The Feinics Gate Podcast - Issue 165 - NPCs Are Judging You Now

80s Now it's Showtime. Let's show them we can rise from hash, Jane, Lavender and Scarlet. Phoenix power. So Gaga, where will rise? They tried to bind us with one like a flower.

They didn't know Banana Phoenix's power. Phoenix Power. What's up, everybody? It's your girl, Jade Phoenix, and the color wheel is spinning. We are back. We are. All three of us are here. It's amazing. We actually got all three of us here. So I'm going to do a quick intro because back from the the far reaches of wherever the fuck he was hiding in the Digiverse, he's back. It's Crimson.

What's up? Buddy, Hey everyone going on. Where, where? Where have you been? Never much, just just been busy. It's been busy working on some personal projects and stuff so. Did the Jersey Devil eat you? No. Well, if you. Can't tell, really good buddies. If you can't tell, Lavender's here too. It all started when I.

Wow, and we're very happy to have our Crimson back. Yep, we are. I mean, I'm. Very excited. I did get to see Crimson over this past weekend at Chill Out so. Well, yeah, you did. Yeah, I did. You done moved. We had a nice time at Chill Out. I mean, I was there for the full amount of time and our Crimson came and was there on Saturday. Yes, you got to debut some nice new things for the Talent Touch. Do you want to talk about that, please? That's amazing because they were so good. Yeah, I got to debut of different things I've been working on for dice holders and all that have been looking and kind of just swinging around like different ideas.

Like I've been looking at like this whole octopus dice holder idea, which I kind of just tested out over the the weekend Octopus might make some revision that that's a cute. Yeah, it's it's a nice little, nice little dice holder for that. And like a few other ones too. I've from a couple of other artists that I used to subscribe to. I even used one of their models that kind of help put together a nice little figure for like Larvitar and stuff, which a lot of people were very surprised that it was 3D printed because it didn't look like it at first glance.

It really didn't. It really didn't. Your your stuff is evolving and it's just looks so good. Those tree dice throwers that you made almost completely sold out. They were so good and so popular every like everybody loved them and your Stego sources that you that you debuted at Moonlight Market was a big hit too. Yeah. So, yeah, those were a couple of those were a couple of models. Those ones in particular were from other artists specifically. Yeah, I didn't make those directly myself. They are from artists who I subscribe to, so they usually those ones, they they usually I put my recommendations of what I'd like to see because they'll usually put up a poll and stuff.

And that was like one of the things that one of the few things that were on the list. And they kind of just put it out there just like, all right, there you go, guys. Like, oh, OK, thanks. No, honestly, I think that they came out beautiful. You added your own little touch to it and they're people loved them. People absolutely loved them. They loved your little potion bottles as well. The dice thrower. They loved. There was a lot of interest in your, in your, your steelixes, your onyxes. They loved them, people love them.

Yeah. Yep, so can they was. Pretty excited too. Yeah, I was going to ask, can people buy these things from you off of the talent touch? As of right now it's only in person. I'm working on a website and stuff right now currently for it, so I'm in the process of it right now. You heard it here live, Phoenix Nation. If you're not already following the Under Score Talon Under Score Touch on Instagram, you should because that is where all the announcements are made for all of our Crimson's 3D printing stuff.

Yeah, and usually I put some nice little things in there too for some of the conventions where I meet, like certain voice actors and stuff. So I got to meet might be butchering the last name. I hate when I butcher last names, but Mark Brighton, Is it Brighton or? I think it's Brighton, Right, It's Britain. Britain. Is Britain. All right? Mark Britain. And then and then Victoria Mignaga. I believe I pronounced that correctly. Mignonia. Mignonia. Yeah, Mignonia. I'm sorry, I'm not. I'm not good with last names.

That's OK. And. We also got to talk. To They're amazing. We also got to talk to Tony to Tony Davis. Yes, we did too. Victoria and Mark were were the 2 that I kind of talked to a little bit more than most because they were just the best. Like they were awesome. Tony was also good. He was a good chat. And yeah, I mean, they're honestly for me, they were kind of the highlight for me from the weekend. And we got the most part. We're going to be staying in touch with them because we did do exclusive interviews.

Yeah. And we also got to meet Shameek Moore.

Oh, so jealous of that one. I do love him. Yep. We also did meet the voice actor for Miles Morales as well. That's Shameek Moore, honey.

What happens? That's Shameek Moore, sweetie. You're a most. Are you sure you didn't get eaten by a earthy devil during your time? Off. I don't know because I. You're a pod. Are you a pod person? Are you really Crimson? Say something only Crimson would know are. You a lizard man? Say something only Crimson would know.

