Is AI Changing the Way we Play Games?
Artificial intelligence is changing the way that we play games in more ways than one. Not only is it making games more immersive, it’s also playing a huge role in things like matchmaking. If you want to find out more, then take a look below.
Source: Pexels
Better Matchmaking
A lot of games now use AI-driven matchmaking to ensure that players are put against opponents who are of a similar skill level. Not only does this make the game more fun to play for everyone involved, but it also helps to ensure that matchmaking is fair. AI is now able to analyse things like win and loss patterns, as well as skill levels, which helps to make sure that games stay both engaging and fun.
AI is also helping to make NPCs far more lifelike. NPCs often repeat the same lines of dialogue, but thanks to natural language processing, they can now react to player actions and hold realistic conversations. Bethesda has openly stated that they are experimenting with NPCs, incorporating AI to help facilitate more unique player interactions.
Not only does this lead to a more personalised experience, but it also helps to ensure that games cater to the person playing them. Netflix is also beginning to use smart recommendation engines to personalise the experience by suggesting shows based on a person’s previous watch history. This shows how AI has a huge place within the entertainment market.
In iGaming, sites that offer casino games also use state-of-the-art technology to make games more personalised and immersive, but, excitingly, AI is yet to be fully utilised. Live casino games like PowerUP Roulette, for example, use different camera angles to give the player a better view of the table, with AR often used to create digital overlays that represent the chips wagered and the potential return on each bet. Not only does this help to provide additional information to the user, but it also allows each feed to be personalised, so it’s almost reminiscent of sitting at a real table.
Now, the logical next step would be to try and combine existing mixed reality tech with AI to make games even more immersive and intense, such as by introducing online poker games with virtual opponents who can make decisions based on things like reading your real facial expressions. The potential is there, it's all just a matter of time.
Source: Pexels
World Generation and Benefits to Developers
Randomly generated level design has been around for quite some time, with examples including No Man’s Sky. AI has helped to level up this concept, as now whole worlds and biomes can be created in real-time. They can also be catered to how a player interacts.
In some games, every time you go into a cave or explore an enemy camp, it can feel as though you’ve been there before, due to the lack of originality. This is now a thing of the past, as developers are using AI as a way to create new, realistic experiences. This is giving smaller studios the chance to create bigger and more immersive games, without resorting to the copy-paste format once used. As time goes on, AI is also helping to speed up development, which is helping developers to invest more in their product.
Ultimately, it’s becoming more and more clear that AI has a huge part to play in gaming, and that in a lot of ways it’s actively changing the way we interact with titles.