AI and Game Development - The Dev World is About to Change Again

[ArizonaTank]

AI, like it or not is here. A new AI interface that you can demo is showing how the field of system development is changing...fast.

In the short term, AI will further "democratize" the world of coding; in fact that process is well along its way.

Anyone with a very basic understanding of software and an internet connection can now 'ask' the AI to code pretty much anything. Don't believe me? Try it yourself...for free...today.

ChatGPT is an open AI experiment, that anyone can access. It is basically an intelligent chat bot. But you can task it with things like: "please provide C# code to move a cursor with a mouse."  The bot will produce viable code and instructions on how to use it.

ChatGPT is provided by the openAI research organization. This is a privately funded, open source organization partially started by...drum-roll please...Elon Musk. But there are a whole bunch of other folks now dumping money into it..like Morgan Stanley for example.

The URL for OpenAI is: https://openai.com/
ChatGPT can be accessed at (you will have to create a UserID): https://chat.openai.com/chat

BTW, ChatGPT does much more than coding. It can write small essays, and answer complex questions. For example today I asked: "I am playing an RPG, and am on a forest road. There are three orcs up ahead, what do I do?"

The bots answer was:

"It depends on the specific circumstances and your overall goals in the game. Some possible options include:

Attempting to sneak past the orcs without being noticed, using stealth skills or abilities if available
Trying to talk to the orcs and see if they can be negotiated with or peacefully convinced to leave the area
Using ranged attacks or spells to defeat the orcs from a distance, without engaging them in close combat
Attacking the orcs with melee weapons, using tactics and abilities to defeat them in combat
Retreating and finding a different route to avoid the orcs altogether
Ultimately, the best course of action will depend on your character's strengths, the orcs' abilities and numbers, and any other factors that may be relevant in the game. It's up to you to make the decision that will lead to the best outcome for your character."

[al_infierno]

Well, it's at capacity so I can't give it a go.   

I remain extremely skeptical about the real-world application of such AI-produced work.  That said, I can see AI-automated code working a lot better than AI-automated art or music since code is something computers inherently understand.

BTW, ChatGPT does much more than coding. It can write small essays, and answer complex questions. For example today I asked: "I am playing an RPG, and am on a forest road. There are three orcs up ahead, what do I do?"

The bots answer was:

"It depends on the specific circumstances and your overall goals in the game. Some possible options include:

Attempting to sneak past the orcs without being noticed, using stealth skills or abilities if available
Trying to talk to the orcs and see if they can be negotiated with or peacefully convinced to leave the area
Using ranged attacks or spells to defeat the orcs from a distance, without engaging them in close combat
Attacking the orcs with melee weapons, using tactics and abilities to defeat them in combat
Retreating and finding a different route to avoid the orcs altogether
Ultimately, the best course of action will depend on your character's strengths, the orcs' abilities and numbers, and any other factors that may be relevant in the game. It's up to you to make the decision that will lead to the best outcome for your character."

This is certainly interesting, but I don't find the answer super compelling as evidence for anything except an algorithm regurgitating information it's been fed.  For one thing, the "complexity" is mostly pulled out of thin air with a surface-level reference to actual game mechanics "stealth skills or abilities if available."  I would be more impressed if you fed it actual game mechanics and data and it produced something resembling an actual playable scenario in DND.

It's a smart algorithm to be sure, but it could just be taking keywords and stringing together relevant phrases that tricks you into believing it's thinking for itself, rather than actually thinking for itself to produce a cogent scenario.  Yes, it properly addressed the core of your question, but is it really looking at the question and going "hmm, what would I do on a forest road against three orcs?"  Or is it just noticing a pattern "orcs" "RPG" "what do I do?" and regurgitating generic text that it read somewhere on the Internet?  Everything the AI said is pretty much firmly in the category of "No sh!t, sherlock."

To be clear, it's impressive technology either way, but I'll be skeptical about the real-world applications until somebody feeds it an actual TTRPG rulebook and it produces a scenario that's cogent and playable with minimal tweaking/cleanup.

[ArizonaTank]

Well, it's at capacity so I can't give it a go.   

I remain extremely skeptical about the real-world application of such AI-produced work...

This is certainly interesting, but I don't find the answer super compelling as evidence for anything except an algorithm regurgitating information it's been fed.  For one thing, the "complexity" is mostly pulled out of thin air with a surface-level reference to actual game mechanics "stealth skills or abilities if available."  I would be more impressed if you fed it actual game mechanics and data and it produced something resembling an actual playable scenario in DND.

