Today's game players expect increasingly realistic interaction within games. "Introduction to Game AI" teaches readers who are new to game AI the skills they need through hands-on projects based on small, understandable games. While there are many books that take a more advanced approach to this topic, this is one of the only books that focuses specifically on beginners. Every project in the book can be completed using tolls that are available for free online, and new skills are taught using easy to follow instructions and examples.

This book would not exist without the support of the game AI crowd that gathers every year at the Game Developers Conference. The late Eric Dybsand inspired many of us by example. I would also like to thank every person who has ever dined with me at one of the AI Programmers Dinners. Thanks go to Steve Woodcock and Steve Rabin for helping me moderate the AI Roundtables at GDC. Dave Mark and Laurie Reynolds proved that you can write a book and stay happily married, something I needed to know before setting off on this adventure. Thanks also go to the AI Game Programmers Guild, a group of experts who were only an e-mail away if I got into trouble. Kevin Dill deserves special attention in that regard. Jenifer Niles and Heather Hurley have supported me and the rest of the game AI community over the years. Many of us would not be in print without them.