Revolutionizing Gaming: Unveiling the Boundless Possibilities of Generative AI in Video Games

Video credit: Jitao Zhou/Rikkyo University

When you read "artificial intelligence," you might think of new innovations such as Chat GPT, but AI has been used in video games since the 1950s.

Generative AI's rapid progress is revolutionizing the realm of video games, paving the way for boundless open worlds, unparalleled content, self-governing characters, and accelerated game development.

Act natural

The emergence of Generative AI, a form of artificial intelligence capable of generating text, images, and audio in response to a given prompt, is poised to revolutionize a fundamental aspect of video games: non-playable characters (NPCs). Traditionally, these characters have followed predetermined behavior patterns, resulting in their actions and dialogue often feeling rigid and artificial.

Courtesy Manas Bhatia

An architect enlisted AI to conceive futuristic skyscrapers. Here's its proposition: "The NPCs appear rather peculiar," comments Alexis Rolland, the development director of La Forge China, Ubisoft's research and development unit based in China. "One can detect a certain discrepancy in what one perceives visually or audibly."

La Forge introduced Ghostwriter earlier this year, a text-generating AI tool aimed at assisting writers in producing a wider range of authentic dialogue for non-player characters (NPCs). In 2022, they also experimented with a novel technology that enhances the generation of realistic and organic gestures in NPCs, aligning with the tone and mood of their speech. According to Rolland, this technology takes speech as input and generates corresponding body gestures, allowing NPCs to express themselves naturally, with unscripted dialogues accompanied by nearly lifelike body animations.

Combining dialogue and animation using generative AI could result in the development of "a fully fledged, AI-powered NPC that exhibits more natural and unpredictable behavior," explains Rolland.

Ubisoft's speech-to-gesture animation could make NPCs act and react in more natural ways.

From Ubisoft La Forge

Jitao Zhou, a student at Rikkyo University in Tokyo, is utilizing this approach to enhance the development of more realistic and unpredictable NPCs through the application of deep learning.

Zhou states, "By incorporating deep learning into this NPC, there is no predetermined pattern, allowing for a wider range of movements." Additionally, he emphasizes that the implementation of smarter NPCs will greatly enhance the entertainment value and level of challenge in gaming experiences.

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Generative AI is being employed by some publishers to enhance the authenticity of conversations in NPCs. NetEase, a Chinese gaming company, has integrated ChatGPT into its recently launched mobile game "Justice" to generate NPC dialogue. Additionally, Replica Studios has introduced "AI-powered smart NPCs" for Unreal Engine, providing game developers with the opportunity to utilize AI for NPC dialogue instead of hiring human voice actors.

Nevertheless, there is a potential drawback in utilizing AI-generated NPCs, as it may compromise the control of the game narrative, warns Julian Togelius, an associate professor at New York University specializing in AI and games. Togelius explains that NPCs could unintentionally express game-breaking or offensive commentary, disrupting the immersive experience.

Creating AI-generated NPCs that are helpful to the player is a much more challenging task compared to creating enemies that oppose the player, according to Togelius. He states, "We have not witnessed significant progress in the artificial intelligence that drives the other characters in games, or in the AI that attempts to model the player or generate the virtual world. Therefore, we can expect to see substantial advancements in these areas."

Open worlds

Open-world games such as "Grand Theft Auto," "Skyrim," and "Elden Ring" revolutionize gameplay by incorporating non-linear quests and narratives, presenting an ideal scenario for generative AI to transform the gaming journey.

Togelius visualizes a vast open-world game that offers boundless possibilities, introducing novel cities, breathtaking landscapes, and diverse individuals, each equipped with their own background and interactive elements. Through the utilization of player data extracted from previous gameplay, generative AI has the potential to craft exclusive storylines and customized quests for players, precisely tailored to their skill level. Togelius compares this experience to having a dedicated personalized dungeon master, enhancing engagement on an individual basis.

"No Man's Sky" uses procedurally generated content to create almost unlimited worlds for players to explore.

Research is currently underway in the field of creating AI tools that can generate mazes and dungeons. Takehiko Hoshino, a student at Rokkyo University, has developed a tool that teaches itself to create these complex structures, one square at a time, by drawing inspiration from previously encountered ones.

The maze is currently in the initial phases of development. Hoshino plans to enhance it by adding features like treasure chests, enemy characters, and game-like elements such as traps and various types of tiles.

To a certain extent, near-infinite open worlds are already achievable. Togelius mentions "No Mans Sky" (2016), a game that employs procedurally generated content to create an abundance of unique variations in its planets. This technique enables the customization of fauna, flora, geology, and atmospheric conditions, resulting in virtually endless gameplay possibilities.

Procedural content generation, according to Togelius, may appear similar to generative AI for the average person. However, it actually relies on algorithms that create content using predetermined rules established by the game developer.

Although developers maintain authority over procedurally generated content, generative AI has the capability to produce levels that are impossible to play or stray from the intended narrative of the game. Togelius emphasizes that games have specific limitations, requiring levels to be completable and NPCs to accurately represent the game world.

"The Sims 4" uses artificial intelligence to help characters in decision-making.

Maxis/EA Games

But generative AI could impact the game world in other ways.

UGC is a crucial element in games like "Fortnite," "Minecraft," and "The Sims," as it enables players to customize and tailor their gameplay according to their preferences. The implementation of generative AI has the potential to enhance the production of UGC, making it more convenient and accessible for players while improving the overall quality of content. A representative from Maxis, the developer of "The Sims," expressed to CNN via email that generative AI can lead to a wider range of personalized and responsive player experiences.

"According to Maxis, player customization is currently restricted by the limitations of the tools and user experience available. However, the introduction of new models would potentially simplify the interpretation and response of the game to the players' desired actions."

An additional tool

Maxis spokesperson stated that generative AI, currently at different stages of development, is being utilized as a tool to assist game designers. This technology streamlines repetitive tasks, allowing developers to focus on more engaging challenges.

Generative AI tools such as Ghostwriter and ZooBuilder at La Forge can assist designers in speeding up the laborious aspects of their process, allowing them to concentrate on the more imaginative and compelling aspects, according to Rolland.

While generative AI has sparked concerns among creatives in various industries about job displacement, Rolland clarifies that this innovative technology will not replace human game developers. He points out that animators faced a comparable existential challenge with the introduction of motion capture, which ultimately augmented graphics rather than replacing jobs.

Tools like ZooBuilder could allow animators to create more natural movements for animal characters.

According to Rolland from Ubisoft La Forge, the number of animators has increased and they require even more. He mentions that motion capture has become an integral part of their workflow, serving as an additional tool. Rolland further explains that they view generative AI in a similar manner, approaching it with the same mindset. However, there are still unresolved legal and ethical concerns, such as artists' copyright, associated with using generative AI.

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La Forge is enthusiastic about the possibilities, including the potential to enhance iteration speed. Independent game designers will also reap the advantages, according to him. "The increasing accessibility of this technology will empower smaller studios to create games and expand their production capabilities, potentially achieving higher quality than previously possible without generative AI."

According to Rolland, the generative AI Ghostwriter and speech-to-gesture animation have advanced beyond the initial prototype stage. La Forge is currently investigating how these technologies can be integrated into the development pipeline.

Togelius predicts that video games are set to undergo significant transformation in the next two decades. He argues that this necessitates a shift in our approach to game design, but believes that this evolution will ultimately result in substantial improvements in games.