# Re: Wanted: AI tutorial

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-wanted-ai-tutorial/195721>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [September 29, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-wanted-ai-tutorial/195721 "2010-09-29T01:48:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![iaindooley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/df788c/32.png) [@iaindooley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/iaindooley)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-wanted-ai-tutorial/195721/1 "2010-09-29T01:48:40Z")

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André wrote:

> Hello, i’ve searched the internet for an tutorial on programming  
> Artificial Intelligence to a game. im pretty new to programming, so  
> would be good with a nice guide how to create an AI. Thanks

AI, even constrained to the techniques used in game programming is a  
pretty large space. It may be part of the reason you’re having trouble  
identifying information resources useful to you is you don’t know what  
terms to search for, which depends on the actual task you want your AI  
to solve.

If you’re wanting to design an AI for games like checkers/othello/etc,  
look for pages on minmax algorithms, alpha-beta pruning searches. In  
fact, its worth while to learn about search techniques in general.

If you’re after an AI controlled critter moving across a “playing  
field” with obstacles or terrain costs, I recommend you find a  
tutorial on the A\* search, its frequently used to solve path-finding  
problems.

If you are able, I recommend purchasing a book on the subject or  
seeing what is available at any library you have access to (sadly, my  
local library doesn’t have any books on the subject…they barely have  
computing at all!). One book I’ve read portions of that has good  
explanations is:

> **[AI Techniques for Game Programming (The Premier Press Game Development Series):...](https://www.amazon.com/Techniques-Programming-Premier-Press-Development/dp/193184108X)**
>
> AI Techniques for Game Programming (The Premier Press Game Development Series): 9781931841085: Computer Science Books @ Amazon.com

It was supplementary reading for an AI class I took in '09. The  
primary textbook was frustrating to read.

In any case, decide what type of problem(s) your AI has to solve and  
search for techniques to solve those particular problems.

I did some brief searching, you may want to use this site as a  
starting off point:

[http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/gameprog.html](http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/gameprog.html)

Good luck,

Iain

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iaindooley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/df788c/32.png) [@iaindooley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/iaindooley)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-wanted-ai-tutorial/195721/2 "2010-09-29T02:03:53Z")

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That’s a BIG area, that’s like asking how to machines lol.

I advise you to get a good book, study it all and then proceed to  
something  
you want/like.

You should also have a good background in algorithms to understand most  
of  
it.

2010/9/29 Iain D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iaindooley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/df788c/32.png) [@iaindooley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/iaindooley)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-wanted-ai-tutorial/195721/3 "2010-09-29T20:28:03Z")

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Hey

I see now why i didn’t find any tutorials. I think i’ll go with A\*  
because its a top down racing game. You guys helped alot, thanks alot!