Dungeons & replicants : automated game balancing via deep player behavior modeling

Abstract

Balancing the options available to players in a way that ensures rich variety and viability is a vital factor for the success of any video game, and particularly competitive multiplayer games. Traditionally, this balancing act requires extensive periods of expert analysis, play testing and debates. While automated gameplay is able to predict outcomes of parameter changes, current approaches mainly rely on heuristic or optimal strategies to generate agent behavior. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of deep player behavior models to represent a player population (n = 213) of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Aion, which are used, in turn, to generate individual agent behaviors. Results demonstrate significant balance differences in opposing enemy encounters and show how these can be regulated. Moreover, the analytic methods proposed are applied to identify the balance relationships between classes when fighting against each other, reflecting the original developers’ design.