Modelling Multimodal 3D Virtual Environments with Asynchronous Multi-Agent Abstract State Machines

Virtual Environments can be considered as asynchronous distributed systems with static and highly dynamic aspects. Despite a number of available design tools, the dynamic aspects, behaviour and interaction, are mainly designed and developed with ad hoc solutions utilizing high-level programming or scripting languages without any engineered design procedure. This leads to neither reusable nor readable solutions letting design of dynamic in Virtual Environments still a complex and time-consuming task. In this work the Asynchronous Multi-Agent Abstract State Machine model is analyzed. Its suitability to the design of dynamic aspects of Virtual Environments is evaluated in order to put the basis to the development of a design methodology unifying the intuitiveness of Agent Based Modeling with the Abstract State Machine theoretical foundations and well defined methodology.