Who needs a console when you can play Quake 2 with AI instead

Over the past month, Phil Spencer discussed extensively the potential benefits of AI in the gaming industry, particularly highlighting its remarkable capability for game preservation. Notably, Microsoft Research has started venturing into this field as a first step.

As a tech-savvy individual, I recently stumbled upon an intriguing demonstration by Haiyan Zhan. It was a sneak peek into the future, showcasing an initial foray of artificial intelligence playing Quake 2 directly through a web browser. Fascinating stuff!

The initial Quake II stage continues to be an impactful manifestation of the developers’ imagination. This AI offers innovative means of interacting with these experiences, potentially indicating how upcoming tools might strengthen development teams.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve stumbled upon an innovative and exhilarating experience: an AI-driven gaming world! It’s all about moving, shooting, and exploring, with each frame generated dynamically by an AI model that reacts instantly to my inputs. Give it a try here:

Could you recall a video game from your original Xbox or PlayStation days that brings back pleasant memories, one which hasn’t been remade for current-gen consoles? For me, it was Gameday 98 – an American football game that held the top spot against heavyweights like Madden.

98 Gameday marked the debut of 3D-poly graphics in football games, leaving a lasting impression on the sports gaming world. Unfortunately, it remains incompatible with any modern systems, and can only be experienced by using an original PlayStation or PlayStation 2 console.

Provide AI with vast amounts of data, which could be around several million hours of gaming sessions (I currently don’t have a clear understanding of what it entails to develop an AI-controlled game). Once this data is fed, the entire game can be played autonomously from start to finish.

In that situation, it’s more about who can deliver the best balance between speed and precision. When it comes to transferring a game like Gameday ’98, is it more practical to use AI or a smaller development team? Which option requires fewer resources or even less time?

Over the next ten years, we’ll be posing and addressing numerous questions as artificial intelligence progresses. We’re currently in our second year of the AI expansion, and I’m apprehensive about the developments we might witness a decade down the line.

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2025-04-05 06:39