Little, little Lee. That's not something he would know. Imposter. Imposter getting on the the topic though a little bit because we're getting a little bit off time. Nowhere. Else it's chaos Incarnate. It's chaos Incarnate. A week we're trying to like, ease you back in. We miss you. It's just been the girls gab in the last few weeks. Which is no problem with that, but you know we needed some testosterones. Obviously exactly. We just. We just. Need that masculine energy? We did. We missed our masculine counterpart.

Exactly, we missed the banter. Listen, the Chill Out Expo hat was absolutely stacked with its guests. We got to meet so many amazing people. I personally got to meet Cindy Crawford.

Yeah, that was cool as shit. Yeah, that one, that one I did hear about that was actually pretty nice. I got to meet Paula Abdul. Yeah, you sent me that photo right away. It was amazing. I did. I got to meet in passing. I got to meet once again. I got to meet Dolph Lundgren. Met him before once at a convention that we will not name, and he was really cool back then. Got to meet most of the main cast of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Got to meet Boy George in passing. Couldn't afford to get the picture and autograph though because a girl's poor.

Valid. Very, very valid. But I'm sure Boy George is that kind of person who, in passing, will go out of his way to at least say hello. Yep, we also met a couple other people. We got to meet Big Joe Gambino. He was there.

Yep, there was a bunch of guys from Godfather, the Goodfellas, Sopranos, The there was one of the guys that worked on The Muppets was there. The chick that played Heidi from Tool Time was there. Jimmy Hart was there, Debbie Aussie was there and the one of the highlights of my weekend was meeting Billy Gunn and the Road Dog.

Fuck yeah. That was literally, I would say, like one of the best interactions I've ever had with a wrestler. They had me cracking up. They were joking about my tail, my ears and my fangs. It was fan fucking tastic. And there's Peanut letting the world know that Diginan is coming home. So. The nando squats.

He comes into the vast world of whatever, but. We love you, Butter. Yeah, so our Crimson got to meet all these people too in passing and help me get these interviews and made connections with some of the other vendors that were there, made some friends that are going to also be appearing at Dark Force, if I am not mistaken. Yes, I, I, for the life of me, I I Gabby, believe you. No, I know Gabby, but I was trying to remember the name of her her booth. Oh, her. Yeah, she she cats. Creations. Yes, she said.

She's going to be there. So I'm also going to be over at Dark Force Fest. I'm going to be pretty much working security there for some of the spots. I misspoke. It's cats candles. Sorry.

Yes, we still love you though. But yes, I'll be meeting them there, so that's gonna be fun. Yep, person I will not. Unfortunately the the the rest of the Phoenix gate will not be able to go to Dark Force fest because they always schedule it on the same weekend as fucking night of 1000 Stevie's. So that's where me and Lavender will be. That's at. This point, we're like staples, yeah. No, we're the, we're the permanent vendors. We are the permanent vendors. We don't. There's nobody else. So it's one of those things we can never miss the night of 1000 Stevies Nope.

I love going so excited to be back and helping you and our our wonderful friends. Lux yes, so I'm already real high planning my outfit, so I'm gonna look cute and the theme this year? Is moonlight so so you know, dress like a moon witch. Fuck yes, you guys already got ideas bopping around in my nagging hey. But yeah, go to Stevie's or go to Dark Forest. You'll see the whole Phoenix game one week. And if you thought that man should do both. That is true. That is true. I mean, Dark Forest Fest is something I've always wanted to go to and our Crimson is like a staple there, so very excited.

Yeah, I know the people who run it. So they're, they're, I've known them for a while now. So it's built a good relationship with them. Yeah, for real. For real. But other than that, do we have any other announcements before we start talking about the nitty gritty of what we are talking about today? 01 announcement to shout out our listeners you listened to last week. I made it to those 10 books y'all very very exciting time. I love this so hope so thank you. So hopefully we can revisit mid year my dearest Jade and we can catch up on all the books we've read by the middle of this year.

Well. I just hit book #8 so I'm not that far behind you. Yes, not too shabby. OK, I was just so glad to share that Cause was such a lovely episode to record together. That was a good one. I did enjoy that one very much. I did. But so the I think the only other true announcements are if you have been following us on our social medias and at this point we've been telling you why not. I have managed to start posting up a couple more of our interviews that we have been doing since February. I'm playing catch up so that you guys don't get completely overwhelmed with all the things that we've done because I can see as I'm going through all of the stuff that we do, it is very overwhelming.

It's all the insanity that the Phoenix Gate gets into. Exactly. So I've been posting up more interviews. The last interview that is just gone live on our YouTube, our TikTok, our Instagram is I reposted the Unbreakable Chris Kyler because he's amazing and he deserves all his flowers. And then I also posted up our interview that we did at toy stop NYC back in February with core kid Javi and Oro Anon of so those are now live on all of our social media platforms. So check it out. It's actually pretty amazing, and I think the other big milestone I want to announce is the Phoenix Gate.

