As a kind of thought experiment, it would be interesting to add behavior levels to the autonomous characters in a fighting game. (There is a theoretical point here, as well.)

I’m thinking of a game where two combatants square off, and go at it with martial arts fervor. Although the characters are usually designed with some characteristic style of combat, they are basically pure action … fight and win.

If we had a version of such a game where both characters could be autonomous, and their combat skills were equal, then presumably they would both win equally often, or tie all the time.

If we then added a layer of chararter behavior to each combatant, the behavior “noise” would presumably interfere with the purity of the action … they would become less efficient combatants. Depending on the nature and intensity of the behavior, one or other of the characters would lose more often. It would change the calculus of success.

The theoretical point is this … does a character’s behavior always interfere with the character’s action? (Do our emotions always interfere with our goals and objectives in life?) Or does behavior sometimes enhance our ability to pursue action?