Ever since the dawn of the internet and computer processors people have been discussing to what extent artificial intelligence will begin to replace or supersede human modes of organisation and production.
While many academic papers have been written and countless articles and books penned on the subject, there is one field which routinely acts as artificial intelligence’s training ground. That field is of course online gaming.
These days whether you are playing a battle royale game on a cloud platform with your high-performance gamingcpus or you are competing in an online chess competition, you can almost be certain that some element of AI technology will be either working for you or very much against you.
In this article we look at the games that have been altered unimaginably by AI from what they used to be, as well as at how the technology could be used to greater effect in the near future, which is why it is highly imperative that you have the best hard drives for gaming to support your gaming needs.
Classic Board Games and Card Games Taken to the Next Level
Card and board games are some of the oldest varieties of games known to man, with many dating back to ancient Chinese dynasties and Arabian souks.
Many people thought that the onset of modern technology would see such games become redundant, with packs of cards and playing pieces condemned to the scrap heap.
However, computers and the internet have had the exact opposite effect on such games, with the likes of blackjack, chess, and poker all thriving in the online space.
AI has played a huge part in that development, with chess sites able to provide their customers with viable AI bot opponents even if no one else is in the lobby. For online blackjack sites, AI has presented a new challenge, with some teams of blackjack experts – who wrote about their experiences in famous books – such as Ben Mezrich and Ken Uston, using the tech to try and beat the house. Merich’s book, Bringing Down the House, was turned into a Hollywood hit called 21, which is worthwhile viewing for anyone wanting an inside track on how the development of basic blackjack strategies can be enhanced by AI technology to the advantage of casinos and players alike.
Fortunately for online casinos, AI has many positive security applications which far outweigh the negatives, with suspect players being easily spotted by in-house AI led security programs.
First-Person Adventure and Survival Games Use Elements of AI
One of the most interesting variety of video game to have had AI infused into it is that of first-person adventure and survival games.
Some of these include the runaway success that was The Last of Us 1 and 2, as well as the 2005 scare fest that was F.E.A.R.
Rather than trying to imbue every part of their titles with AI features, the respective developers of these games focused on using AI in unique ways to draw out supporting cast characters or to keep players thinking.
In The Last of Us 1 this was evident in the way Ellie reacted to the protagonist controlled by the player, while in F.E.A.R. enemy combatants learned not to make the same mistake twice, forcing the player to vary their attacks and employ more creative tactics. The AI in The Last of Us 2 is said to be even more advanced than in its predecessor.
The Future of Game Design Itself Will Be AI-Powered
Although the current uses of AI in most online games are relatively basic, compared to what is being achieved by academics and computer scientists, there are signs that sooner rather than later an altogether different application of the technology will begin to impact the games development industry.
This is the well-founded belief of Mike Cook (an expert in the field) who in a recent interview with TheVerge.com stated that he believed AI would come into its own in game design, rather than game play; managing to augment the imaginations of designers so they can conjure up games that previously were beyond their wildest dreams. Now that is an exciting prospect!
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