I thought it might be useful to point that out
because here are many wrong topics in the forum
because of people not knowing what ai really is.



So basically you can say that an ai-script solves a (in most cases specific) problem in any possible situation.
For example pathfinding tries to find the optimal path from point a to point b.

You should post in this forum if you need/have an algorithm which solves a problem
which has theoretically a lot (>1) possible situations
which require different autonomus (=not by player ^^ ) outputs.
EDIT: external factors->ai->decision
For example a movement code has nothing to do with ai
it is only a possible enviroment which could be handled by an ai.

Here are some typical game ai problems/topics:
- collision avoiding (steering behaviour, etc.)
- pathfinding (A*, dijkstras alg., etc.)
- genetic algorithms
- finite state machines
- neuronal nets

Those are of course not all possible topics
for example performace optimisation is something
where you can use some pretty cool algorithms for
example to manage which bot in the level should be
"activated"...

Some words at neuronal nets:
I wouldn't recommend newbies to even think of them
When i joined this forum i had no idea about them
i thought "i will make an awesome super intelligent ai
with neuronal nets which will dominate the world
because it will be sooo cool" well at least i nearly thought something like that :-P
But i managed to find out that it is a lot more difficult then i thought at first.
I would recommend starting with finite state machines,
then learn something about pathfinding and then maybe genetic algorithms.
And if you are still interested in ai after it you are ready to play around with nn's xD


Some good links:
http://www.ai-junkie.com -> fsm's, ga's, nn's
http://www.neuronalesnetz.de/ -> german site about nn's
www-cs-students.stanford.edu
aboutAI.net
AiGameDev
GameDev.net (a good article about KI programming in general)
red3d.com (about steering behaviours)

Literature:
http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Game-AI-by-Example/dp/1556220782
Very good book by Mat Buckland

If anyone likes to add something or correct me please do it =)

EDIT: Thanks to Blade and GorNaKosh for some additional links

This link will help with theory
http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/gameprog.html

aboutAI.net
AiGameDev
GameDev.net (a good article about KI programming in general)
red3d.com (about steering behaviours)

Thanks a lot for these links and information. Will be useful!

Thanks!