Ubisoft’s ‘Ghostwriter’ AI Can Help Designers Churn Out In-Game Dialogue
It’s no secret that creating an entire video game from scratch is a time-consuming process, especially if it’s to be an immersive open world that players can spend tens of hours exploring.
Part of the experience is the characters milling about in the background, otherwise known as non-playable characters (NPCs). Their inconsequential actions and chatter add to the riveting storyline the developers try to bring forth through graphics and dialogue.
However, given the number of NPCs present in popular video games, it’s safe to say creating elements of speech—commonly referred to as a ‘bark’—for each of them is a long, arduous process that requires a ton of creativity and wit.
Now, Ubisoft, the creator of Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs, has come up with a machine-learning tool that could speed up the process. Dubbed Ghostwriter, the artificial intelligence (AI) bot does exactly as its name implies: ghostwrite dialogue.
While the toolkit may only churn out the first drafts of the dialogue, it still saves writers a sizeable amount of time. Developers simply have to indicate the character and type of interaction they’re looking for, and the system will produce two options for review.
The more narrative writers make use of the software and make edits to the drafts, the more Ghostwriter will learn of the nuances and type of dialogue the game requires, allowing it to produce more tailored speech in the future.
According to Ubisoft, the goal of the AI tool isn’t to replace the video game writer but to alleviate one of the most laborious tasks so the brilliant minds behind the scenes can focus on more important storylines, characters, or cut scenes.
“Rather than writing first draft versions themselves, Ghostwriter lets scriptwriters select and polish the samples generated,” explained Ben Swanson, the system’s creator, coloring the technology as a tool that will support writers on their creative journeys.
