This month we go deeper into a topic we picked up a while ago: AI-based NPCs (non-player characters) in video games. The idea came from our front-end developer Friedrich.
As a reminder: NPCs are non-playable characters in various video games that help make the game environment feel more realistic – passers-by, road users or opponents, for instance.
Without artificial intelligence, they always move along pre-programmed paths or carry out predetermined actions. Those actions may vary, but they are set in advance and limited in number.
Until now, game development has avoided AI for various reasons. A learning AI could become almost unbeatable over time and thereby ruin the playing experience.
Even so, AI in game development is far from off the table – NVIDIA has published first videos in which NPCs talk to each other. What is remarkable is that the conversation runs differently every time and does not repeat. Such conversations are possible thanks to generative AI and, in this case, Convai's framework. And there is more. The NPCs are also able to interact naturally with the player or with their fictional environment. Whole conversations become possible, which also influence subsequent actions such as moving to another location.
Unreal Engine 5 likewise lets developers create new, realistic worlds in which players can interact with every NPC. Replica too has developed smart NPCs that could breathe more life into game worlds in future.
Even for those with no interest in gaming, it is worth watching the makers' demo videos and being impressed by the fascinating possibilities. Imagine how much more there is to experience in text- or speech-based games when players can talk to absolutely every NPC and trigger corresponding actions. A linear story becomes a game world that adapts individually to each and every player. NPC behaviour and actions become entirely unpredictable, and the same game becomes a unique experience for every player. There will certainly be revolutionary developments in this area in future, and we await them with excitement.
