Human vs. AI, Is there Really a Difference?
 

Operation Sport's Erik Westfall recently penned an article looking at what the differences between playing humans and AI really is. Check out his article here.

Not to sound mean but duh.Of course a human opponent is going to most likely present more of a challenge.Though there are some that just do the same thing over and over because it works and so they can win.

One day maybe AI in video games will present the same challenge as a human player.

I think the difference between human and AI is the most apparent in football video games and the least apparent in baseball. AI pitchers in today's games has the ability to set you up with pitches based on how you react as a batter at the plate, the same way a human player with baseball knowledge would.

As complex as the CPU is today, there is still plenty of room to grow. Clock management seems to be a chronic issue in sports games for the CPU. And I still see alot of short out patterns in third and long situations.

None the less, I still do most of my gaming against the CPU. Against human opponents, it is often difficult to agree on what is sim and what is not. Also, I don't get as immersed when I play a real human because the skill level often nullifies the ratings of the teams involved.

The unpredictability of a human opponent can cut both ways. On 4th and 25 on their own 20, you know the cpu will punt. Do you know this against a human? For a player seeking realism, a human opponent consistently 'cheesing' or doing plain dumb things can ruin a game.

A human opponent can go outside the realm of common practice and unwritten rules in sports games for better or for worse, whereas the AI will generally stay within those rules.

When playing against a human opponent that knows the sport being played and agrees to play by the unwritten rules of conduct(ex: punting on 4th down in their own end), you can pick up patterns in their play. I enjoy playing against a human opponent like this.

When playing against a human opponent that employs no strategy but random behavior, I tend to think their grasp on the sport being played is shaky at best. This isn't always the case though as I know some knowledgeable football people that when sitting down to play Madden (or whatever football game) do very dumb things they would throw fits over if 'their' team IRL did the same.

I'd much rather play against the AI than a human opponent that does things randomly the whole game throwing out all conventional wisdom.

Re: Human vs. AI, Is there Really a Difference?
 

I'm not sure if playing an AI opponent can ever match the feel of playing a human opponent. For one, a computer can't get frustrated due to the progress of a game like a human can; the AI will always have a predetermined routine to analyze any given scenario the game presents it. Now, you might be able to simulate some sort of frustration or unpredictability, but even then there'd be some predetermined AI routine for that.

The other thing that I've yet to see a computer do in a sports game is be independently creative. Granted, a large part of this is probably limitations in the games in question, but I can't say I recall being juked out by a computer running back who found his own path through the defense (rather than following predetermined blocks; think that one play Tiki Barber made a couple years ago, or any number of plays Barry Sanders made), or crossed over by a premier point guard on an iso in a college basketball game; as of now the computer always attempts to follows a predetermined, systematic path to success, whether it be following lead blockers to a predetermined ideal running lane, or passing the ball around within a particular set of plays to find an open shot.

Re: Human vs. AI, Is there Really a Difference?
 

Maybe I am old school, but the A.I. never quits, starts yelling ignorant comments, and leave a negative review after a fair loss.

I will say gaming in my opinion is meant to be played single player or offline multiplayer there is nothing like it; I know I am probably in the minority on this topic.

For some reason I cannot get into online gaming, not sure why. Peace.