Are Autonomous NPCs Possible? Harnessing the Power of Machine Learning in Game Development

A general goal of video game development is to craft an engaging experience for the player. Different game types may demand different ways of going about this; however, if part of the player experience depends on their interaction with (or possible explorations of) the game's universe, then the design of that universe's inhabitants (shopkeepers, enemies, animals, allies, and other NPCs) may be of key importance. To maintain the balance and progression of the game, traditional game logic (e.g., if entity 2 performs event A, trigger event B for entity 1) is often the go-to for defining the behavior of these entities – writing explicit rules allows developers to purposefully craft the experience they hope the player to follow. However, some adventurous developers may want NPCs that act more organically. Relatedly, the goal may be to produce a world which evolves around the player and adapts to their goals and actions – a natural world, a digital replica of our own.