Instagram has officially hit 1000 followers. Yes it has. It's so amazing to have 1000 of you hanging out in the nest with us. It's amazing. That's a big milestone for us because we've been working and doing all this organically. I'm sorry, what were you saying, Crimson? Yeah, it's it's all thanks to them too. Well, thanks to the the listeners. Yes, it is, it is, it is, it is. And if you guys are following us and you're listening to us, don't forget to give us a like and a follow on our Spotify as well.

So that way you know when all the fresh episodes are dropping. I mean, like, we've had so much stuff going on in the past couple of weeks between the store opening, going to all these conventions, getting all of these interviews, doing all the things that we're doing. It's been amazing. And it's only going to get better from here because the Phoenix Gate is going to be appearing at multiple things over the next what, say, six months longer. Hold on, right. I was going to say even just over the last, like next few months even, Yeah.

I mean, this month alone we're going to be with Kaluna Embassy over at the Botanical Gardens on the 18th. We're going to be at the New Jersey Rent Fair on the 23rd. So like we're around people. Then we have Night of 1000 Stevies on May 2nd as well as Dark Force Fest for our Crimson in May. I think we have a couple other appearances, but I'll talk about those later on in the month.

Yeah. So you know, but Crimson, you came up with our topic for today, So what are we talking about? So we're going to be covering the topic of AI and games. It's it's been, it's been a pretty raging topic for a couple of months now. A lot of big, well known companies have been making their stance firm on the the matter and kind of just saying, hey, we're not rolling with that like at all, especially with the whole situation that had, you know, I mean, companies have been speaking out about it even before this, I believe.

And there was the, I guess we might as well start with the topic with NVIDIA, if for those who are not aware of Nvidia's shenanigans when it comes to AI, they've been have they have been a very huge investor, which is why we have a lot of the the price increases on computer part, mainly specific, mainly specific RAM. For those of you who are out there that build computers or you know, either plan to just upgrade their laptop or desktop in general, obviously we're not really too happy. That's real funny.

I mean, it's a lot, Yeah. It's a lot for, for, you know, for, for, I mean, for just RAM, like we're talking about like 30-2 gigs of RAM even. We're talking about well over a couple $100, damn near $1000. That is some like crazy prices people have been putting out there because of that RAM shortage and we're talking about DDR5, which is the for again, for those who aren't really aware of what that is, that is the new, I guess set of speeds when it comes to or I would call it, I would guess you we can categorizes like speed category of RAM.

So it's the newest and fastest like RAM type gotta go. Fast. Because you'll get a lot you'll get a lot more processing speed to fit, but I digress. They got they'll be digging too much into computers. So but we're covering mostly gaming and AI for today. So that could be another subject for another day Experience. OK, but when it comes to AI and NVIDIA, NVIDIA has been like I said, investing a lot of their money into it. A lot of the besides just RAM prices, they've been pretty much gouging out the prices for that and the upgrade or I should say features more or less for their graphics cards.

That's what they're more known for use a function that's called DLSS, which essentially is, it's like essentially one of those sort of features that graphics cards have that pretty much just how, how can I best describe it? It's like a, it's like a deep learning. It's like it's abbreviation for deep learning super sampling. So essentially it's, it's what helps with boosting performance for your games. So like, you'll get more performance out of your graphics card and so on and so forth. OK. Well, before you go on one of the points that.

I would like to make about AI is that AI has already is already being used to generate the NPC dialogues. It's making them more like less repetitive, more quote UN quote alive. They're using it to create environments and their textures faster, which you were just talking about with the rendering. And it's helping to write story branches dynamically. And it's they're basically saying that AI and procedural generation can make potentially infinite worlds in gaming. But here's my my thing. Are these making games better or are they just making it bigger and emptier for us?

Is is the game playing us or are we playing the game? I feel like it's got to be somewhere in the middle, right? Like yes it can continually expand but at the same time if it's just being used to continually expand and not being read like and even then AI cannot come up with the same level of creativity as a human based human written story right? So I feel the idea of it is exciting, but I can't imagine it giving the same amount of pleasure and reward as a naturally created open world game, if that makes sense.

Naturally. Yeah. And piggybacking off of what you just said with that, again, where is all that coming from?

Or better yet, to rephrase the question, where is AI getting all that information to generate all that? Well, from us, obviously. From currently from. Currently from currently existing, but I'm good. I'm just going to throw stuff out there. Currently existing, written stories currently existing. Arts currently existing. Pretty much. Essentially, without actual effort from people, AI can't generate shit. No, it can't, except pollution. Oh, it can't. It's completely. And utterly. Useless. Right now as someone that works in coding AI for marketing for example.