It's a smart algorithm to be sure, but it could just be taking keywords and stringing together relevant phrases that tricks you into believing it's thinking for itself, rather than actually thinking for itself to produce a cogent scenario.  Yes, it properly addressed the core of your question, but is it really looking at the question and going "hmm, what would I do on a forest road against three orcs?"  Or is it just noticing a pattern "orcs" "RPG" "what do I do?" and regurgitating generic text that it read somewhere on the Internet?  Everything the AI said is pretty much firmly in the category of "No sh!t, sherlock."

To be clear, it's impressive technology either way, but I'll be skeptical about the real-world applications until somebody feeds it an actual TTRPG rulebook and it produces a scenario that's cogent and playable with minimal tweaking/cleanup.

Your points are fair, except I would offer the following:

-As Alan Turing implied, if the machine gives viable answers, does it really matter how it got there?

-Your RPG requirement sets a somewhat high bar that I don't think many humans could pass. Only RPG gaming geeks. The average guy on the street would probably give you a "no shit sherlock" type answer to that same question as well. AI and Machine Learning are closely linked for a reason. Once the AI starts getting a bunch of questions around RPG rules and scenarios, it will get much better at providing answers.

-Eventually, and probably fairly quickly, someone is going to "train" an AI to do just what you are asking. I guess we are five to ten years away from really competent AI dungeon masters.

-I think right now, as with coding, the AI is probably good for suggesting things, and doing some of the initial heavy lifting. For the near future, humans will have to tweak and polish the answers.

For grins I asked the below question to ChatGPT. There is no brilliance here. But still, I can shape its answers with follow up questions. I think if I asked about 10 follow up questions, I could have a workable set of RPG rules.

QUESTION: I am developing a table-top old west gunfight game. What statistics should each character in the game have?

ANSWER: When designing a table-top game, it's important to consider what statistics will be most relevant and interesting to the gameplay. Here are some statistics that you might consider including for characters in an old west gunfight game:

Health: This could represent a character's overall physical condition and how much damage they can take before they are incapacitated or killed.

Accuracy: This could represent a character's skill with firearms and how likely they are to hit their target when firing a weapon.

Speed: This could represent a character's agility and how quickly they can move and react. This might be particularly important in a gunfight game where characters need to be able to dodge and take cover.

Stealth: This could represent a character's ability to move quietly and avoid being noticed. This might be useful for characters who prefer to take a more covert approach to gunfights.

Persuasion: This could represent a character's ability to talk their way out of or into situations. This might be useful for characters who prefer to use their words rather than their guns to resolve conflicts.

Healing: This could represent a character's ability to treat their own injuries or those of their allies. This might be particularly important in a game where characters can be injured or killed in gunfights.

Special abilities: Depending on the theme and setting of your game, you might want to include special abilities or powers that give characters unique abilities or advantages. For example, a character with the "fast draw" ability might be able to draw their weapon more quickly than other characters, while a character with the "marksmanship" ability might be more accurate with their shots.

I hope this list gives you some ideas for character statistics in your gunfight game!

[al_infierno]

Those are all very good points, and those answers regarding a Wild West specific game are quite impressive.  I like that it's suggesting more specific game mechanics.  You're probably right that what I'm hoping for is a bit sophisticated for current tech and is probably 5-10 years away.

[ArizonaTank]

As a side note, I think ChatGPT may also ultimately be a Google killer:

Check out this dialogue:

QUESTION: What is the effective range of a German MG42?

ANSWER: The MG42 (short for Maschinengewehr 42, or "machine gun 42") was a general-purpose machine gun developed by Nazi Germany in 1942. It was widely used by the German military during World War II and was known for its high rate of fire and reliability.

The effective range of the MG42 was around 1,100 meters (1,200 yards) when used in the role of a light machine gun. This means that it was most accurate and effective at hitting targets at distances up to 1,100 meters, although it was capable of hitting targets at longer ranges as well. The maximum range of the MG42 was around 2,000 meters (2,200 yards), but it was much less accurate at these longer distances.

The MG42 was designed to be used as a support weapon, providing sustained, accurate fire to cover the movement of infantry and suppress enemy positions. It was typically mounted on a tripod or used with a bipod and fired from the prone position to provide maximum stability and accuracy.

