AI was a hot topic at the Game Developers Conference this year. Companies like Inworld and Nvidia showcased their AI demos. Ubisoft’s experience with Nvidia’s Ace microservice impressed attendees by allowing players to interact with NPCs using their voice and receiving AI responses in real-time.
During the event, there was a debate about the impact of generative AI on human creators. While some fear AI replacing human creativity, tools like those used in Candy Crush Saga demonstrate AI’s potential for assisting and enhancing the creative process.
AI as a Creative Co-pilot
At King, the developers of Candy Crush Saga, AI plays a crucial role in level creation. According to Sahar Assadi, Director of AI Labs at King, AI acts as an assistive tool rather than a replacement for designers. By automating playtesting and providing valuable insights, AI speeds up the level creation process.
What we’re doing is thinking about it more like a co-pilot for design…
For a game with over 16,000 levels like Candy Crush Saga, AI helps maintain game balance and player engagement. Jan Wedekind, Head of Central Insights at King, highlighted the importance of AI in preventing player drop-off due to poorly designed levels.
AI not only helps playtest levels but also aids in the initial design process by providing inspiration and quality assurance. While there are concerns about AI replacing human creativity, Assadi emphasizes that AI serves as a tool to enhance creativity and innovation.
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