Clint_L
Hero
Okay, so these are tentative thoughts, because who knows where this thing is going. A year from now, everything I write today will probably look ridiculously besides the point and unimaginative. Yet, I put myself out there (in other words, if you disagree with me and think I am wrong, that's okay, I probably am, and I don't mind being told so).
As far as use in RPGs goes, at the minimum I hope we see a revolution in how one player computer games, like Skyrim etc., are designed when it comes to NPC interaction. Those games are already entertaining and immersive enough to sell gazillions of copies, and that is with storytelling that is, fundamentally, not far removed from "pick a path to adventure" story books (i.e. choose from a few prescribed options and follow the branching path). I put months of time in the Baldur's Gate games, and had memorable interactions with NPCs who typically had 2-3 dialogue options in any given situation. An integrated chatbot will allow NPC interactions that feel much more like a conversation with an actual person. The main problem I foresee will be establishing limits that don't constantly break the fourth wall (i.e. when the player tries to make the NPC do sexy talk or whatever).
A level up from that, the AI will be able to integrate dynamic dialogue with a more flexible plot. In other words, maybe you can actually persuade the NPC to do something that isn't already scripted into the game. Note that ChatGPT was easily able to handle this on the examples posted earlier, so again the question becomes one of limits. How do you do this without breaking the game, or getting the game to do things that the publisher doesn't want it to do, and the the publisher REALLY doesn't want to be held accountable for.
Like, what happens if you can use the AI to turn Baldur's Gate into a StormFront fascist fantasyland, a wackadoodle porn parody, or a rip-off of someone else's IP? Does the publisher become liable?
The next level up would be something like a chatbot equipped version of a D&D adventure, with an option to have the chatbot run the game as the DM. I think we are a long way away from a real general purpose intelligence that could be as good as Matt Mercer, but I don't think that is what is needed for success in this field. Again, games with almost no AI, like Baldur's Gate, are immersive experiences. So I don't see any fundamental reason why a chatbot-run D&D session could not be immersive for the players - humans are very good at using our own imagination to fill in gaps.
Again, though...the risks to the publisher could be extraordinary.
As far as use in RPGs goes, at the minimum I hope we see a revolution in how one player computer games, like Skyrim etc., are designed when it comes to NPC interaction. Those games are already entertaining and immersive enough to sell gazillions of copies, and that is with storytelling that is, fundamentally, not far removed from "pick a path to adventure" story books (i.e. choose from a few prescribed options and follow the branching path). I put months of time in the Baldur's Gate games, and had memorable interactions with NPCs who typically had 2-3 dialogue options in any given situation. An integrated chatbot will allow NPC interactions that feel much more like a conversation with an actual person. The main problem I foresee will be establishing limits that don't constantly break the fourth wall (i.e. when the player tries to make the NPC do sexy talk or whatever).
A level up from that, the AI will be able to integrate dynamic dialogue with a more flexible plot. In other words, maybe you can actually persuade the NPC to do something that isn't already scripted into the game. Note that ChatGPT was easily able to handle this on the examples posted earlier, so again the question becomes one of limits. How do you do this without breaking the game, or getting the game to do things that the publisher doesn't want it to do, and the the publisher REALLY doesn't want to be held accountable for.
Like, what happens if you can use the AI to turn Baldur's Gate into a StormFront fascist fantasyland, a wackadoodle porn parody, or a rip-off of someone else's IP? Does the publisher become liable?
The next level up would be something like a chatbot equipped version of a D&D adventure, with an option to have the chatbot run the game as the DM. I think we are a long way away from a real general purpose intelligence that could be as good as Matt Mercer, but I don't think that is what is needed for success in this field. Again, games with almost no AI, like Baldur's Gate, are immersive experiences. So I don't see any fundamental reason why a chatbot-run D&D session could not be immersive for the players - humans are very good at using our own imagination to fill in gaps.
Again, though...the risks to the publisher could be extraordinary.