You. Need to train these things to the utmost if you're going to even have a do rudimentary tasking. I spent an entire quarter for those of us in our Phoenix nation who work kind of on that economic quarterly basis for their job. I've spent an entire quarter just training an AI on how to read ACRM in order to just make adjustments. And this is. I can't imagine with world building for a game. Oh yeah. Now don't get me wrong to to say that they can't build the world or anything. Oh no, they can. But again, it's what you're going to see, which again, this is something that a lot of people, even without AI, people have complained about when it comes to certain level designs.

So for those who aren't really informed about level designing, when it comes to creating a world, you need to give it something that's going to make things stand out. If you're running, if your character has been running for a solid 10 minutes and everything around you just looks exactly the same since 10 minutes ago, then your world is not something that is probably flourishing with life in any way. It just looks like a very generic plain like, not even like beta, like even prior alpha build. If that's the case, if it's looking like that, some people even before AI was being implemented for some of these companies, not all of them, but some of them, that was one of the things that a lot of people would complain about.

And and if that's the case, if AI is just going off of what these games already are, they're just going to be copying and pasting the same thing. No, you're, you're absolutely correct. So like, here, here's a fun fact. Games like No Man's Sky use procedural generation pretty heavily and studios have been experimenting with a IMPCS that can remember your choices as a player. Then the also the other big thing that we need to understand here is this also helps cut down development time dramatically, Which one of the big complaints that we have about X as gamers, and I'm sure all since all three of us are one of the biggest complaints we have is that like we'll play a game and and they'll announce a sequel to that game and we won't see that sequel for five 6-7 years or, you know, or ever sometimes because the game doesn't go or the development or whatever happens in the in the world that just whatever.

Rest in peace, Grand Theft Auto. Yep. I wasn't going to go there, but there you go. But like, yeah, but like AI now, AI we had, there was a whole shutdown in Hollywood because of the use of AI. You know where they were, where SAG after was actively protesting the introduction of AI into their productions. Video games are another one because voice acting and motion capture is a big, big thing for video games and has been for forever. So with the introduction of AI, you are eliminating the need for a lot of that.

And that was one of the big things that, you know, SAG, AFTRA and the other, you know, companies were kind of like arguing is not good. So it's like a it's like a two, it's like a double edged sword here. AI will give us sometimes the world that we've always dreamed of as gamers, but what is it costing us in the meantime? Cause also AI also is just disgusting when it comes to the environment. Yeah, I'm basically imagine it drinking like literally gallons of ocean with a with a venue straw. That's what I imagine.

I'm going to cut in. I'm going to cut in real quick on that No Man's Sky thing and I'm just going to throw it out there because it needs to out there. That whole world generation crap was not what it was cut out to be. So we can say as much as we like about yeah, it cuts down on time to produce the game and this and that and yadda yadda. But again, my, my, the same thing that I just, I'm going to be sounding like a broken record here saying this. People were complaining that the world was empty.

No, that's what I. Mean there was not enough. There was not enough when it came to No Man's Sky's release. That's why No Man's Sky tanked. Oh, I'm not saying it was a good. Game it took them years. Oh no, I'm saying I'm just saying I just want to reiterate that so it doesn't sound like that. Oh yeah, it's it's speed up their process. But for people who don't know or haven't played the game or maybe they're just playing now, right, because it's still you know, still being partially supported right now at this moment.

But when that game released for those viewers who are just either now knowing about it or had just jumped at on it later on after the fiasco of the release, that game hanged. They put out or put out so much expectations for their game and they could not deliver. What they did deliver was a huge world. They did do that, but that world did not have any substance to it, which again reiterates the point I made before, which was AI in any sort of way, whether it's just generating a world or anything.

Again, they can incorporate it maybe to help in some aspects, but to help create the entirety of the game. I mean, hell, I mean I work with, I work in game development a lot. You do and a lot of the stuff with when even when it comes to creating code, AI does not know that, hey, this code, if you put this into the game and it's going to now intersect with this other code that I have and it's not going to work together. So it's not going to flow in. You're still going to need no matter what. If you use AI in your games, you're going to have to end up doing a lot of cleaning up after the AI.

It's like, it's like you're asking a teenager to do the dishes, but they only wash like the top half, but don't clean the bottom of the fucking plates. Like everything, half of the plates are still dirty. OK, so. Now 100%. Here's a question I have for the both of you. Now a lot of the games that we play are RPG or turn based or anything like depending on what your poison is. Now what would happen if you can imagine some of these games? Like imagine your NPC. What if they develop personalities over time or react differently depending on your play style?

