Emote Games awarded £600,000 for AI project

Online games publisher Emote Games has been awarded GBP 600,000 by the Technology Strategy Board.

The funding will go towards a GBP 1.3 million project aimed at improving AI controlled non-player characters in gaming communities and social networks.

"The use of NPC’s will become integral to the social cohesion and support of social networks, online games and their communities," commented Matt Sansam, operations manager for Emote.

"At Emote we take gaming further by linking our high quality games and communities with popular social networks. Within these social networks and games new, highly intelligent NPC characters can assist with everything from community integration and community management to new forms of mission, interaction and game play".

The project, which begins in November and will see the Imperial College become involved in January next year, hopes to create new opportunities to grow the online games market and social networking space.

Emote recently confirmed its partnership with Avalanche Studios, collaborating on a free online game called The Hunter.