I hope this information helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

QUESTION: what are some good sources on the effective range of the MG42?

ANSWER: There are a number of sources that you can consult to learn more about the effective range of the MG42. Here are a few options:

Military history books: There are many books that cover the history and technical details of the MG42 and other World War II-era weapons. These books may include information on the effective range of the MG42 and how it was used in combat.

Online sources: There are many websites and online forums that discuss the MG42 and other military weapons. These sources may include information on the effective range of the MG42 and how it compares to other weapons of the time.

Museums and archives: There are many museums and archives that have collections of military equipment, including the MG42. These institutions may have information on the effective range of the MG42 and other technical details of the weapon.

Military manuals: The original military manuals for the MG42 may include information on the weapon's effective range and other technical details. These manuals may be available online or through libraries or archives.

I hope these suggestions are helpful!

QUESTION: can you list any specific sources?

ANSWER: Sure! Here are a few specific sources that you may find helpful in learning more about the effective range of the MG42:

"The German Machine Gun: MG-34, MG-42" by Christopher Foss is a book that covers the history and technical details of the MG34 and MG42 machine guns. It includes information on the effective range of the MG42 and how it was used in combat.

"The Machine Gun: An Illustrated History" by Ian V. Hogg is a comprehensive book on the history of machine guns. It includes information on the MG42 and its effective range, as well as how it compares to other machine guns of the time.

"Small Arms of the World: A Basic Manual of Small Arms" by Edward Clinton Ezell is a reference book that covers a wide range of military small arms, including the MG42. It includes information on the weapon's technical specifications, including its effective range.

The National Archives in the United Kingdom has a collection of original military manuals, including the "German 7.92 mm MG42 Machine Gun" manual. This manual includes technical details on the MG42, including its effective range.

I hope these sources are helpful in your research! Let me know if you have any other questions.

[bobarossa]

Has anyone asked it "what is the airspeed of a Swallow?"

[al_infierno]

I feel like I was a bit harsh on my initial response towards AI, but I have to say I really enjoy the content by Joel Haver, an artist known for using a form of AI-assisted rotoscoping in his videos.  The following is my favorite example that perfectly incorporates the AI-animation glitches into the awkward offbeat humor.

The explanation of how he animates his videos is fascinating too, though hedoesn't go into the technical details of how the AI program works at all - it's just the artist's perspective of how to make a suitably janky animation with some rotoscoped frames and an AI program.  He makes it look so easy  :dreamer:

Has anyone asked it "what is the airspeed of a Swallow?"

Now that I want to see an answer for!   ^-^

[Gusington]

^C.

[ArizonaTank]

Great stuff on animation!!!

While talking about images, OpenAI also has an image generating AI that is also free to use.

The program is at: https://openai.com/dall-e-2/

It is very good, and very convicting. You just put in a description of what you want, and it will generate several possibilities (you can also upload an image as a base image for it to start its generation from).

For example, just this morning I put in this description: "A winter day in 1920s New England with a Model T car"

Here are the results

[Sigwolf]

That last picture is going to give me nightmares...

edit... and I went to the site to check it out.  Once I got into the required account creation, I got to the point where they require a freaking phone number and I decided "nope", and closed it. 

[ArizonaTank]

That last picture is going to give me nightmares...

edit... and I went to the site to check it out.  Once I got into the required account creation, I got to the point where they require a freaking phone number and I decided "nope", and closed it.

It is unsettling somehow.

I know, it seems like you have to have a "burner phone" just to live life these days.

[solops]

As a side note, I think ChatGPT may also ultimately be a Google killer:

No chance. Google will buy it if it feels remotely threatened.

[fran]

It is really cool, very impressed wiht what it created.

[al_infierno]

A relevant thread on this topic just popped up on /r/sysadmin!  Seems like a glowing endorsement from an actual IT professional.   :clap:

https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/zoauov/chatgpt_made_a_script_that_i_use_in_production/

An interesting note from the comments:

[...] the key (funny that it has come to it) is how to ask the question while you already know the answer, but not the way to it

[Womb4t]

If we look at what GPT3 could offer in 2022 and make a comparison with the newest version, GPT4, AI has evolved with fast steps. Now, it can give more accurate codes that work perfectly.

I use Special Character AI, which is based on GPT-4. It offers me more accurate codes for python that work! Maybe not in all scenarios, but anyway, it's a huge improvement.