand
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  2. James Jackson
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  3. Ben Williams
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  4. Lee Priday
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  5. William J. Teahan
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  6. LLyr Ap Cenydd
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher J. Headleand .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Calgary , Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Marina L. Gavrilova

  2. Sardina Systems , Tallinn, Estonia

    C.J. Kenneth Tan

  3. Nanyang Technological University , Singapore, Singapore

    Alexei Sourin

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Headleand, C.J., Jackson, J., Williams, B., Priday, L., Teahan, W.J., Ap Cenydd, L. (2016). How the Perceived Identity of a NPC Companion Influences Player Behavior. In: Gavrilova, M., Tan, C., Sourin, A. (eds) Transactions on Computational Science XXVIII. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9590. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53090-0_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53090-0_5

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