Hierarchies Descriptions: Animate Objects

In my RPG game I will have 3 animated characters.  The first of which will be the main character that is controlled by the user.  I have yet to come up with name or a likeness for the character however; I have figured out what properties he should posses.  He will be able to move about the two dungeon rooms I plan to design in standard cardinal directions: North, South, East, and West or more primitively up, down, left, and right.  I’m planning to use the arrow keys as the control mechanism for this function.  The main character will also be able to acquire inanimate objects for use within the game and attack enemies, but I believe those properties will be categorized under the action hierarchy rather than actual properties of the character himself.

            The next animated character I had in mind will be a monster of some sort.  This monster will be placed with the main character in the room that the game begins in.  The monster will also possess the ability to move about the room in the 4 cardinal directions.  Unlike the main character the monster will not be controlled by the user.  Some sort of AI will have to be implemented to accomplish this feature.  I will probably use a random computer generated number with a domain of 1 through 4 that represent the 4 cardinal directions that will tell the monster in which direction to walk.  I will then have him walk in that direction for approximately 3 seconds before switching directions.  If the monster comes in contact with anything but the main characters sword that will be considered an attack by the monster, but again that is more of a property for the action hierarchy.

            Finally there will be the boss character who will also be a monster of some sort.  The boss will be located in the adjacent room to which the game starts in.  Instead of walking I am going to try and have the boss jump about the room in a random fashion to increase the difficulty level of defeating him. I will again use a random number generator that will generate numbers that represent the 4 cardinal directions.  I will then implement code that will move him a specified amount in the randomly generated direction in which he will remain in that position for a short period of time, probably 1 or 2 seconds.