In light of Larian Studio founder and Divinity director Swen Vincke’s recent discussions on the use of generative AI in game development, co-founder of Warhorse Studios and director of the Kingdom Come: Deliverance games Daniel Vávra has now provided his own thoughts on the subjects. In a lengthy social media post, Vávra said that “AI hysteria” has been getting out of hand, and defended Vincke’s opinions on the technology.
“I’m no fan of AI generated art, but anyway, it’s time to face reality,” wrote Vávra. “AI is here to stay with us. As frightening as it may be, that’s the way it is. Personally, it scares me the most in the music because you can’t even recognise AI there anymore.”
Vávra went on to discuss the potential use cases of generative AI-based tools that could be used to take out some of the more tedious parts of game development, especially when it comes to creating content that doesn’t really matter all that much in the grand scheme of things.
“On the other hand, you know what I hate most about making games? The fact that it takes 7 years and 300 people and tens of millions of dollars to make. And the fact that Tom had to spend 500 hours in the studio recording completely generic heckling and generic bars,” he wrote.
“If AI can help me make an epic game in a year with a smaller team like in the old days, I’m all for it. That game will still have an art director, writers, programmers, graphic designers, but they won’t have to do the tiresome and boring tasks, they’ll have to focus on the essentials. I have ideas for lots of games, but I’m fifty years old and so far it’s taken me seven years on average to make one game. If AI helps me realize those ideas faster, I’m all for it.”
He also discussed how generative AI could be used for writing, especially for things that aren’t story-critical but still help with a game’s worldbuilding. While developers already have technology like 11labs that allows them to lay out scripts and knowledge bases for NPCs, he asks “wouldn’t it be nice if you could ask ANYONE ANYTHING in an RPG?”
“For non-story stuff, this is an absolutely revolutionary development from a player’s point of view,” Vávra wrote. “And you can’t record it with an actor because it has INFINITE variations. But what you can record are cutscenes and story dialogue. You don’t need an Oscar level performance when ordering a sausage in a pub or when asking how to get to the castle.”
Vávra went on to compare resisting the proliferation of generative AI to resisting the use of sewing machines in the textile industry, or going back to riding horses well after cars and planes have become common. He closes out his lengthy post by noting that, while generative AI “may mean the demise of humanity, nobody knows now, but it may also mean that ANYONE, at a fraction of the cost, will be able to implement virtually any grand idea.”
