Here's what video game NPC interactions could look like in the future thanks to ChatGPT
AI could transform the way we interact with NPCs in video games, and this video is proof
NPCs, or non-playable characters, tend to get a bad rap. So much so, that the term is now used as an insult for people who can’t think for themselves or make their own decisions. Ah, the Internet.
Developers are clearly aware of NPCs’ limitations, too, as Ubisoft has already announced it will use an AI ghostwriter to improve dialogue between players who are used to encountering hundreds of non-playable characters, and often hearing the same lines over and over again.
But what if NPCs could respond organically to your questions instead of you having to choose a branching list of set phrases? Well, AI and ChatGPT could make that a reality.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: NPC AI improvements
🙌 NPC conversations could be revolutionized by AI
📺 A new video has shown how it could work
🤖 A combination of various AI tools like ChatGPT make it work
🤔 Dialogue is fluid and human-like instead of scripted
A video was shared on Twitter showing an almost human-like conversation with an NPC, a Christian monk, and it shows how an NPC can understand what a player is saying and give a voice to its thoughts.
The animation is fairly basic, however the responses are anything but. It shows the possibility of being able to direct NPCs using your voice to complete tasks, like asking a shopkeeper to pass you a weapon you’d like to buy.
The video is very much a proof of concept idea at this stage and has been sped up to mask the delay while the AI is calculating its response. The potential is clear, though, and could revolutionize an aspect of video games which has always been a challenge to overcome.
I could also see this working particularly well for educational content. Imagine being able to ask historical figures genuine unscripted questions about their lives or time period and receiving human-like responses. It could be a game-changer.
While I doubt this type of tech will make its way to the best PS5 games anytime soon, it’s nice to see an AI advancement that could dramatically improve one of my favorite pastimes.