Heightened realism for computer-controlled units in real-time activity simulation

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides systems and methods for enhancing the realism of the computer-controlled AI units of a multi-unit simulator for competitive gaming and other applications.
That is, the computer-controlled units behave more like human-controlled units would in the same environment, and their simulated units perform more like the vehicles or other physical units that they model.
An individual situational awareness concept for each AI unit replaces the global awareness concept of conventional simulators.
Rather than allowing all AI units to observe all other units in the simulated environment all the time, the invention maintains separate lists or records for each AI unit indicating which other units that unit can for each AI unit can react to.
An awareness filter maintains the list for each unit by periodically computing relationships between that unit and the other units, and adds or drops the other units based at least partially upon the computed relationships.
Additional optional factors for possible inclusion on the awareness list of a unit list are the history of past relationships of the other units, and the activity in which the subject unit itself is engaged.
Situational awareness removes the apparent omniscience of the AI units that makes them appear less realistic.
In order to increase the realism of situational tactics employed by AI units, another aspect of the invention employs the computed relationships among the units in the simulated environment to select a tactical course of action, for example selecting a target to pursue.
The computer periodically generates a score or other evaluation for the other units in the area from the computed relationships, then selects a course of action, such as designating one of the units as a target, based upon the situational scores of those units.
To avoid becoming fixated upon a single objective, reselection of a tactical objective can occur in response to periodic recalculation of the relationships and the scores