AI was a major topic of discussion at this year’s Game Developers Conference, with companies like Inworld and Nvidia showcasing impressive demos and tools. Nvidia’s Ace microservice, used by Ubisoft to allow players to interact with NPCs through voice commands, was particularly noteworthy. While some express concerns about AI replacing human creativity, other uses of AI, such as in Candy Crush Saga, demonstrate its potential to enhance the creative process.
At King, AI is used as an assistive tool in the creation of levels for Candy Crush Saga. By automating playtesting and providing valuable insights to designers, AI streamlines the level creation process, saving time and reducing the likelihood of errors. With over 16,000 levels in the game, the efficiency that AI brings is crucial for maintaining player engagement and preventing issues like overly challenging levels that can lead to player drop-off.
The AI tools developed by King not only aid in playtesting but can also serve as an inspiration tool for designers. By leveraging the AI for initial level designs, developers can ensure quality and gather insights before launching the level to players. While some may worry about AI replacing human creativity in game design, Sahar Assadi, Director of AI Labs at King, emphasizes that AI is intended to augment human creativity, not replace it.
As the debate around AI in game development continues, it’s important to strike a balance between harnessing AI’s capabilities for efficiency and innovation while preserving the human touch that ultimately defines the fun factor in games. Assadi acknowledges the importance of human creativity in design and sees AI as a co-pilot that enables designers to explore new ideas and enhance their creative output.
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