I'm not really one to jump on the AI bandwagon. In general,
ChatGPT-type large-language model algorithms are neat toys, but
haven't really impressed me with their capabilities beyond that. They
feel shallow and gimmicky and - despite the shouts of AI proponents -
I don't really think they're going to radically alter video-games for
the better.

This video (Creating a Self-Aware Lara Croft:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wTf_bbkW2U ) doesn't really change my
opinion... still, it is a fun watch. It briefly details the challenges
of creating a bot that not only can play "Tomb Raider" (1995) but also
makes comments on what it is seeing/doing as if it were the character
herself (and in a reasonably good approximation of Shelly Blond, the
character's voice-actor). The first half of the video describes how
the various subsystems work , but if you just want to see the bot
playing/commenting jump to https://youtu.be/0wTf_bbkW2U?t=1208
(20m29s) in the video. But either way, stick around for the debriefing
at the end where the author explains the WHY of some of its choices.

As I said, I don't think the addition of these AI-generated additions
really improve the game... at least, not in any way that wouldn't be
better done with human intervention. Its primary benefit seem to be to
let developers do things more cheaply, not better, and I just don't
see that as advantageous. Sure this would let the developers fill out
bigger worlds with more content... but games maps are already too huge
in my opinion, so creating a process that lets developers build
immense worlds filled with a lot of low-quality content just doesn't
seem that exciting to me.

But the video's still fun to watch.

On Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at 5:28:28 AM UTC-7, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> I'm not really one to jump on the AI bandwagon. In general,
> ChatGPT-type large-language model algorithms are neat toys, but
> haven't really impressed me with their capabilities beyond that.

There's some things they can do quite well, but from what I've followed
ChatGPT has locked it down quite a lot, and it doesn't give responses
to a lot of things that were very useful just a few months ago, such as
programming, talk therapy, medical and law advice. It's still great
for churning out a few points into business jargon drafts. There's much
hemming and hawing it does that needs to be removed that mark it easily
as AI currently though.

> They
> feel shallow and gimmicky and - despite the shouts of AI proponents -
> I don't really think they're going to radically alter video-games for
> the better.

I thought it did a generally pretty good job at the text bits of observation*,
though there's bits that could be improved, which is generally the way AI feels
to me, it can be great but needs human polish at the end. There's also the
non-text AI stuff. Such as the talking in Laura Croft's voice, which is quite
amazing, and stuff not shown here like creating images from words. Stuff
like that is likely to make it into indy titles as a way to keep it all in small teams,
and larger games for the bean counters.

This reminds me of how some neurologists state what's going on in our brain,
stuff is decided and acted on at lower levels then our conscious narrates what's
happing as if it were actually doing the deciding.

You know the narrator is also a text to voice result as well right? Much better
than most of the really crap ones some videos have.

>
> This video (Creating a Self-Aware Lara Croft:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wTf_bbkW2U ) doesn't really change my
> opinion... still, it is a fun watch. It briefly details the challenges
> of creating a bot that not only can play "Tomb Raider" (1995) but also
> makes comments on what it is seeing/doing as if it were the character
> herself (and in a reasonably good approximation of Shelly Blond, the
> character's voice-actor). The first half of the video describes how
> the various subsystems work , but if you just want to see the bot
> playing/commenting jump to https://youtu.be/0wTf_bbkW2U?t=1208
> (20m29s)

Yeah the first 20 minutes were a bit boring, but once the play begins it
gets much more interesting. I could see this technique being used more
for testing games as he mentioned a couple times it seems to get stuck
in the same places many people do.

AI as NPCs:
In somewhat the same vein I ran across this a few days ago, and laughed
my head off, though more at the insane play of the host. It includes an AI
NPC mod, which is probably more the type of thing we're likely to see in the
future bakes in, it's far more obviously an AI in responses, and uses a
standard common AI voice though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwoGe066NHM&list=LL&index=70&t=15s

I had almost posted this here, but wasn't sure it was quite appropriate
content, but it fits in with this thread.

- Justisaur

>I thought it did a generally pretty good job at the text bits of
>observation*,

I watched the video today too, very impressive!

rms

On Tue, 08 Aug 2023 08:28:16 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

If you're interested, the creator has continued his explorations with
his 'self aware' Lara Croft, exploring the next two levels of the
game.

* Self-Aware Lara Croft Plays Tomb Raider -
Level 2 - City of Vilcabamba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW-U8y-Dh7w

* Self-Aware Lara Croft Plays Tomb Raider -
Level 3 - Lost Valley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkLVYWogRBM

Again, I'm not completely convinced this is all as automated as the
creator professes, but it makes for an interesting watch. The
commentary alone is bizarrely entertaining.

(there is some automation involved though; /nobody/ human plays the
game where they kill bats with only one shot each. Those pistols have
infinite ammo, and real players use them like submachine guns. ;-)

SH> If you're interested, the creator has continued his explorations with
SH> his 'self aware' Lara Croft, exploring the next two levels of the
SH> game.

Oh cool! I liked Freeman's Mind, I'll have to check this out some time.

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