The impact of AI on modern video game development

When you have a hammer, everything is a nail, but when you have AI, is it possible to automate everything? There’ve been plenty of tools to make games so far, and many of these tools have sprung up and evolved through the years, but few have made an impact as AI did. There is no doubt AI has and will influence our world, and the video game industry, but how? We’ll dive in below.

1. Game personalisation

Have you ever played a “something for everybody” game? It’s like buying a generic brand that everyone has and no one is extremely pleased to have. Everyone can imagine the perfect game, but finding it is a daunting task. AI can collect tons of data, but plenty of it is in the minor details we don’t notice. After collecting what and how we play any game, AI can influence and change it, offering unprecedented personalization levels.

Let’s take online slots for example. Some players prefer certain skins, others a certain number of reels, while other players like extra features like the number of pulls or the RPG elements. AI can collect all that and tailor-make or adapt online slots to each player’s preferences, making each online slot game a unique experience. Online casinos can then offer the latest games from the very best software providers to their players. Vlad Grindu notes that while new casinos don’t always have the same large libraries of games as the more established brands, they do tend to focus more on the latest releases from renowned software providers, making these sites a good place to start when looking for the best games from trusted providers (source: https://www.techopedia.com/gambling/online-casinos/new). 

As AI becomes more commonplace, we’ll see more personalized games made, as every gamer wishes to find that game that fits like a glove.

2. Better NPCs

NPC or Non-Playable-Characters are in every game. From enemies to allies, quest givers, or those who are pivotal to the story, NPCs can make the game come to life or seem lifeless. The bigger the game, the bigger the task of animating, voicing, and breathing live to the NPCs in them, all contributing to the overall player immersion. Even a giant like World of Warcraft has struggled with fully voiced NPCs, but seeing as they have thousands of quests with text lines, it is no wonder they are mostly mute.

Or have been until the advent of AI which brought full AI-generated voiceover to each NPC in Azeroth. This simple example is how AI can breathe life into every game and save development time and costs, as it reduces the need for voice acting and uses already-made text and resources from the game.

3. Procedurally Generated Content

Each game has its beginning and end, but the very best games are those which players wish to keep on gaming forever. Games live and die by content, wherein in the cases where content has dried up, so will the player base. But with AI, the game can keep churning out procedurally generated content that can keep players entertained.

While custom-made content is great and provides a chance to offer personal experiences, with hand-crafted instances, encounters, and quests, procedurally generated content with AI is a quick fix and a substitute that can save time for the developers and utilize all the assets they have at hand.

4. Dynamic AI

Not everyone wishes to play against other people or engage in PvP. AIs can become predictable and boring, but a game AI that uses AI can continue to evolve and adapt to the player’s skill, offering an adequate challenge to all player levels. This is easy for starting players, as the games usually offer easy and tutorial modes, but can be a great asset for top-end gaming, where AI can use advanced tactics or numerous databases and challenge the skill of veteran gamers. As long as there is a challenge, the players will keep playing the game, which is the end goal of any developer.

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