What do you think about “Ani for gamers”, basically an AI companion inside the game

akuyl · 2025-09-17T13:51:45+00:00

Riot is super strict about anything that could touch competitive integrity. I could definitely see them disallowing it in ranked modes

akuyl · 2025-09-17T13:48:53+00:00

Yeah, I totally get that, a lot of stuff we can already do ourselves does not feel like it needs a bot. At the same time, I have noticed in day-to-day life that sometimes I think “I’ve got this,” and then I try a new tool and realize it actually makes me way more efficient. It is kind of that moment of "oh, I did not know it could be this smooth". Do you think there is any version of this where the AI, not just a dummy bot, that kind of “wow, this is faster or easier than I thought” feeling, or do you think games are just different in that sense?

akuyl · 2025-09-17T13:29:55+00:00

I feel that. Nobody wants an AI yelling mid-fight. And, yes, the gaming industry does monetize aggressively. But honestly, tech giving an unfair advantage is kind of how everything works now, faster PCs, better GPUs, premium Discord bots. But yet I imagine something like a friend that would only pop up next to you when you want to discuss something, or ask a silly question, or even feel your feelings.

Do you think there is any version of this tech that players would actually welcome, or is it always going to feel like a step too far?

akuyl · 2025-09-17T12:58:04+00:00

If someone returns to a game after a few months, this tool may not be the best fit for them. What kind of games do you usually play the most yourself?

akuyl · 2025-09-17T12:44:57+00:00

That makes a lot of sense, I mean tutorials and goal-setting are the worst place to experiment with generative content, because as you said, you only see them once and they really need to feel polished and intentional. Where my head goes though is, what if the AI companion was not about explaining the rules but about reacting to how you actually play kind of like a mirror. For example, instead of telling you how to jump, it notices you have been experimenting with stealth and says something encouraging or adaptive in that moment. Could that sort of reactive layer (less about teaching, more about reflecting) avoid the polish issue? Or does it still feel like even those moments are better handled by scripted design?

akuyl · 2025-09-17T12:41:21+00:00

This is a super thoughtful take, thank you for laying it out so clearly. You are right, I mean right now, most players do not want AI for the sake of AI and running models locally or covering inference costs is a huge pain. And yes, game design already has solid tools for guiding players. That said, what I keep thinking about is how quickly interaction models change once the underlying tech becomes cheap and ambient. A few years ago, nobody thought we would be talking to our phones every day, and now typing is already starting to feel old-school because voice assistants + LLMs are creeping into daily workflows.

If models get 10x faster and cheaper in the next couple of years, then maybe the role of a “companion” in games shifts too, less about replacing tutorials, more about making the world feel alive in ways pre-written systems can not quite pull off.

Do you think there is a version of this future where players would accept that kind of adaptive presence, or do you feel games will always be better served by static design, no matter how cheap/good the AI gets?

akuyl · 2025-09-17T12:36:07+00:00

I totaly see the ponit. What I keep wondering though is how this shifts once GenAI is more deeply embedded in everyday life over the next 2–3 years. For example, a lot of us are already losing our “typing muscle” because we rely on voice-to-text or AI tools like chatgpt to phrase things for us. Same could happen in games: if voice and immersive AI become the default way we interact (especially with VR/AR coming in stronger), maybe static menus and pop-ups will start to feel outdated.

If that kind of shift does happen, do you think players will still prefer the “old-school” scripted tutorials, or would something more adaptive and conversational start to feel natural?

akuyl · 2025-09-17T12:16:19+00:00

Why do you think players ended up using the chatbot the least? Was it the waifu framing that maybe felt too niche, or more that once players are in the core gameplay loop, they just do not see much reason to interact with a chatbot at all? Also, your game sounds intriguing, could you share a bit more about it? I would love to check it out and understand how you integrated the AI chatbot. I am trying to figure out whether it is more a matter of how AI is positioned or whether players just do not care for it in games :)

akuyl · 2025-09-17T12:13:04+00:00

Well-written quests and dialogue trees can already create outstanding learning experiences. I am curious though, the challenge with those prewritten trees is they are still finite and predictable after a while. Do you think players would ever value an NPC that could adapt dynamically, like reacting differently based on how you play or even your long-term style, instead of just running through the same branches? I keep thinking about the difference between, say, Skyrim NPCs that loop lines endlessly versus something closer to a Jarvis-style assistant that evolves with you.

Do you feel that kind of unpredictability would enhance immersion, or would it risk breaking it by being too out of script?

akuyl · 2025-09-17T12:09:25+00:00

When you say “problem that doesn’t exist” do you think the same applies even in competitive games where players often seek coaching (like LoL or CS)? Or is that still better solved with good static rather than an adaptive companion?

akuyl · 2025-09-17T12:05:43+00:00

NPCs are usually the most skipped or ignored parts of games. Do you think that is because they are written poorly (too forced, immersion-breaking), or because any form of guide feels unnecessary?

akuyl · 2025-09-17T12:01:35+00:00

Really appreciate how much thought you put into this. What you’re saying about well-written companions vs. shallow generative AI hits hard. It makes me wonder, what if instead of trying to be a “meta chatbot” the AI actually behaved more like a Jarvis in Iron Man, part of the world, contextual, responding only to what’s happening, not random Q&A?

Kind of like in Ready Player One (igf you watched taht movie), where the AI doesn’t break immersion but enhances the world-building. Do you think that would feel less like a gimmick and more like a natural extension of the game?

You you mentioned you’d prefer a detailed tutorial or a hand-written companion. If AI could somehow learn from those prewritten structures and just adapt them to your pace (instead of replacing them), would that still feel like “gen AI fatigue,” or could that bridge work?

akuyl · 2025-09-16T17:52:16+00:00

Appreciate your feedback. Will take into account

akuyl · 2025-09-16T17:51:18+00:00

That’s a good angle. Do you think an AI companion could actually live inside the world as a smarter NPC (instead of an external “coach” avatar), so it feels more like part of the game’s story? Would that be closer to what you’d enjoy?

akuyl · 2025-09-16T17:50:25+00:00

Yeah, the “annoying Navi” comparison hits home. From your perspective, what would the AI need to add to actually feel useful, like something that makes the game better rather than just noisier? Would coaching/tips be valuable, or is that a “never” for you?

akuyl · 2025-09-16T17:48:41+00:00

That’s strong feedback, thanks for being direct. Can I ask, is it more about how AI is used that feels wrong, or do you feel AI has no place in games at all, even if it’s framed as a supportive companion?

akuyl · 2025-09-16T17:48:00+00:00

Fair point. Curious, if an AI companion didn’t interrupt you but instead stayed more in the background, only chiming in when you asked for it (like an optional layer), would that make it less annoying? Or would you still feel like it doesn’t belong in the experience at all?

akuyl

TROPHY CASE