The development of artificial intelligence has experienced such spectacular exponential growth that it has taken almost all of us by surprise. In a few months we have seen how we could all generate texts, photos and videos with surprising speed and realism thanks to applications such as Chat GPT or Dall-E. Professionals in creative and professional sectors such as writers, screenwriters, illustrators or translators see how these applications become a very real threat and face questions about how this technology will affect their work.
In the specific case of the video game sector, how does artificial intelligence affect creation? In this sector, the use of AI is not something new. For a decade now, studies have included subjects dedicated to artificial intelligence, as confirmed by Joan Josep Pons, coordinator of the Degree in Video Game Design and Production at TecnoCampus. However, Pons indicates, we must know how to differentiate between “canonical” AI and the new generative artificial intelligence, whose growth “in viral progression” is impacting the world of video games at different levels.
Until now, the degree studies included subjects on artificial intelligence dedicated to explaining concepts related to this technology, such as Behavior trees, also called karma systems, which control the player’s behavior and provide content or modifications. of ad hoc content. Also the concepts of Pathfinding, which refers to searching for paths and generating movements by the entities controlled by the system, or State machines, which is used to design algorithms, are explained in the classes dedicated to artificial intelligence.
The great revolution, however, has come with the so-called Generative Artificial Intelligence, a branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on the creation of new content, whether images, music, text or video games, using algorithms capable of generating data that are similar to the training data provided.
Pons explains that, initially, “generative AI does not impact us directly, in the sense that it cannot create entire video games,” but he adds that there are some areas within the video game sector that will notice its influence, especially of art and design.
This is the case, for example, in the case of Concept Art, since generative AI can be used to create characters and creatures in video games. Algorithms can generate 3D models of characters and creatures with different physical characteristics, allowing developers to create a wide variety of characters quickly and easily.
The TecnoCampus coordinator also explains that the narrative of video games itself can be impacted by AI, “because now you can write an argument or a dialogue with ChatGPT.”
Programming is another area of ??video games where you can notice the difference. In this case, Pons explains, generative AI is presented as a tool that facilitates the generation of pieces of code. “You can ask the AI ??to generate the programming code for a specific jump or behavior,” he explains. Pons explains that there is currently an open debate among teachers to see how the use of generative AI is incorporated into programming.
However, he does not believe that AI can replace all the work of a programmer. “At the moment, in general AI is more of a tool than a substitute, because it does not have the holistic vision that is needed. The video game world is very transversal, with many different pillars, and AI can only create some parts,” he concludes.