Or even remember you stealing from them ten hours ago because they you have AI modelled coding in the game. Like what if they even start judging you? Yeah. So what I would think, what I would think with that is to what extent is the AI having full control? If it's to the extent where it hinders the game completely and the the player can't do anything, then it's a problem. If it's just something where it just randomizes their text and you know, maybe it picks in the parameters like, oh, you know this to this, OK, maybe that's like.

OK, but like. Just just for the sake you can throw in, you can like throw in maybe just like, hey, you'll, the person could kind of like, it's kind of like how Kayla was saying like training an AI to to use something. It's like, all right, use this text dialogue, use this character. They're going to have this type of personality if the if the player interacts with them in a certain way like this. Put something out that's similar to this. OK, so to build. As a response. To circle back the way Lavender originally described that that with their marketing AI, they had to train this AI, you know, to be the way that they wanted to be, correct Lab, you did say that.

Yeah. So like what was interesting about you asking that question was I was like, like my thought on it right away is I'm not a fan of how AI uses physical resources within our actual physical world, correct? However, I do believe when it's used to support something, it could be used really well. Like I like how I said that you had to train it and I was able to train it to essentially enrich our CRM at all times because unfortunately people that I work with don't provide all the details that they're supposed to provide when they're importing information into our CRM.

Well, that's human. Error from all different exactly and human error during all different sorts of time zones. So I can't even control it. So having an additional layer that I've trained that when those things that are imported can say, oh, I'm going to create a CSV, pull that CSV out and then run it through qualification systems, get all the information I need, and then plug it back in. Right. So like. That's a great asset. So if you have going in a game, let's say like I think the NPC example was really good, right?

You still need, I feel, the human personality to train it. And if you're able to train it effectively, you could have a really interesting set of game play. Because I would actually love if an NPC could remember that I passed through a village in Baldur's Gate, right? Let's say. Well, yeah, they are saying. It enhances the DNB type of experience, right? They are the game and the. They are saying now that they are trying out to do AI driven NPCS that are being tested with large language models, which are similar to chat bots, you know, and that some prototypes or even allowing real time conversations with your character.

Obviously this is something that's in development. Like for fuck's sake, we're, we're old school gamers. We remember when the gaming console first came around and everybody was like, Oh my God, I don't need to go to the, to the, to the arcade anymore. I can play games at home. And then they, you know, they introduced the two player aspect and all of a sudden you could play with your friends. What's to say that this technology wouldn't evolve its way to become more human like? I'm not saying that I want that because scares the living hell out of me.

We've had movies that tell us about that kind of shit. Looking at you, Terminator.

But it would be as a gamer, it would be kind of cool to have that in one of my games simply because how many times have we screamed at our NPC quote UN quote helpers in a game because they're doing the the one thing we didn't need them to do and then we die like. No, I, I I can. I. Can use the. I can say a very good example for that, which would be Kingdom Hearts, yes. I was thinking. King tomorrow he never heals when he.

I'm sorry, Lavender. We know that Donald is near and dear to your heart, but in Kingdom Hearts, Fuck you. No, he's. Literally. So annoying in Kingdom Hearts he like never functions the way he's supposed to. What did he? Say, dude, you're the healer of the group. Like people were. I've seen videos of people yelling at Donald. Yeah, there's like, Donald, heal me. Yeah, Donald, heal me. Yeah, Donald Heal. Me like, hello, you know, I mean, I'll put on another example in Monster Hunter, my Palico. My Palico does more things for me than Donald did in Kingdom Hearts.

Oh yeah, at least at least a Palico throw. You like a heel? Yeah exactly really like my palico will do its best. Hell shit my palico would go and kick that fucking monster's ass for me sometimes when I'm like down and out and I got to re sharpen my blades like. Oh yeah, it's it's funny too, especially if you're watching it from a distance. You're just seeing the the giant monster fighting the cat like this small little speck of a creature is just like. And it's making these little meow noises. Oh yeah.

Yeah. Oh yeah. But yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like it would be not like if it is used. I think more for the game experience, I think it would be great, but. And being used hand in hand with actual developers. Yes, thank you. From my experience, a great way to do that ethically would be making sure that the voices for those characters aren't AI generated. Have an actual voice actor do it and then build off of having like have that voice actor literally record like every word they've done it in the past.

And then just use the AI to have it speak when it needs to. And then essentially develop a have a writer be the one to train the AI to talk. And not only that, we're also forgetting when it comes to voice actors because people and for the people out there that I'm pretty sure they'll be a good for you that are just like, oh, just replace them entirely with AI. No, AI does not have emotions. No, it's not. Let's let's, let's put this out there. And for those people, it's like, oh, you could train them to do that.

