Artificial intelligence (AI) has existed in some form or another since the early 1980s, with original thinking and discussion of AI dating back all the way to the 1950s with Alan Turing’s paper “Computing Machinery and Intelligence”. Since then, it has become a vital tool for individuals and organizations across a wide range of industries in some capacity – from programmers working on building mobile applications to multi-billion dollar companies like Amazon.
AI is a powerful and influential tool. It can be found in our everyday lives, from our phone’s operating systems to the mobile games that we play, all the way to the game development industry itself. Game developers have been able to implement AI tools into the game design process to help enhance the final games that they are creating.
AI can be used by game developers in a number of different ways, from more dynamic character choices to challenge combat – all making for engaging games that keep players coming back to their games.
Below, we take a closer look at just how game design can be enhanced through the use of intelligent technologies like AI.
AI in Different Areas of Game Design
AI can be integrated into many different areas of game design, from being used to create more dynamic and challenging gameplay to being used during game testing. Enhancing game design through the use of AI can allow for additional customization and a deeper immersion in gameplay. So, how is AI used in all of these different areas of game design?
Game Testing
Just as AI tools can be used in development processes for mobile applications when it comes to automating certain tasks like testing, the same goes for game developers. AI tools and algorithms can be employed by game developers to help streamline the game testing process. Developers may use different AI testing tools to run through a host of different choices that a player might make while they are playing a game. This use of AI can more efficiently find all types of issues in game that need to be addressed, including glitches and bugs.
Common issues that may be found with AI game testing include:
- Crashes
- Freezes
- Audio issues
- Text problems
- Navigation bugs
- Loading resource issues
- In-game subscription errors
Gameplay Mechanics
To help further enhance gameplay mechanics, game developers can integrate AI algorithms that impact how players experience the game. They can help to create more dynamic non-player characters (i.e. all of the characters that the player themself does not control) as they interact with players through dialogue, interactions, and fights. AI can also be used to impact how player actions impact the story, and make changes as needed. For example, if a game is heavily choice based where choices affect the finale of the game, AI algorithms can work to adjust the game based on a player’s choices.
Gaming Narrative
The narrative in a game consists of just about anything you can think of: the plot itself, character choices, music, atmosphere, and more. And while creating a narrative will fall to the game development team, AI tools can be implemented to help generate additional ideas and create a better overall gaming experience. For example, natural language processing (NLP) is a process that combines a few different techniques from linguistics and machine learning. NLP can help to enhance a game’s narrative by looking at player dialogue choices and changing the story and other branching dialogue options based on those choices.
How AI Helps App Performance Optimization for Mobile Games
AI and intelligent technologies can be utilized by developers in a myriad of ways, as we can see. From analyzing player choices to streamlining the game testing process, AI tools have been incorporated into the game design process from start to finish and beyond.
For mobile games in particular, AI can be used in app performance optimization when it comes to creating a standout player experience. A few ways AI tools can be used include:
- Providing data analysis: Game developers and teams can get a better grasp on player behavior through data analysis. AI works to pull all sorts of key information like a player’s play style and trends. This data helps a company to understand their players more.
- Fraud detection: Player behavior analysis will provide information about unique player patterns. AI will be able to detect if there are any significant changes, which may indicate fraud! Fraud may happen when a player’s account has been hacked or if a game’s server has been compromised.
- Prompting social interactions: Mobile games often have a social aspect to them. AI systems can be used to help promote or prompt social interactions among players by providing in-game chat, multiplayer matchmaking, and even by pairing players together based on player style.
AI technology is a powerful tool that can be harnessed in many different ways to enhance game design. It can be used in the initial planning stages where AI can help generate new ideas to after a game has been launched where AI can help support and foster the player base that a game brings in. The use of AI in gaming is promising, opening up new avenues of design for game developers.
Split Reef is a Columbus, Ohio and Jacksonville mobile app development company that provides a full suite of digital development and digital marketing services. With offices located in two cross-sectional cities, Split Reef works with a diverse range of clients that include law firms, small businesses, and a variety of organizations. Their experienced team of technical experts handle all their services with a professional approach including web design, mobile app design for both iOS and Android, SEO services, paid search advertising, and more. Contact them online or over the phone to learn more about their work in app performance optimization.
