DESIGN AN INTELLIGENT STRATEGIC PLANNING TECHNIQUE FOR MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS

Abstract

Multi-agent architecture is proposed. High level strategy takes the decisions of attacking enemy fast, building strong defense...etc. There are two main strategies rush and turtle. According to selected high level strategy, medium level agents are categorized. This categorization is according to their role in this strategy. Some are main agents. Main agent’s function is to generate self strategy and execute required tasks needed from other agents. In rush strategy, there will be three main actions get resources, build city and attack enemy. Main agents are resource obtainer, city builder and military unit organizer. In turtle strategy, there are four main actions get resources, build city, upgrade research and attack Enemy. Main agents are resource obtainer, city builder, military unit organizer and research up-grader. Medium level group units and control them. In this level, strategy is determined according to high level. Each main agent generates each own strategy and passes it to next level. Medium level consists of four agents: city builder, research up-grader, resources obtainer and military unit organizer. City builder generate strategy of different types (unit, building) and quantities to the next level according to strategy type. Research up-grader assigns needed upgrade to next level. Resources Obtainer generates strategy of different types and quantities to the next level according to strategy type. Military Unit organizer generates strategy of different types and quantities according to strategy type. In rush strategy, there are three main agents: resource obtainer, city builder and military unit organizer. Resource obtainer: Group of orders is generated within all type of resources and production of them. City Builder: Group of orders is generated. Generate strategy from high level focusing on building cheap and short time units and buildings. Military Unit Organizer: Generate strategy from high level focusing on cheap and short time military units only. In turtle strategy, there are four main agents: resource obtainer, city builder, military unit organizer and research up-grader. Resource Obtainer: Group of orders is generated within all type of resources and production of them. City Builder: Group of orders is generated. Generate strategy from high level focusing on building expensive and long time units and buildings. Military Unit Organizer: Generate strategy from high level focusing on expensive and long time military units. Research Up-grader focus in performing upgrades to enhance production and militaries capabilities. Medium level planning selects according to high level decision. Resource, units and buildings are categorized. Some are main types. Main types are required in every game. Other types are either cheap types or expensive ones. Medium level planning selects cheap units in rush strategy. Medium level planning selects expensive units in turtle strategy. This choice based on their ranking value. Low level has twelve agents. There are Economy Unit Builder, Military Unit Builder, Military Building Builder, Economy Building Builder, Unit Building Builder, Military Up-grader, Food Obtainer, Gold Obtainer, Wood Obtainer, Stone Obtainer, Warriors & Technicians Organizer and Mechanical Devices & Defensive Building Organizer. Economy Unit Builder builds Economy units according to type and quantity. Military Unit Builder builds military units according to type and quantity. Military Unit Builder builds military units according to type and quantity. Military Building Builder builds military buildings according to type and quantity. Economy Building Builder builds economy buildings according to type and quantity. Unit Building Builder builds unit buildings according to type and quantity. Military Up-grader upgrades military according to its type. Food obtainer gets food according to its quantity. Gold Obtainer gets gold according to its quantity. Wood obtainer gets wood according to its quantity. Stone obtainer gets stone according to its quantity. Warriors and Technicians Organizer assigns warriors and technicians tasks. Mechanical Devices & Defensive Building Organizer assigns mechanical devices and defensive buildings tasks Low level acts as executer leader to medium level strategy. In this level, it acts as an executer leader of order passed from medium level. It manages flow of executing orders, waiting orders until prerequisites are done. Low level consists of groups of agents. Each agent has its own manager from medium level agents. In this level, Agents monitors and execute the strategy according to medium level decision. This work demonstrates MAS architecture in RTS game architecture. Different levels are discussed economy and military operations. Variations of action are considered according to capabilities of RTS games. This architecture provides a good background to researchers to understand hierarchy of different Strategy levels in RTS games. Results show an enhancement in wining competition. Rush strategy results enhances the wining ratio. Turtle strategy gives better competition than rush strategy. In the light of our work, this architecture provides a full game play which gives a great advantage. Most of the past research is focused in tactical or sub problems in RTS games but this architecture provides a full game planning. It provides a good management to RTS games planning. The concept of cooperation between agents is illustrated which provides parallelism to orders. Agent specialization to different functions provides a good distribution.