I'm like no, no you can't because AI won't know how to react to something. Because it doesn't have the experience. Emotion though, damn it take your cutscenes all the really really nice cutscenes that you know developers have worked their butts off to put together to all those nice little cutscenes in your favorite games that you all you see yeah if AI were to take over and just do all the work for that good fucking luck enjoying that because you won't really feel the same impact as if you actually have actual voice actors for those scenes that's.

Actually true. So I mean. Exactly and they should agreement when they code them for the game that their voice because you can do this and I know this because this is how we train AI at my job is. It's more expensive, but you need to specifically buy a software that will not steal the intellectual property of what's being used to generate it. So when these game developers are doing it, especially for voice actors, there must, there should be a signed agreement that says, hey, like we're creating completely proprietary AI.

This does not leave this game production. You will be paid every time it's used right? And that's the only way I can even foresee doing it ethically where the artists aren't completely cut out. Obviously I could be wrong. No I don't develop video with me, you're right. But from my experience, that's what I feel would be the right thing. Here's the thing. AI can now generate voice acting. It can create character art. It can write quests or entire storylines. So the question does this kill creativity or does it just give us the opportunity to do more of it?

But are we headed towards that? Infinite content, but absolutely no soul. Yeah. And one thing I actually do want to throw out there, hold on, actually just just want to double back on the the DLSS from NVIDIA because I didn't really get a chance to throw this in there because we kind of just spiraled into the whole part of the subject here. The reason why I mentioned the DLSS in the 1st place, it's not just because they're using AI for it, but the fact that they're also using their DLSS, they're on their fifth one right now for NVIDIA.

And if anyone has seen or used it as a result, can just see the AI slop. That essentially just completely writes over all of the hard work that the artists have put in to the game. Like we're talking about completely remeshing and retexturing models, making them look completely different than what they originally were. Like we're not even talking about like a fractional difference. We're talking about a substantial difference. I'm even going to throw in the Digimon game, the recent one that came out because I saw someone actually use the DLSS 5 on it and it did not look like it.

The art style just it looked too realistic. And we're, and that's not even. And that's like an understatement, by the way. Yeah. With the fact that it made it look as realistic as it did just completely tore away from the fantasy aspect of it where I'm just like, OK, it just looks like a bunch of hyper realistic like AI Digimon. Like that's that's literally what the hell I'm looking at now. And it does the same thing with the characters too, like the same. Characters. Same exact thing that it's again, it's the whole NVIDIA thing with pushing AI NVIDIA, which is mind you, NVIDIA is a should have been and when it started was through and through a gaming company in the sense of producing graphics cards for gamers.

Yeah, that was that was, that's their main thing. But now they're doing this whole shift where they're even their graphics card releases are even being affected and it's being sent all that money for production is being sent to AI. And just want to throw this out there as well, just kind of like some key well known companies that are saying, yeah, we're not cutting that AI crap like into our games. Like we're we're keeping that out right. We're not telling that shit well. Voice actors, artists and writers.

Are already. Pushing back on this subject. Oh, yeah. But we're talking about like well known companies here besides just artists. Like we're talking about big companies. We're talking about Nintendo. Nintendo already reported it in 2025, You know, that it was swearing off generative AI to ensure artistic integrity, which very big kudos even, you know, despite Nintendo's kind of, you know, bullshit here and there with some other legality crap. Again, that's a big move. That's great, especially for their artists.

Like people work hard on these things. They do. It's. Just it's just a shame to to to throw that all away. Rockstar Games also another one they want zero part literally quote zero part in AI Yeah, actually that's. My Rockstar games. You'll really surprise me if you say Blizzard games. No. But I doubt the. Blizzard would. Throw Eddie, I have written As far as I have written, I don't believe so, no. The company for Baldur's Gate 3, they've also their CEO expressed skepticism in terms of using generative AI for art.

So. That's a big one. They should they. Were the most payment. Fully designed games Ever. Well, yeah. Baldur's gay was a big one. And mind you, Baldur's gay. We want to talk about like, like if we want to talk about like butterfly effect style games where like your choices drastically change how that how the game plays. That is a huge 1A. Million percent. Yeah, Obsidian Entertainment, that's also another one, another one that actually just recently came out last week. They that they, you know, put out a message about it Digital Extreme for those who are not informed on that company or don't know what that company has put out in terms of games.

They are actually involved and responsible for Warframe, which has been an on game currently till now since 2013. If any game right now can talk about, oh, you know, just making things easy and this and that they they could, they could, they should have been the first to be like, oh, this is going to make our lives so much easier, right? But here's the thing. And if they're even saying no, then that's that. That already said something. Well, here's the thing. There's a definite dark side, and we all see it.

