Fighting game A.I.

What it is

In fighting games, you fight against a computer-controlled opponent called the “A.I.” (sometimes “CPU” [common among Japanese players] or “COM” for computer [common among fighting game developers]) during a one-player game.

Privileges

The computer tends not to be a very good player. The A.I. players are, however, given several privileges that human players do not get. For example:

• The computer is not limited by input plausibility. If the developers allow it to, it can use charge moves without charging. It can do full circle commands without budging a single pixel. It can perform midair special moves while almost on the ground.
• The computer can react instantly (well, technically, it can only react instantly, but a good A.I. should pretend it’s human; the reasons why are beyond the scope of this article).
• The computer usually wins if a match ends in a tie.

The first two of these, if implemented, would allow the computer to have superhuman reaction.

Problems and effective algorithms

If I could tell you everything I knew, I’d put a few hundred fellow Guild members out of work. Not to mention myself.