Extending Real-Time Challenge Balancing to Multiplayer Games: A Study on Eco-Driving

Abstract

Multiplayer games are an important and popular game mode for networked players. Since games are played by a diverse audience, it is important to scale the difficulty, or challenge, according to the skill level of the players. However, current approaches to real-time challenge balancing (RCB) in games are only applicable to single-player scenarios. In multiplayer scenarios, players with different skill levels may be present in the same area, and hence adjusting the game difficulty to match the skill of one player may affect the other players in an undesirable way. To address this problem, we have previously developed a new approach based on distributed constraint optimization, which achieves the optimal challenge level for multiple players in real-time. The main contribution of this paper is an experiment that was performed with our new multiplayer realtime challenge balancing method applied to eco-driving. The results of the experiment suggest the effectiveness of RCB.

Implementing Adaptive Game Difficulty Balancing in Serious Games

“…Various techniques have been used such as adding and removing pre-defined elements to a scenario such as enemies and items [29], adjusting the behaviour of the artificial intelligence [30], and using case-based reasoning [31]. Some authors have also considered difficulty balancing in multiplayer games [32]. Whilst these different models have been proposed [33]- [35], there is no standardized experience model that can be integrated seamlessly, mainly due to the large challenge of creating a one-size fits all mode given the number of different genres, platforms and technologies in use.…”

Experience Management in Multi-player Games

“…An exception to this is the work on difficulty balancing in multi-player games of Prendinger et al [31]. They presented an approach based on distributed constraint optimization to adjust the difficulty of scenarios according to the skill levels of different players.…”