Delivered at Casual Connect Europe 2017. See where games are heading next and learn how to use new tech for your own games.

1. Why VR needs – much! - better AI
Wendelin Reich
CEO, Virtual BeingsFebruary 8, 2017

2. Let's start with a quote

3. Let's start with a quote
Kim Libreri
CTO, Epic Games

4. Let's start with a quote
Kim Libreri
CTO, Epic Games
“The next frontier for
virtual reality is
artificial intelligence”
(Interview with Variety,
03/16/2016)

5. What is “great” game AI?

6. What is “great” game AI?

Simple answer: coherence with player's cognitive expectations

7. What is “great” game AI?

Simple answer: coherence with player's cognitive expectations

Knowing what these are is very hard

8. What is “great” game AI?

Simple answer: coherence with player's cognitive expectations

Knowing what these are is very hard

9. What is “great” game AI?

Simple answer: coherence with player's cognitive expectations

Knowing what these are is an intuitive skill of every normal person

10. What is “great” game AI?

Simple answer: coherence with player's cognitive expectations

Knowing what these are is an intuitive skill of every normal person
Example 1:
Incompetent
security bots
from Bioshock

11. What is “great” game AI?

Simple answer: coherence with player's cognitive expectations

Knowing what these are is an intuitive skill of every normal person
Example 1:
Incompetent
security bots
from Bioshock
Example 2:
Helpful papery
beings from
Journey

12. VR & AI – the best examples

13. VR & AI – the best examples
Gary the Gull

14. VR & AI – the best examples
Gary the Gull Resident Evil 7

15. VR & AI – the best examples
Gary the Gull Gnomes &
Goblins
Resident Evil 7

16. VR & AI – the best examples
Gary the Gull Gnomes &
Goblins
Summer
Lesson
Resident Evil 7

17. VR & AI – the best examples
Gary the Gull Gnomes &
Goblins
Summer
Lesson
Resident Evil 7 Fantastic
Beasts VR

18. The catch

19. The catch
These games / demos
are based on a trick.

20. The catch
These games / demos
are based on a trick.
Dominating
the Initiative
It's called

21. The trick works when...

22. The trick works when...
… your characters are extremely
interesting and the interaction brief

23. The trick works when...
… or you actually want to dominate… your characters are extremely
interesting and the interaction brief

24. Reasons why VR needs awesome AI

25. Reasons why VR needs awesome AI
(PS: You don't need reasons if you believe that VR “drives towards realism”)

26. Reasons why VR needs awesome AI
1. Bad AI is more
visible in VR
(PS: You don't need reasons if you believe that VR “drives towards realism”)

27. Reasons why VR needs awesome AI
a. Immersion / presence
1. Bad AI is more
visible in VR
(PS: You don't need reasons if you believe that VR “drives towards realism”)

28. Reasons why VR needs awesome AI
a. Immersion / presence
b. Lack of player movement1. Bad AI is more
visible in VR
(PS: You don't need reasons if you believe that VR “drives towards realism”)

29. Reasons why VR needs awesome AI
a. Immersion / presence
c. Proximity / inspectability of assets
b. Lack of player movement1. Bad AI is more
visible in VR
(PS: You don't need reasons if you believe that VR “drives towards realism”)

30. Reasons why VR needs awesome AI
a. Immersion / presence
c. Proximity / inspectability of assets
d. Slower time-scale
b. Lack of player movement1. Bad AI is more
visible in VR
(PS: You don't need reasons if you believe that VR “drives towards realism”)

31. Reasons why VR needs awesome AI
a. Immersion / presence
c. Proximity / inspectability of assets
d. Slower time-scale
b. Lack of player movement1. Bad AI is more
visible in VR
2. Lack of great AI will be artistically limiting
(PS: You don't need reasons if you believe that VR “drives towards realism”)

