Playing video games is so much fun.
They transport you to new worlds, bring exciting challenges, satisfy your desire for accomplishment and connect you to players around the world.
Games excite everyone which is why in the United States alone, there were about 214.4 million gamers in 2020.
One reason why so many people love games is because of the experience they have while playing. Players find gaming similar to physical world interactions that are instantly rewarding and give a sense of achievement.
Games attract so many users because they simulate real-world and replicate in players' minds the states of their in-game characters.
Therefore, it isn't surprising to learn that these possibilities have been the result of the application of technology that allows players to connect with millions of people at any time.
The amazing gaming experiences are the outcome of how game developers harness technology, particularly, machine learning (ML) to develop smart games that replicate the real world.
There are plenty of ways developers use machine learning to design smart games and create better experiences.
Here, we are going to explore different ways developers make use of ML to generate smart games.
But, before we dive into details, for those of you who might not know what exactly machine learning is, here is a quick overview:
What is machine learning?
Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence (AI). It imitates the way humans learn. Leveraging data, machine learning builds algorithms that train gaming applications to function better.
Programmers only need to feed data into the machines and deploy machine learning models. These models then automatically improve an application's performance.
This technology helps developers explore:
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How people play games
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Which games do people play the most
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What makes people quit
Additionally, it helps developers understand how they can fine-tune gameplay to engage players and improve monetization.
By using ML, game developers collect data, and based on that data, they generate games with smart capabilities to increase user retention.
8 Ways Game Developers Use Machine Learning to Generate Smart Games
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Model Complex Systems
The power of machine learning algorithms makes it easy to develop complex modeling. Video game developers always look for techniques to add real-world aspects to the games and make them more pragmatic. Modeling the real world in the digital space is a tough job for programmers.
However, ML assistance in creating complicated models makes that job much easier. As a result, you enjoy playing games with impressively designed characters and settings, resembling humans and the real world.
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ML Algorithms Play as NPCs
Opponents in computer games are pre-scripted as NPCs (non-playable characters). These agents are trained with the help of machine learning to make gaming more entertaining and allow gamers to play against these rivals.
Employing ML algorithms, game developers train NPC players 4x faster than they could do with reinforcement learning.
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Real Interactions
Developing a digital space that allows players to interact with NPCs (non-playable characters or your opponents in games) is one of the toughest jobs in game development.
ML has implemented several exciting features to change the way users can interact with in-game characters. Developers use these features to make gaming adaptive and responsive to user interactions through NPCs and train them to behave as if a human player is controlling them.
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Personalized User Content
Machine learning provides players with lots of ways to make games engaging. Development teams deploy ML models in the games to study playing patterns and deliver players tailored responses to enhance their experience.
For example, users can have options to take their pictures and add to the game the way they like.
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Create a Dynamic Universe
Most of the industry's popular games are open-world games that make gaming fun by allowing users to interact with the setting.
However, bringing the interface to perfection consumes a lot of time and involves lots of non-essential labor. But, with ML, developers save time and develop a dynamic world much more efficiently.
Moreover, ML models help developers design player experiences based on the expertise of the user and level them up to complexity as they improve their playing skills.
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Engaging Mobile Games
Half of the revenue that gaming generates comes from mobile games. It means there is high demand for smartphone games among users.
Luckily, after the introduction of machine learning programs in smartphones, hardware limitation is no longer an issue. Now, developers have lots of possibilities to create more engaging mobile games to meet user demand without worrying about mobile phone storage capacity.
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Enhance Developer Skills
In response to increasing demand, traditional game developers have been able to elevate their programming skills with ML dev techniques.
Machine learning technology has helped them perform better and craft innovative ideas. As a result, developers have become more proficient at their jobs.
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Assisted Artwork Generation
Games are built by putting together a variety of complex interfaces. Machine learning helps creatives develop more aesthetic interfaces by imitating the styles of some of the renowned painters from the past.
It equips them with creative tools to generate a wide range of concepts and expedite the development process.
Conclusion
The use of machine learning is soaring in the gaming industry. Today, the engaging games you play are the results of major improvements in artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.
As a player, you can take up fascinating challenges, interact with realistic worlds, and have personalized gameplay while having fun- because of these algorithms.
The same algorithms help developers create smart games and provide you with thrilling experiences while connecting you with people around the world.
In the future, as more innovations will take place in the field of machine learning, smart developers will definitely harness them to bring you many smarter gameplays and more engaging gaming experiences.
