Remember the first time you played a game where you made one of multiple choices and your action caused a ripple effect that shook the rest of the story as you progressed?
Depending on which generation you’re from, there’s a good chance it was a JRPG! If not, it was a story inspired by story-rich games just like that.
One single decision could lead you down an entirely different path, leading you to storylines that you didn’t even know were there. Witcher is a great example of such a game – you are given the choice to help an army commander and join their ranks, or ignore them; 5 hours into the game, you realize that your choice led either to the downfall of an empire or the downfall of a major (potential) villain. It’s not like you can load the game and try another choice, because the results aren’t so obvious.
Wouldn’t it be great if this feeling weren’t something you experience here and there but the norm?
Well, that’s what AI can do. AI can totally change how ALL games tell stories… and yes, even those on mobile.
And it’s not like it would just branch out into different storylines because AI has the ability to make a world that feels ‘alive’ – a story that adapts to you, not the other way around.
The Role of AI in Mobile Game Storytelling
If a regular Joe can now convert text into video online, imagine what the pros can do when it comes to designing mobile games. With AI, they have completely new ways to generate dynamic narratives.
Traditional games all follow a linear storyline, and every player gets to experience the same outcome.
But with AI, we’re able to do SO much more! You can craft any story you imagine or think about. If you can think it, with the help of AI, you can turn it into reality. This no longer limits people with poor storywriting skills, nor does it limit programmers from creating such complex branched storylines, which sometimes even intertwine into something even more complex than it already is.
Each player could end up having a completely UNIQUE experience. Imagine having thousands of players, and each of them posting what they’ve discovered or experienced in the story. One saying that they stopped a carriage from getting ambushed by thieves trying to rob the princess of Grandia, while other players, not even knowing that such a kingdom even exists, because they never made the choices that led to such a kingdom even forming in the first place.
Or imagine your player choices throughout the story leading to a secret OP ascendancy class which other players have never heard of!
Such exciting experiences would be very much share-worthy, which would fuel the game’s marketing campaign in a very natural (and affordable) way.
With AI tools, game devs could create intricate and realistic dialogue and interactions between characters, and also have a background likeness/reputation meter, which would keep track of your relationships with other NPCs. This makes conversations so much more natural and responsive.
Machine learning can also be leveraged to take the role-playing experience to yet another level.
Just imagine ALL your actions get recorded. Your dialogue choices, the paths you took, the food you ate, where you decided to rest and recover, which monsters you’ve slain, and which kingdoms you’ve traveled through. Everything could be recorded, and very detailed in-game events and challenges could be tailored for each player individually, in real-time.
Procedural generation kicks it up a notch by generating completely new storylines and scenarios every single time, depending on what the player chooses.
This way, no two playthroughs are ever the same.
The Impact of AI on the Future of Mobile Game Narratives
Things are interesting now.
It’s probably safe to assume it’ll only keep getting more interesting in the next few years. AI has the potential to turn every game into something totally different for each player, and the future of storytelling looks remarkably fun.
Here are a few things that might happen!
More Story Options
When it comes to mobile games, AI is opening up a whole new world of possibilities.
Imagine playing a game that changes its plot based on how you play and what you choose. AI can make games offer countless variations of the same story, which means every experience feels fresh.
So, no matter how many times you play, the story can always be different and dynamic.
More Realistic Characters and Emotions
AI is evolving fast, and it’s getting better all the time, so we can expect to see characters whose reactions feel much more natural. In the past, characters had simple scripts they followed, and that didn’t really change based on what you did.
With AI, though, those characters can be more responsive and learn from their decisions. They might even be capable of real emotional growth!
This’ll make the story feel a lot more real and alive because the characters you’ll interact with aren’t just mindless drones; they’re evolving with you.
Breaking Away from Set Paths
Stories in mobile games have always been limited because they were linear by nature.
You play through the same events, make a few choices, possibly die a couple of times along the way, and then get to the same ending as everybody else. I’m not saying this can’t be fun, but you have to admit that there’s room for improvement here.
AI can create stories that aren’t stuck on the same track.
The story doesn’t have to be predictable, and it can keep you engaged at all times. Instead of playing through the same sequence every time, you can explore a world that responds to every move you make.
Personalizing Your Story
With the help of AI, the game could pick up on your preferences and adjust the narrative.
It was made specifically for you. Do you like action? Or is strategy more your thing?
Whatever it is, AI can fine-tune the story based on what you want and give every player a unique experience.
The idea is that the game doesn’t have to have a fixed storyline; it can grow and change.
Conclusion
While it’s true that nobody REALLY knows what the future holds, it’s safe to assume it’ll have something to do with AI. And it likely won’t be boring. When it comes to mobile games, we’re looking at two things: mobile phones are getting stronger and stronger, and mobile games are becoming better and better. Sure, consoles and the PC master race are not in any danger, but as people’s lives become faster, more rushed, a shift towards mobile games only seems natural.
And with a much higher demand, we’ll see some top-notch developers and storytellers join the action. And those same storytellers? It’s pretty certain they’ll use AI in some way to create hyper complex stories with possibly infinite replayability.
It’s electrifying just thinking about it!
Keep AllClash one tap awayAdd it to your home screen and it opens full screen, like an app.