Like AI could technically create addictive, perfectly tailored gameplay loops that are only tailored to you, that you would keep you playing longer. Have you spending all those microtransactions that you know, we all loathe, but then know that we need in a lot of ways because it's just become the norm? Like if a game knows exactly how to hook you, is this still entertainment or does it become psychological warfare? Like, are you becoming, are you becoming? Like, could you become physically addicted to an actual game?

And that has been a problem and something that we've been warned about our entire lives, as gamers say I'm wrong. So let me just say this, you are fuck you because I've written a paper on on a so yeah, I, I and, and being a developer and one who plays games several different genres, by the way, not just one of those little Call of Duty guys that just, you know, that's all they play. He's lying. I've played multiple game types. Totally doesn't. I play multiple game types, the only games. You play are of the mind.

The only games you play are mind games. Crimson.

But on the serious note on that I I can say there has literally only been one actual report where and even then. So it's more of just the lack of discipline than anything else. Because when it comes to games, there's nothing that's stopping you from leaving. It's not a drug of any kind that literally hooks you. It's not like nicotine says. Who? Right, The serotonin and dopamine hits that I get from certain games will leave me playing for hours. You think I play Disney Dreamlike Valley for as long as I do because I like the gameplay?

OK, but let me ask you something. If we're talking about a addiction, addiction means you can't stop. Eventually you put that game down. Eventually you put that game. Down, but that game is my emotion. And literally in this one report, literally in this one report, when it came to this individual, OK, they did not bother leaving that game ever. OK. But again, I'm not sitting here Crimson, you're misunderstanding he me when I said I'm not saying that it's already happened. I'm saying if this technology develops to the point that it could in the future, this is a very real possibility considering how one of the big things that we as millennials do not experience but Gen.

Alpha does and Gen. Z does. They are screen addicted. So you're not letting me cook? There was a point I was trying to make. Then make it. Exactly. I don't know. The podcast Kitty demands that you make your point. Yes. So my point making when I say these things, OK, there is a certain extent where you're obviously always going to put down the game, right, For those who will have lack of discipline, obviously they won't and they'll just let go of themselves. Now what does that have to do in terms of the whole AI situation?

Well, the whole AI situation, that's where I kind of debunked that a little bit. And I also have to say again, where is AI getting the information in order to even do these things? Because again, AI still needs data. If you have if you have your information hooked up to this company the way that say Facebook does, all right, this isn't like Facebook. If they haven't connected to Facebook, then it's problem then you already know you already know all your stuff's going there. But even then, so there's still some limitations because it's not always, I'm, I'm saying this from experience because I pay attention to the the ads and stuff that pop up, right?

You have ads. Whatever, I, I. Pay for me to not have ads. Oh yeah, well it depends usually. Sometimes it actually helps me, other times I'm just like why am I seeing this? I don't need this but other. Babies. Regardless, in order for AI to even be able to do those things, they need to see what you like, what you don't like. They would have to be examining you for a hot minute in order to know exactly what to put in front of you. OK. Crimson, can I tell you a very dirty, awful, not so secret secret about the advertising industry?

We I don't know what it. Is but go. Ahead, everything, any website that you have crossed, you collect that cookie. Even if you say oh I do not accept cookies, we can still track where your IP was, where you were, what you were looking at. So while I will say that is a good thought experiment, the problem comes in and it's all about the money. And whether you know it or not, there is an advertising Internet agency selling that data about what you may have looked at on a spare Tuesday afternoon, and they will sell it to that video game company to train their AI to be able to target you.

Oh, I guarantee, I guarantee that this phone conversation that we are having, since you 2 are both in your individual nests, we'll, we'll go on say our Facebook feeds, right? Because Facebook has ads and all that fucking bullshit. Now we're going to see more video game ads, whether it's the bullshit Google games or even other video games that we've mentioned, how we might even see targeted ads about Baldur's Gate 3 since we've mentioned that quite a few times. We'll see what happens because think about this.

The future of games with AI in it, with active AI in it, is going to be able to generate custom quests that are based just for you. And it's going to adjust the difficulty in real time. It's going to change the story based on your emotions, whether it's the behavior of your character or your voice. If you're hooked up to a voice thing and talking to somebody else, maybe for in real life, and every player is going to get a completely different game and like it's never going to be, oh, we all played the same game.

It's everyone's going to get an individual game. Now The thing is, I want to touchdown real quick what you were saying there, Kayla, I, I do know about all that. That's not, that's not, that's not something that I'm not aware of. Are you very aware of that? Oh no. Very much so, that's why I have things to keep people from reading my shit. Oh, I create this. Desktop just for tell you that really works. They don't work. But by the way. But that's the thing again, when it comes to certain games, that still doesn't apply.

