MLB The Show Animation Tech.
By Steven Montani Bartlett, JD | DreamCode Games
Sony San Diego Studios (SDS) added over 1,300 new fielding animations in ’19 that carry over in to MLB The Show ’20. These animations are directly influenced by player ratings, and situations on the diamond. SDS re-wrote their defensive A.I. logic to incorporate these new animations. This is no small feat.
The fielding artificial intelligence identifies situations such as the hitter and baserunners, batted ball speed, the score, and that’s just on the surface. This logic sits on top of a base locomotion layer and works with the new animation library. The throwing animations for fielders incorporate a sorting analysis through the new library of animations to determine the most efficient on-field outcome. Let’s think about that.
To create defensive A.I., SDS must take human situational awareness and thought processes and build game design elements in quantifiable terms to reflect in the game. The first step to do this is developing the player ratings.
Next, creating defensive A.I. requires simulating human thought processes with code logic and executable commands that are fluid and procedural i.e., reads and executes sequentially and logically; fielders’ sort through hundreds of animations in milliseconds, determine what animation is required, then, what’s most efficient, select it, and execute it upon button command.
This programming logic and accompanying animations are supported by the underlying foot-planting engine to ensure there are no gaps in the fluid footwork and transitions during animation branching. Player ratings assign which animations are available to certain players, and how they react.
The game’s artificial intelligence steals the show. Fielders possess situational awareness; A.I. defenders know what they need to do and unleash throws with varying speeds, arm angles, and trajectories to get outs.
The Show captures the beauty of athletes in motion, who improvise in every moment on the field.
