We heard a lot about Cloud-stuff from MS and working as a networking specialist I have to say that of course you can't offload realtime stuff into cloud to help the local hardware in a reasonable way, offloading AI is of course possible.

My main question is: What happens if you disconnect your Xbone and want to play a game? Is the AI constantly upgraded and provided via "online updates"? Or is it realtime? I am very curious how they have implemented Drivatar and how it differs when it's "not available".

Thanks!

1) They'd probably implement a more dumbed down version of the AI in the game in case of having no internet access.

2) I would think it would be implemented in realtime due to the fact that "extra processing power" is required to compute the AI's next move or steering in this case but it all depends on "how much extra processing power is required". If the computational requirements are fairly sparse or not significant I don't see why microsoft should offload some computations and will instead just go about updating the game to have improved drivatars.

It's essentially just a part-shared cloud save.

your uploaded profile data is randomly downloaded by other players when they start a race, the results of that race are then uploaded to reflect the changes, and of course any wins/achievements, the next time you connect to the net and play it downloads your current latest data and notifies you of the changes, such as how many races it played (used your data), how many it won, etc, then whenever you progress further and improve your uploaded profile data reflects these statistical improvements and adjusts the style and agression of your "avatar", to be used online again.

There is no cloud-based AI involved here, it is simply a cloud shared portion of save data that is used by other gamers, using statistics and portions of your race-ghosts in certain areas, this downloaded data is used locally by other consoles and re-uploaded.

while its "cloud based ai", what it actaully means is cloud stored profiles, theres neither the functionality or the need to have an external machine actively race in a game.

Thus disconnecting from the net does not change the overall experience greatly, its still local ai controlling the cars for the most part, they just wont be using other players statistical data such as cutting certain corners and taking certain racing lines.

If you want to confirm this for yourself, route your xbox one through your pc ethernet and grab network traffic with wireshark like i did, in a race with driveatars used there was no additional network traffic in-game beyond incrimental packets every 20 or so seconds, if they were indeed using realtime external AI, there would have been a constant flow of packets not seen under normal play.

Well thanks for clearing up that drivatar AIs really don't require marginal computational power from some terminals.

Judging by your claim it seems they can do this all without the cloud. The cloud in this case is just saving data and not doing any computations. 

It's still a great use of cloud based services, however you look at it, because while the changes arent massive, they are there.

The best way i could describe it is, imagine you enabled cloud saving for L4D2 on steam, and your player statistics were then used for other peoples games when not in full lobbies, your hit rate, accuracy, maybe even your route or how long you spend in each area being used to adjust the default ai, thats basically the same thing, the only difference is that with forza, when the client logs back in the performance of that players profile data is fed back to them as a gameplay mechanic.

Thanks for clearing the things up, still sounds interesting!

If I had an Xbone I would of course had it routed through a Wireshark, especially also to "listen" to what Kinect might talk back to the mothership ;)

I believe you are right. I was thinking about this, and would like to know why previous racer sims arent as realistic in the behaviour of AI. The drivatar AI you race in Forza 5 is very realisitc. My friend who isnt great at these games and takes off raod excersions alot obviously has his Drivatar. If I race his Drivatar he plays just like him. Goes off track alot, brakes to late often and even blocks other cars aggressively like he actually does. Other friends I have are really good at Forza 5. And their Drivatars are equally impressive. They hold lines well, pass under braking, or power out of corners.

Its all very real and very impressive. Its the only racer in singlelayer that I have ever felt the need to stay inside a corner under braking to block off the AI. Like in real life if you cut across to late the guy undertaking you will hit you. But thats your fault not his. You have to position yourself like real motorsport. Position inside before the corner, and the AI behind will react and not run into you. Its a clever system, and one that makes singleplayer feel like online 90% of the time.

I am very impressed with it. very impressed.

My query and question is this.

Why last gen did games not use this but just instead of online players in the dev team? Use that for AI. AI in Forza 4 is Nothing like Forza 5. Why? Why is reading real world players SO different?

I am currently recording some races both online and off. And the results are really impressive. I guarentee noone will be able to tell which one is the AI. All videos will be posted from the cockpit view. Then I have some comparisons of GT6 and Forza 4 singleplayer. Its such a huge step up in singleplayer AI.

While it does improve the ai I still thinks it's put across in a somewhat deceptive manner, many are lead to believe they are playing with controlled in realtime by the network when the reality is simply they're playing a base ai with statistical characteristics of the associated player.

Either way, I'm glad my explanation is understood and not taken as an attack on the game or console.

Its the best AI of any racing game ever and I hope Turn 10 makes it even better in the next Forza game.