1y ago

I tried two demos of machine learning AI NPCs, and they didn't convince me AI will lead to anything that immersive sims like Deus Ex haven't already done better

www.pcgamer.com

8 comments

Ok. So call me when it's ready.
I am unimpressed by the nonsense articles like these coming out about early tech.
You won't convince me that AI can't exceed "taking an arrow to a knee" quality dialogue repeated over and over, and that shit is still the best immersion we've got!
- I think we're going to see major NPCs get their dialog hand-written and background characters get AI dialog.
  You could have random shopkeepers ramble on for hours about how their kids are doing in school or trouble they're having with a delivery company or whatever topic. Nobody's going to write that, but we could AI generate it.
A bunch of generative filler text won't games more immersive. Maybe there is some scope in giving the model hidden details you need to coax out of it LA Noire style but currently everything seems a bit gimmicky.
- Maybe it could be a benefit for asking questions to NPCs devs didn't think you'd want to ask that. Like asking a city resident where the market is. Probably not today but perhaps one day.
Thanks for reminding me again that Deus Ex is a dormant IP
Goddamnit
I'd like to think it's gonna be used for what it should be. What's most likely is that it'll be used to reduce both original VO and Writing
Be prepared for asset flip dialogue
I would feel inclined to use it for some weird shit like if you use an undocumented and never explained method to ask characters questions outside of the choices, they'd pick up their phone and look at you with an uncanny valley/bethesda-like facial expression gain awkward animations and text you the responses even though they weren't characters you could exchange phone contacts with.
Most games, especially so called Triple A games, have too much text and NPC dialog. The last thing we need is more of this crap that the developers don't even care about enough to write. How about we focus on making the gameplay good and not how we can fire more developers?

8 comments