NVIDIA tech turns game characters into AI chatbots

NVIDIA continues to push the possibilities of AI integration within video games, focusing on character voice creation, expressive animation, and adaptive dialogue. At the recent Game Developers Conference, a spotlight fell on “Covert Protocol,” a tech demo built in collaboration with Inworld AI. This demo explores the concept of player-influenced storylines, where interactions with AI-powered characters can yield different gameplay outcomes.

At GDC 2024, Inworld and NVIDIA collaborated on a new technology demo called Covert Protocol to showcase NVIDIA ACE technologies and the Inworld Engine. In the Covert Protocol tech demo, you act as a private detective who completes objectives based on the outcome of conversations with characters in the scene.

-NVIDIA

“Covert Protocol” expands upon technologies previously demonstrated by NVIDIA, leveraging its Avatar Cloud Engine (ACE). The ambition is to craft unique, dynamic experiences within games. However, currently showcased voiceovers and lip-syncing reveal a degree of stiffness, leaving room for improvement before achieving truly natural delivery.

“Covert Protocol” expands upon technologies previously demonstrated by NVIDIA (Image credit)

Alongside character dialogue, NVIDIA demonstrated the applications of its Audio2Face technology. Titles like “World of Jade Dynasty” and “Unawake” served as examples, showcasing streamlined multilingual development and the automatic generation of realistic facial animations in both cutscenes and gameplay segments. The imminent release of the Covert Protocol source code by Inworld AI hints at broader efforts to encourage the use of NVIDIA’s AI technologies throughout the games industry.

While developers may find potential efficiency gains and creative possibilities in these advancements, there’s growing unease among voice acting professionals. The gradual improvement of AI voice generation sparks concern about the impact this technology could have on traditional voice acting roles and careers within the industry.

Ubisoft also showcases AI-powered game NPCs

According to The Verge, NVIDIA’s event showcased a groundbreaking collaboration between Ubisoft and NVIDIA, introducing the concept of “Neo NPCs” in a prototype demo developed by Ubisoft. These advanced NPCs are part of a creative experiment that aims to enhance real-time interaction in video games by incorporating elements like emotion and animation, contextual awareness, and collaborative decision-making. The demo allowed players to engage in meaningful conversations with NPCs, offering a glimpse into the potential future of gaming where characters can provide more dynamic and responsive interactions.

Ubisoft and NVIDIA are introducing the concept of “Neo NPCs” (Image credit)

The narrative-driven demo featured segments where players could interact with NPCs to achieve objectives, such as learning more about a resistance movement against megacorps and uncovering backstories of characters like Bloom, an NPC designed with a more developed narrative. Despite being prototypes, these Neo NPCs gave players actual reasons to interact with them, offering a more immersive gaming experience.

However, The Verge noted some limitations, such as awkward dialogue delivery and generic responses, indicating that while there have been advancements, the technology still requires refinement. Ubisoft and NVIDIA’s collaboration represents a step towards more intelligent and interactive gaming worlds, although it’s clear that further development is needed to fully realize this vision.

Featured image credit: Kerem Gülen/DALL-E 3