Arc Raiders: Why Embark Studios is All About That AI Talk (But Not for the Pretty Graphics)
Arc Raiders Making Waves
Let’s face it, if you’re in the gaming sphere, you’ve probably heard buzz about Arc Raiders. Embark Studios is shaking things up with their extraction shooter that isn’t just for hardcore gamers – it’s a smorgasbord of gaming fun for everyone! I mean, this beauty is currently sitting pretty as Steam’s third most-wishlisted game, right behind the likes of Subnautica 2 and Valve’s Deadlock. And why, you ask? Aside from the fact that you can wipe your account and still get back in the game without losing all your hard-earned goodies, let’s talk about those graphics and sounds. Despite being set in your usual post-apocalyptic grind, Arc Raiders spices things up with a dazzling array of raider gear and some seriously intimidating robots that just scream to be noticed. Not to mention that funky synth score that gets your pulse racing!
But here’s the kicker: there’s some chatter about the game’s AI disclosure on Steam. Did AI help bring all this visual magic to life? Well, the design director, Virgil Watkins, has made it crystal clear that generative AI is not in the mix. “In no way does Arc Raiders use generative AI whatsoever,” he reassured me in an interview. What they do use is good ol’ machine learning and reinforcement learning—mostly for getting their robot drones to strut around on those spindly legs. But when it comes to making the game look pretty? Nope, not a drop of generative AI involved!
Voice Lines and AI in Gameplay
Now, if you’re raising an eyebrow about the AI disclosure and whether it covers things like the voice lines, I pressed Watkins about that too. While he’s not entirely responsible for the storefront page mumbo jumbo, he did confirm that the same text-to-speech technology they used in their previous game, The Finals, is present here too. So yeah, they get voice actors on board, but with a twist—they leverage AI for certain tasks, like their ping system that rattles off item names and directions. No more dragging players back in to record every little thing every time they add a new shiny to the game!
In another chit-chat session earlier this week, the big cheese of Embark, Patrick Soderlund, dropped some interesting nuggets about how AI has been weaved into the fabric of Arc Raiders. He painted a picture of a game that initially aimed to be a PvE delight but morphed into a PvPvE adventure, all thanks to innovative approaches in AI, from reinforcement learning to procedural generation.
Soderlund talked about their pursuit for lightning-fast development speeds. To make that happen, they realized they could toss out old methods and embrace more novel approaches, such as procedurally generated content. This involved tweaking their tools to keep up with modern standards instead of clinging to outdated software that’s been dragging along for 25-30 years!
So, while the striking visuals of Arc Raiders are thanks to good old-fashioned art and design rather than generative AI, it’s clear that AI’s presence in development is undeniable. Curious to hear more about my chat with Watkins? Trust me, there are juicy insights on the game’s unique difficulty approach, perks for account wipes, and so much more you’ll want to know.
Before you dive into the explosive world of Arc Raiders, make sure you’re prepped with the system requirements to avoid any nasty surprises! There are also guides galore to help level up your gameplay, and you don’t want to miss out on those handy-dandy tips.
So, what do you think about the role of generative AI in game development? We’d love to hear your spicy takes over in our community!