It seems like every time you turn around, the subject of artificial intelligence is in the news. While some conversations are controversial, like AI replacing jobs, there are more pleasant aspects to the AI phenomenon. This is especially so when it comes to the exploding and lucrative world of online gaming. While there are plenty of elite game developers who continue to take our breath away with the fabulous games they produce, the call for new and better never goes away. Fortunately, with AI and machine learning tools, those calls are answered and more.
1. How AI Enhances Game Design
Besides how the game functions, like the basic controls, more so than ever, having interactive video game backgrounds is essential to keep online gamers hooked. In the glory days of the original home consoles like Nintendo and Atari, the game backgrounds were fixed, and the players were seldom able to interact with them. However, with AI with machine learning tools, the specific algorithms it uses make the backgrounds part of the gaming experience.
Instead of a fixed background, AI can produce dynamic backgrounds on the fly, including players interacting with the environment, like knocking down leaves, for example. Specifically, machine learning tools are what allow players to manipulate the gaming environment, including throwing stones or even reeling out different fish in some games.
2. More Enhanced Character Controls
Having a more enhanced gaming background is a critical first step, but having an in-game strategy chance on the fly is a whole new kettle of fish. For those who grew up in the 80s and the early part of the 90s, there wasn’t much flexibility with the characters. One button moved them forward while the directional pad shifted the character’s direction.
However, with advanced and more enhanced technology comes greater in-game character flexibility. It’s a given in today’s video games that the basic character movements will be there, but thanks to AI and machine learning, the game adapts to the player’s strategy. For example, if the game deems that the playing level is too easy on the fly, it can increase the difficulty level or even rearrange rooms and hide items to make the gameplay more complex.
3. AI and Machine Learning For Better Bosses
Video game bosses have come a long way since the beginning of home consoles. These bosses are no longer monotonous in their approach. Thanks to AI and machine learning, these bosses adapt as the game goes on, giving players the supreme challenge. These AI-enhanced bosses even remember the previous bouts in case you’re considering using a previous strategy that seemed to work!
4. Behavioral AI for More Personal Gaming
The key to business success is building an emotional connection with the customer. Those who master this often brand loyal customers for life. Thanks to behavioral AI, online gaming services increasingly turn to AI for more personal gaming experiences.
With behavioral AI, the online gaming service knows all the moves and games the members prefer. With this information, the leading video game services and online casinos can create dynamic ads that mimic the games that their members already enjoy and prefer.
This is especially helpful in improving the return on investment for advertising. Video game services and real-money online casinos usually run general advertising to promote a specific game or a promotion for certain games. The issue is that not all members might approve of the specific promotion, but most importantly, the game.
However, thanks to behavioral AI, if the online gaming service knows that certain members enjoy sports games, it can create dynamic promotions exclusive to those members of sports games. The same applies to those who prefer fantasy games, etc.