Google’s AI-Powered Game Engine: Reviving Classic Games Like DOOM and More
You know DOOM, that 1993 cult classic that’s been around for decades? Well, it’s now become an internet meme, playable on pretty much anything from microwaves to electric toothbrushes. And the latest? Google’s AI GameNGen can even generate a playable version of one of the most beloved video games of all time – and it’s seriously impressive.
GameNGen is a new video game engine that uses a neural model to generate gameplay based on prompts. In this case, it’s essentially learning to play DOOM like a pro, dodging bullets, slaying demons, and interacting with the environment.
Once the AI has figured out how to play the game, GameNGen uses a diffusion model to recreate a perfect image of what it’s just consumed. The game is produced in real-time, with the AI model generating each individual frame based on the last one.
The DOOM recreation is pretty amazing, but with GameNGen only able to run at around 20fps, it’s obviously not comparable to id Software’s 120fps in DOOM Eternal or the graphics we’ve seen of the upcoming DOOM: The Dark Ages. However, considering AI has imagined one of the most famous video games and it’s playable, we’re blown away.
More than just a DOOM Slayer
GameNGen’s powers aren’t limited to DOOM, and theoretically, it should be able to reimagine most of your favorite games – although it might cause motion sickness and frame drops. Just earlier this week, Virtuals Protocol demonstrated MarioVGG, an AI video tool that recreated a glitchy version of Super Mario Bros. This is just the beginning of AI’s involvement in video game development, and it’s exciting – and potentially terrifying.
