At the recent "State of Unreal" event, Epic Games showcased groundbreaking technology that allows Fortnite creators to customize non-player characters (NPCs) using generative AI tools. This innovative feature enables developers to craft interactive NPCs with unique personalities, voices, and tones using just 20 lines of prompt text.

In a demonstration, an NPC named "Mr. Buttons" was introduced, tasked with persuading players to press a large red button in the center of a room. When questioned about a "Do Not Press the Button" sign, Mr. Buttons humorously responded, "You mean the sign? That's just a warm suggestion from people who lack imagination. Rules are meant to be gently broken once in a while, don't you think?"

While the demonstration was impressive, it also highlighted the current limitations of generative AI technology. The system still relies on turn-based conversations, unable to replicate the interruptions or overlapping speech common in natural dialogues. Additionally, users must hold down a microphone button to activate speech, and Mr. Buttons incorporates filler words to mask waiting times.

This new feature builds upon technology used in Fortnite's "Galactic War," where Gemini2.0Flash leveraged ElevenLabs' AI tools to generate dialogue mimicking James Earl Jones' voice, with permission from his estate. The AI-powered Darth Vader quickly gained player attention and sparked debates. In one video, Vader inadvertently repeated a curse word used by a streamer and then sternly reprimanded the player for their language. Epic promptly fixed the issue and pledged to prevent such occurrences.

Epic's introduction of generative AI technology not only enhances the interactivity of the gaming experience for players but also opens up new creative horizons for developers. The future holds promising innovations in this realm.