AI is the future for videogames - Maguire

News via Gamesindustry

The videogames industry is no longer focused on improving graphics, according to Sony Computer Entertainment UK boss Ray Maguire, with attention now turning to artificial intelligence to make games more compelling.

Speaking at the BAFTA headquarters in London, at an event designed to underline the British Academy's new commitment to the videogame medium, Maguire said that the power of the central processors in the next-generation consoles meant that graphics were no longer top priority for developers.

"We are no longer interested in graphics per se, because graphics chips can do that for us," he commented, "but the central processors of all the new games machines are about making games more compelling by adding in artificial intelligence."

"The Cell chip is so powerful it can do 256 million calculations per second... That means one thing for us in the videogames industry: artificial intelligence."

Maguire told the audience that since he started working in the videogames industry in 1991, the focus had been strongly on improving graphics - but that graphics have now reached a point where they are so good that developers must look elsewhere for the next big step forward.

As an example, he asked the audience at BAFTA to consider the game character of Lara Croft and her movie counterpart, played by Angelina Jolie - arguing that the most important difference between the two is not visual, but lies instead in the fact that Jolie has a brain and human emotions.

He showed off a proof of concept video showing a rendered female character auditioning for a movie role, and talking through her relationship with her husband from meeting him, through to her decision to murder him after discovering that he was having an affair. Maguire highlighted the gamut of emotions which went through the character, claiming that this kind of emotional impact will be possible in game characters on next-gen systems.

"We're not talking about graphics any more," Maguire concluded. "We're talking about performance and we're talking about art."

Imagine madden with this technologie. You win one game and its the last you win. LOL

for me, there's 2 things games are missing (commercial games, I mean):

.-better AI
.-better physics

during the last 2-3 years we've seen developers (and GFX card manufacturers) concentrating on better graphics on games, and more and more resolution, and they've missed on the most important thing: player experience and innovation.

at the end of the day, I'm spending more time playing with emulators and some oldies, than with new games, and that's because these new games don't get me playing for hours, like the old games did.

I really don't understand all the need for 2000x2000 pixel games, when many times, 320x200 is more than enough for a game to be addictive.

I really think they missed the point. I'd rather stay on 800x600 or 1024x768 and have some nice AI and physics to make me enjoy the game, that have a 5 sec "WOW! look at those graphics", and then trash the game and forget about it...

Funny to put it that way.. You're saying a 10-15 old games have better AI and physics than today games ?

Why.. Which is the better physics, any old Snes/Genesis Racing VS Gran Tourismo ? the original super-floaty Virtua Fighter Vs Tekken 5 ? AI ? Have you ever play Metal Gear(s) ? What about so called 'experience' or 'innovation' ? Imho, even a single FFVII beat any game-playing 'experience' of the rest 1-5 FF..

Talk about innovation, as the technology advances, the possibility will be wide open.. Have you thought about 'touch screen' when you're 10 years old kid ? Nope ?

Old-games always play different tunes in our heart. I enjoyed them, you can tell by looking at my Roms collection. But I'll play SFA3 anyday now than old Snes SF II dash turbo etc..

Sometimes in 2020 and we're playing PS3 emulator we'd think.. "Y'know.. People doesn't make a great game like this anymore.. That's too bad.." then you decided to trash your xbox1024 games away..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by donne

Old-games always play different tunes in our heart.

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Nice way to put it :)

Anyway I think he meant to say that they're focusing too much in graphics and left out the HEART of games.

Yes I'm aware, this already came to a point where those silly Nvidia and ATI ducked it out to launch new GPU practically once every two-months.. (The last 'news' from them was a quadruple external GPU). But let's be fair, isn't that what the majority of gamers (and occasional gamers) wanted ?

Then again, graphics alone don't sell million games. Graphics plus gameplay do. There's many example for this.

Recent gaming is not inferior than yesterday gaming. As we're growing, we tend to ask and expect much much more. But with game-company such as Nintendo, Ubi-soft, Square, Konami, Capcom and perhaps Namco, I won't be afraid of lack of quality games in the future.. Err, that's if those companies' not losing profit over piracy :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by donne

Recent gaming is not inferior than yesterday gaming. As we're growing, we tend to ask and expect much much more.

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But with our expectations growing so does their experience in the videogames world..
I just wish they kept on par with us you know?
By the way it's nice to find someone who know what you're talking about :)