Creating Better Video Games with AI

Introduction

The video games we have today are pretty sweet. Whether Minecraft, Call of Duty, Valorant, Red Dead Redemption 2, or The Legend of Zelda, our video games offer breathtaking experiences with well-developed mechanics, storylines, and communities. Recently, however, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized various industries, including video game development. With its innovative capabilities, AI technology has opened up new avenues for creating immersive storylines, well-developed missions, and quests. It also assists video game developers in the development process, resulting in more engaging and captivating gaming experiences. The possibilities with AI are limitless, and this article will explore how AI can harness its power to enhance these aspects of video games, providing valuable insights for developers throughout the development process.

Immersive Storylines

Building a well-developed story and unfolding it at the right pace is one of the most critical and challenging parts of creating a quality video game. Creating an immersive story no longer has to be a challenge, though, as AI’s impact on immersive storylines is particularly noteworthy, primarily through dynamic narrative adaptation. Using AI tools, game developers can analyze player choices and actions, allowing the storyline to evolve organically based on individual decisions. This adaptive approach gives players a heightened sense of agency and impact within the game world, and it showcases players the consequences of their actions, fostering a deeper personal investment in the narrative. A prime example of this approach is the game “Mass Effect,” where AI-driven narrative adaptation empowers players to make choices that significantly influence their relationships with other characters, the outcome of missions, and even the fate of entire civilizations. This dynamic nature of the narrative ensures a highly immersive and personalized gaming experience, enhancing player satisfaction and engagement.

Having AI tools analyze player choices and actions to evolve a storyline a certain way is excellent, but what if you don’t have a storyline yet and want to create or refine one? Well, AI is no slouch in this regard, either, as AI tools can be used to create an immersive storyline. Let’s use an example to better understand how this would work.

Using the “Help Me Create a Story” prompt on LowTech AI, we can quickly generate an immersive story that could be turned into a video game, a movie, or even a book! Here’s an example to showcase how the prompt works:

Input (this is what we will be typing into the section that asks us to describe our ideal story):

In a world where magic and technology coexist, a young orphan discovers a long-lost artifact that grants unimaginable powers. As she navigates through a treacherous realm, she must unravel the secrets of her past and face ancient evils that threaten the very fabric of existence. With a captivating blend of thrilling action, heartfelt moments, and unexpected twists, this epic tale of self-discovery and courage will leave readers on the edge of their seats, yearning for more.

Output (this is our AI-generated story that incorporates the elements we described as our ideal story):

In the vibrant kingdom of Aerithor, where magic and technology seamlessly intertwine, a young orphan named Lyra roams the bustling streets, struggling to survive. Abandoned as a baby, she was taken in by a band of street thieves who taught her the art of thievery and deception. With no memory of her past, Lyra longs for answers about where she came from and who her parents were.

One day, while exploring the outskirts of the city, Lyra stumbles upon a hidden cavern. Inside, she discovers a dusty, ancient tome called the Codex of Eternity. As she opens its weathered pages, a radiant light envelops her, and she feels a surge of power she had never experienced before.

Unbeknownst to Lyra, the Codex is a long-lost artifact said to grant unimaginable powers to its possessor. With newfound abilities to manipulate the elements, control the minds of others, and shape reality itself, Lyra embarks on a treacherous journey to uncover the secrets of her past.

Guided by a cryptic message within the Codex, Lyra sets out to find the three scattered relics of the Ancients: the Staff of Aegis, the Crown of Lumina, and the Shard of Azulidar. Legend has it that with these relics, she can unlock the Chamber of Lost Memories, the key to unraveling her true identity.

However, Lyra soon realizes that she is not the only one seeking the relics. A malevolent sorcerer named Vexiron, fueled by an insatiable hunger for power, aims to collect the relics himself, plunging the world into eternal darkness. With each relic Lyra finds, Vexiron’s forces grow stronger and more relentless, turning her quest into a race against time.

Throughout her harrowing journey, Lyra encounters a diverse group of companions who aid her in her quest. There’s Finn, a skilled archer with a tragic past, and Aria, a charming scholar who possesses ancient knowledge of the relics. Together, they navigate treacherous landscapes, facing mythical creatures and ancient evils that threaten the very fabric of existence.

As Lyra delves deeper into her own past, she uncovers a truth that shakes her to the core. She learns of a prophecy foretelling a cataclysmic event that will reshape Aerithor forever. With this newfound knowledge, Lyra must confront her fears, embrace her powers, and gather the strength to face Vexiron and his dark forces.

Amidst thrilling battles and heart-pounding chases, Lyra discovers her own strength, resilience, and the immense power of friendship. As the final showdown with Vexiron looms, Lyra must make the ultimate sacrifice to save Aerithor and all she holds dear.

With its captivating blend of thrilling action, heartfelt moments of self-discovery, and unexpected twists, this epic tale will leave players/watchers/readers on the edge of their seats, yearning for more. Would Lyra find her true purpose and identity? Can she overcome the ancient evils that threaten the world? The journey to unravel the secrets of her past and ensure the survival of Aerithor awaits those bold enough to turn the pages of this enchanting tale.

With the click of a few buttons, AI generated a captivating story in seconds. As AI tools become more readily available, game developers could quickly develop these immersive stories to help them get a better idea of what they would like to create, and they could use these tools to make personalized stories for each player depending on the actions they take in the video game world.