Why? Because what would? Let's just say, for instance, I'm going to throw my stuff out there. What would 3D printing in my medieval game have anything to do or could even be used in the game? Take that depression. No what? So unless they start putting which honestly they have been, which I think what was it? Street Fighter? I think six or five. I could keep forgetting which one they started this on. They start putting stupid ads on their stadiums. 5. Right, That's the only reason. That's the only reason why I would even see them even using something like that for it.

And again, I can understand the the generation and and and all that when it comes to custom made quests and all that. And I get that. But again, it would have to be something that's also one related to the game that you're doing for playing, right? So again, there's still, it's not as simple as, oh, they have data on you. OK, what data is actually even relevant? OK, so I have a question for the both of you for sure. I have a question for the both of you before we start wrapping it up. You see, my love.

At what point does a GameStop being a game and start being a different reality that you choose to visit? It's completely taken over by AI and it barely has little to no intervention from people. Agreed. I think of Ready Player 1. Yeah. We're like, just like Crimson said, we're like, it's completely run by a self-sustaining AI, that there's AI world that people are going into. And you know, it's crazy because I remember when they were saying like, that's what the Facebook metaverse thing was going to be like, and it never took off.

Yeah. But you know, that's what I pictured because like for me, I'm always, this is just for me. I know it's different for everyone. Like I get like really invested when I play. But also, like, as soon as I'm done, like it's over, the TV is shut. Off. I'm not thinking about it much beyond, oh, I really enjoyed playing that game and having that escapism for that moment in time. Yeah, for real. But once it's taken over by a ready Player, one aspect where like that becomes your life and the real world in which you would have it in your real human body just is essentially useless.

That's when I think that's where the barrier breaks. I have to agree with you personally I think while I wouldn't the my whole thing is is do I want am I looking for AI to give me how do I put this into like the right words? Do I want a smarter game or do I just want a better experience playing a game? Like do I want? Do I want that is as a gamer, as someone that loves my games? Do I want the smarter game that can actually interact with me in ways yet still I'm still in somewhat of control and I'm still following a main storyline?

Or do I just want better crafted games? Personally for me, I would say I just want the better crafted game. While the other aspect is nice in theory, I do not think that it is the correct way because of all the things that Crimson and Lavender you both have brought up in this discussion. I don't think that AI can ever trump the human interaction aspect of a game. That is the whole point. That is the whole point of a game. We've done, we've done multiple episodes talking about the history of games and all sorts of other things.

For me personally, I think AI is a wonderful tool. It is not the be all end all when it comes to video games. Ding Ding, Ding, that's the that's the money, honey and. Yep, and that's and that's. Never replaced. Some of the things that's, that's one of the things that a lot of people when they start getting so deep at the AI, they, they, they, I don't realize that it's just like it should not be used for everything. No, no, I, I, I I completely agree with you. So everyone I would I would want to hear any closing thoughts.

Yeah, I. Would pray for me like gotta agree with you Jade. Like I'm nothing will ever trump the human experience of games. And the reality is, is that, you know, in any industry you're in, unfortunately, AI is being penetrated, whether it be they want to hire less workforce or they want to spend less money. And trust me, it fucking sucks. I the reality is, is I was literally told in my, you know, like non nest side job that like I'm not getting any higher help. I'm essentially training AI Co workers and you almost have to not accept AI and everything but accept that it needs to be used as a tool but also put your foot down when you know it's coming at the expense of creative integrity.

I agree comes in.

My closing thought NVIDIA, I hope you guys go bankrupt. Your investments into. AI because you guys have been plummeting the gaming industry or I should say gaming PC industry specifically. I hope you guys learn from this mistake. Oh no, I I don't, I give 2. I don't give two fucks. I was. Just missed you. Houston, we have no problem I. See. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Statement Everyone at the at the gate and the listeners out there in the Phoenix nation are very excited to have you back.

I think so. Welcome back Crimson, and thank you for bringing us such a wonderful topic. Yes, yes. So on that note, everybody, we're going to say bye for now. Catch us wherever we may end up and seriously give us a follow on all of our social media. Give us a like on Spotify, give us a follow so we're we can start giving you more update content and live content as well to be able to get us to go live so that you can interact with us in real time. We need those follows people. So if you love us, help us out here and we love you back.

So everybody's saying bye bye. We're born in fire, ice from pain which. Is blood in my eyes? Darkness can hold me, Shane Phoenix.

The Feinics Gate Podcast - Issue 165 - NPCs Are Judging You Now

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