Undoubtedly, some of the most enjoyable races are those which involve two players, but why?
To answer this question I set about analysing
the differences between man and machine.
Modelling Pressure
The first difference my brainstorming session came up with was that humans feel pressure machines don't.Picture the scene:
You have been racing for a long time,You think to yourself "Just one more lap, I better not mess it up" ( I know you have!! ) More frequently than not something does go wrong. Even if you have just put in 2 or 3 perfect laps mistakes can still creap in as you get closer to the winning post and the pressure mounts. For the computer controlled cars that are just following a set line around the course this will not happen, but it would be good if it did sometimes. A way around this is to consider the reasons why a player makes mistakes and then model them for the computer controlled cars.
you are in the lead by a long way,
one lap to go and the race is yours.Characteristics that can lead to mistakes
In first position. How far in front of 2nd are you?
Have you been followed closely or have you blasted from the competition?
How long have in the lead?Mid field. How far behind the leader are you?
How many cars are between you and the leader?
Do you have to win, or will your current position be enough to qualify?Last place. How hard are you trying to catch-up?
Do you feel pressure when you are running last??To be continued.....