The use of generative AI and its implications for artists is currently a hot topic. The recent RPG hit Where Winds Meet has found a clever way to utilize the technology.
What kind of discussion is going on right now? It’s hard to avoid AI nowadays – whether it’s your Facebook friends turning into Ghibli characters or the current Coca-Cola advertisements. Chatbots like ChatGPT have a reputation for “hallucinating”.
New technology has also found its way into video games, which is being hotly debated. Many artists and developers fear being replaced by AI, while fans often are not satisfied with the quality of the results.
Currently, Call of Duty is under criticism for business cards that look suspiciously like AI-generated. However, the recent shooter hit Arc Raiders sparked a discussion about AI voices: A test deducted points for this, while fans spoke of “ethical” usage. Our colleagues from GameStar reported on it (subscription PLUS article).
Another game now shows how to make great use of AI.
“A dream come true”
Which game are we talking about? Naturally, we are referring to the recent RPG hit Where Winds Meet, which celebrated its global release over the weekend with nearly 170,000 simultaneous players only on Steam (Source: SteamDB, as of 14:20).
In the game, in addition to countless other activities, there is the possibility to chat with NPCs via an AI chatbot. Those who choose the right words can secure a friend for life, while those who are nasty may have to live with the consequences.
This feature impressed MeinMMO editor Leya already in the beta, and now players are discovering it too. On X, a gamer under the name Ashen One shared their conversation with an NPC and is almost a little emotional:
Translation: “Okay, this is a feature I have always wanted in games. The fact that you can not only type, but also send voice messages to NPCs, and they really respond to you, is a dream come true. This is something I wished for when I played my first MMORPG.”
In the attached screenshot, the player asks the NPC why the sky is blue and gets a detailed answer in return. However, you can also ask really useful questions, as Ashen One stated in a comment. For example, where you actually need to go or where to easily grind XP.
In the responses, others also report on their conversations:
- Tarnished Gamer: “I told him that he was bad at his job and would get fired if he didn’t start making progress. Then they attacked me. After I respawned, I invited him for a drink to discuss work, and we became friends.”
- Naks Walker: “The brother asks the deep questions, while I was just trying to hit on the MILF in the starting area. Great role-playing experience, lol.”
- Edermaskx: “I’m trying to figure out how far I can go. One has already tried to kill me.”
So, you can see that chat functions are used very differently, leading to an immersive and deep role-playing experience for many players. For one user, it’s even the best way to incorporate NPC interactions into a game.
Although this technology offers exciting options for MMORPGs, our expert Karsten hopes that the future of MMOs does not look as it does in Where Winds Meet. You can read his reasons here.
If you are still unsure whether the title is something for you, you can find our detailed impressions of Where Winds Meet here on MeinMMO, including the strengths and weaknesses of the role-playing game: Where Winds Meet is actually too big and good to be free, you have never played an open-world RPG like this
