Swarming for Games: Immersion in Complex Systems

The swarm metaphor stands for dynamic, complex interaction networks with the possibility of emergent phenomena. In this work, we present two games that challenge the video player with the task to indirectly guide a complex swarm system. First, the player takes control of one swarm individual to herd the remainder of the flock. Second, the player changes the interaction parameters that determine the emergent flight formations, and thereby the flock’s success in the game. Additionally, a user-friendly interface for evolutionary computation is embedded to support the player’s search for well-performing swarm configurations.