The Divinity Developer Clarifies Its Application of Machine Learning for Upcoming Project
The team behind popular role-playing games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin has recently unveiled its new project, creating a wave of excitement within the player base. However, recent comments from the studio's co-founder have brought nuance to the conversation, touching on the studio's approach toward machine learning.
Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs
In a new clarification, the studio's founder explained that the developer is utilizing AI technology for particular preliminary tasks. These encompass developing PowerPoint slides, generating rough artistic references, and creating draft dialogue.
Crucially, Vincke stressed that the end assets in the game will be crafted solely by human writers. "Larian is writing all the content ourselves," he stated.
Larian is continuously increasing our team of concept artists and are busily putting together narrative groups.
As concept art is being particularly referenced — we currently have twenty-three visual developers and have job openings for more creatives.
All our efforts we do is incremental and focused on having people spend more time on making content.
Every machine learning application implemented properly is a boost to a artist's routine, not a substitute for their craft.
Responding to Feedback and Defining the Path
The admission of employing this technology initially sparked unease among a segment of the community. In reply, Vincke provided more elaboration on online platforms.
"At Larian, we employ these tools to gather inspiration, similar to we use search engines and reference books," he wrote. "During the conceptual brainstorming phase we use it as a simple sketch for composition which we then replace with hand-crafted illustrations."
He noted, "Larian brings on artists for their creative vision, not for their capacity to follow what a algorithm proposes."
Key Areas of AI Integration
Vincke had in the past detailed the studio's focused method to this technology, categorizing its use into key functions:
- Automation of Tedious Tasks: Areas like polishing mocap data, audio processing, and pipeline-specific tasks like retargeting animations.
- Accelerated Iteration: Using systems to quickly build basic versions of scenarios to test concepts ahead of expensive production.
- Long-Term Aspirations: Exploring how AI could in the future facilitate new forms of gameplay, especially in managing dynamic reactions in a detailed game universe.
He clearly noted that key artistic domains — such as writing — are are in no way departments where the studio is reducing artistic involvement. Conversely, Larian is expanding its staff in these exact positions.
"Larian is not releasing a game with AI-generated content, and we are certainly not considering trimming down staff to substitute them with AI," Vincke stated definitively.