Well-Developed Quests

Alongside creating well-developed storylines, AI algorithms have proven to excel in quest development. By extensively analyzing existing quest structures and patterns, AI can generate a wide range of new quests that seamlessly align with the game’s world and lore. This approach maintains consistency and coherence within the game’s narrative—procedural quest generation generates dynamic and diverse quests that offer players unique experiences with each playthrough. This increases the variety and replayability of the game and guarantees that quests are well-developed and seamlessly integrated into the game’s immersive world.

In addition, AI can analyze player behavior and preferences to adapt the structure and difficulty of quests. AI algorithms can make real-time adjustments to quest parameters by continually tracking player progress, including challenge levels, objectives, and rewards. This ensures that quests remain engaging and balanced throughout the game, catering to each player’s skill level and preferences. Through this adaptive quest structure, AI enables the creation of personalized experiences that are tailored to each player’s distinct playstyle. By evaluating the player’s strengths and weaknesses, AI can adjust quest difficulty and mechanics accordingly, ensuring that quests never become too easy or frustratingly difficult, resulting in a well-paced and thoroughly enjoyable experience that keeps players fully immersed and motivated to progress.

Lastly, AI empowers quests to have dynamic consequences that ripple throughout the game world and influence future quests. By analyzing player choices and their subsequent outcomes, AI algorithms actively shape the overall narrative and determine the availability of future quests. These dynamic consequences further enhance player immersion and investment in the game’s narrative, as AI continuously tracks the choices made by players throughout their questing journey, resulting in branching storylines, unique outcomes, and varied quest experiences, actively encouraging players to explore different paths and fully engage with the game.

Assisting in the Development Process

Finally, AI tools have the remarkable potential to revolutionize the game testing and debugging phase alongside creating immersive storylines and well-developed quests and missions. These advanced tools utilize AI algorithms to simulate player behavior, execute repetitive tasks, and diligently identify bugs, glitches, and balance issues. By automating testing processes, AI significantly saves time and effort, allowing developers to focus on refining gameplay mechanics and addressing critical issues, ultimately creating higher-quality games that deliver unparalleled experiences to players.

Speaking of bugs and glitches, while identifying bugs in your code and glitches in-game is incredible, how can you fix them more efficiently? If you’re having problems with your code, or are simply trying to find a more efficient way to write something, simply click here and paste in a block of code to identify any bugs and receive feedback on making your code more efficient and clear to understand!

For example, if we were to paste this poorly written Python code into the prompt:

int x = 20;

1name = "This"

2name = "code"

3name = "is"

4name = "veryyyyyy badddd"

print("the value of x is" + x)

print(1name, 2name, 3name, 4name)

We get the following output:

The code sets the value of x to 20 and prints its value, and then prints several string literals.

Possible Errors/Bugs:

Possible Improvements:

1. Rename the variables to meaningful and descriptive names, following proper naming conventions (e.g., firstName, secondName).

2. Enclose the string literals in quotes.

3. Add semicolons at the end of each statement.

4. Use consistent spacing within the string literals.

5. Add parentheses around the arguments in the print statements for clarity.

6. Add comments to explain the purpose of the code and expected output.

7. Consider formatting the output statements using f-strings or format function for better readability.

8. Use proper indentation to improve code readability.

Updated Code:

x = 20
first_name = "This"
second_name = "code"
third_name = "is"
fourth_name = "very bad"
print("the value of x is", x)
print(first_name, second_name, third_name, fourth_name)

While this example may be a bit exaggerated, AI determined the objective of our code, highlighted potential errors, suggested possible improvements, recognized the language of our code, and fixed all the errors and provided updated code in a matter of seconds. That is exciting. In the near future, game developers can use similar tools to write code and find/fix bugs and glitches faster than ever before, saving them time that could be spent perfecting other aspects of the game.

AI’s capabilities extend far beyond assisting with identifying bugs and glitches, however, as AI can be employed to collect and analyze player data, empowering it to provide developers with invaluable insights into various aspects of game design, mechanics, and monetization strategies. This data-driven approach facilitates informed decision-making, improving game balancing, optimized player engagement, and targeted content updates based on specific player preferences. In essence, AI enables developers to identify trends, patterns, and player needs effectively, enhancing the overall game experience and ensuring heightened player satisfaction. With the help of AI, developers can significantly save time and effectively identify bugs, glitches, and balance issues to create the next generation of award-winning video games.

Conclusion

AI offers immense potential to create better games by enhancing immersive storylines and well-developed quests and aiding in game development. By harnessing the power of AI technology, game developers can unlock new possibilities for crafting captivating and immersive gaming experiences that resonate deeply with players. From dynamic narrative adaptation to procedural quest generation and AI-powered NPCs, integrating AI enriches every aspect of game development, resulting in more engaging, diverse, and enjoyable gaming experiences. As the future unfolds, the collaboration between AI and game development promises an exciting and transformative landscape for the gaming industry, setting the stage for groundbreaking advancements and jaw-dropping gaming experiences.

To stay up-to-date with AI applications in video game development, consider checking out my other articles and feel free to explore the many AI tools we’ve created to make a multitude of different tasks more simple and efficient.