32. Reasons why VR needs awesome AI
a. Immersion / presence
c. Proximity / inspectability of assets
d. Slower time-scale
b. Lack of player movement1. Bad AI is more
visible in VR
2. Lack of great AI will be artistically limiting
3. AI will be necessary to seduce a so-far ignored demographic….
(PS: You don't need reasons if you believe that VR “drives towards realism”)

33. Which target demographic could that be?

34. Which target demographic could that be?

35. A look at the research

36. A look at the research

37. A look at the research

38. A look at the research
Main dislike:

39. A look at the research
Main dislike:
Lack of “rich and
sophisticated social
interactions with
virtual characters”

40. A look at the research
Main dislike:
Lack of “rich and
sophisticated social
interactions with
virtual characters”
This was more important
than “negative gender
roles” or “violence”

41. Which games are already in this niche?

42. Which games are already in this niche?
●
Representative study
from U. of Turku reveals
7 player types

43. Which games are already in this niche?
●
Representative study
from U. of Turku reveals
7 player types
●
One of them, the
“Companion”,
matches this niche:

44. Which games are already in this niche?
●
Representative study
from U. of Turku reveals
7 player types
●
One of them, the
“Companion”,
matches this niche:

14% of population

45. Which games are already in this niche?
●
Representative study
from U. of Turku reveals
7 player types
●
One of them, the
“Companion”,
matches this niche:

14% of population

81% female, 39 y.o.

46. Which games are already in this niche?
●
Representative study
from U. of Turku reveals
7 player types
●
One of them, the
“Companion”,
matches this niche:

14% of population

81% female, 39 y.o.

plays mostly one game...

47. Which games are already in this niche?
●
Representative study
from U. of Turku reveals
7 player types
●
One of them, the
“Companion”,
matches this niche:

14% of population

81% female, 39 y.o.

plays mostly one game... The Sims!

48. In other words, for VR this niche is still...

49. … a blue ocean
Recommended reading:

Mauborgne & Kim, Blue Ocean Strategy, 2005

Thiel, From Zero to One, 2014

50. So … what if AI tech was not an obstacle?

51. So … what if AI tech was not an obstacle?
(Imagine!)

53. How do you create better AI for VR?

54. How do you create better AI for VR?
Easy! You only
have to solve 3
problems

55. How do you create better AI for VR?
1. The vision problemEasy! You only
have to solve 3
problems

56. How do you create better AI for VR?
1. The vision problemEasy! You only
have to solve 3
problems 2. The UX problem

57. How do you create better AI for VR?
1. The vision problemEasy! You only
have to solve 3
problems 2. The UX problem
3. The tech problem

58. Some final suggestions

59. Some final suggestions
1. Treat AI as “high-risk high-reward”

60. Some final suggestions
1. Treat AI as “high-risk high-reward”
2. Must be driven by senior management

61. Some final suggestions
1. Treat AI as “high-risk high-reward”
2. Must be driven by senior management
3. Develop a vision & strategy for engaging players via AI & UX

62. Some final suggestions
1. Treat AI as “high-risk high-reward”
2. Must be driven by senior management
3. Develop a vision & strategy for engaging players via AI & UX
4. Know your target audience

63. Some final suggestions
1. Treat AI as “high-risk high-reward”
2. Must be driven by senior management
3. Develop a vision & strategy for engaging players via AI & UX
4. Know your target audience
5. Don't bet big, bet long-term

64. Some final suggestions
1. Treat AI as “high-risk high-reward”
2. Must be driven by senior management
3. Develop a vision & strategy for engaging players via AI & UX
4. Know your target audience
5. Don't bet big, bet long-term
6. Invest in R&D, and not just tech

65. Some final suggestions
1. Treat AI as “high-risk high-reward”
2. Must be driven by senior management
3. Develop a vision & strategy for engaging players via AI & UX
4. Know your target audience
5. Don't bet big, bet long-term
6. Invest in R&D, and not just tech
7. Dream!

66. Thank you!
Questions?
Wendelin Reich
CEO, Virtual Beings
@wendelinreich
wr@virtualbeings.co