3 ms·

If you use an LLM for your text adventure, how can you make sure two people experience the same game? "Hey, remember when you had to use the pick axe in that m

by the_af 1y ago

If you use an LLM for your text adventure, how can you make sure two people experience the same game? "Hey, remember when you had to use the pick axe in that maze of twisty little passages, all alike?" "Nope, there was no maze in my game."

SubiculumCode 1y ago
When you play Dolmenwood[1], for example, as a TTRPG setting and group of modules, no table will play the same game, but they are all playing Dolmenwood. So I guess it would depend on how much you can get the LLM to adhere to your setting and rules. [1] https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/dolmenwood https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/dolmenwood Yes I'm plugging this, but I am not financially involved.
- the_af 1y ago
  Heh, I was just browsing Exalted Funeral for unrelated reasons! Re: TTRPGs... I think that's difference. There's no expectation that when two groups play a D&D session, even with the same module, that the story will play out the same (note: I never played one of those strict adventures with predefined story beats). But with computer games, which includes Interactive Fiction (the modern name for text adventures), you do expect the same experience. People remember Planetfall because of the story and how it plays out. People remember that in Colossal Cave Adventure there was "a maze of twisty little passages, all alike", so much so that it became a bit of early internet/hacker knowledge. I think you lose this if the LLM is making up too much stuff, and so far it's proven very hard to reign them in.
  - zem 1y ago
    might end up with something more akin to nethack than to colossal cave.
wahnfrieden 1y ago
You can have it create and reuse permanent world info as players explore it.
- the_af 1y ago
  But can you reign it in? LLMs are frustrating, they tend to go off the rails.
Tepix 1y ago
One part that's kind of boring when playing a text adventure is trying things the original authors did not anticipate and getting a boring standard response. LLMs could make this part more interesting by adding more playful, hopefully even witty responses. If you're playing in the browser, this could even be using the Prompt API utilizing a small LLM that's running locally! Also you could use LLMs for NPCs and for certain areas of the game, like mazes. I'm sure there are way more possibilities. We're still at the very beginning. Just think about it: Everyone is complaining about LLMs hallucinating. Text adventures are an area where such hallucinations are desired.
- the_af 1y ago
  > One part that's kind of boring when playing a text adventure is trying things the original authors did not anticipate and getting a boring standard response. This happens mostly with old text adventures. Modern Interactive Fiction is really sophisticated, and you don't get many boring responses. Example: in "Spider and Web", you're a captured spy being interrogated by your captors. If you say random gibberish, your interrogator will tell you (playing the role of the parser, but in a more interesting way). If you say something nonsensical, your interrogator will say "I'm losing my patience. No, that's not how it went", etc. Parsers are really, really sophisticated and they can make sense of contextual, unsaid information (or ask for clarification). For more than a few decades, parsers no longer reply "you cannot do that".
  - FumblingBear 1y ago
    Thanks for mentioning Spider and Web. It's by far my favorite modern take on a text adventure. There were a few moments that really blew my mind when I figured out how to progress. Highly recommend anyone who is intrigued by the premise to just jump in and give it a go!
  - Tepix 1y ago
    Isn't it true though, when you do something the author didn't anticipate, you get a set of standard responses? If not, perhaps it's already using a LLM?

by the_af 1y ago

SubiculumCode 1y ago

When you play Dolmenwood[1], for example, as a TTRPG setting and group of modules, no table will play the same game, but they are all playing Dolmenwood. So I guess it would depend on how much you can get the LLM to adhere to your setting and rules. [1] https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/dolmenwood https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/dolmenwood Yes I'm plugging this, but I am not financially involved.

the_af 1y ago
Heh, I was just browsing Exalted Funeral for unrelated reasons! Re: TTRPGs... I think that's difference. There's no expectation that when two groups play a D&D session, even with the same module, that the story will play out the same (note: I never played one of those strict adventures with predefined story beats). But with computer games, which includes Interactive Fiction (the modern name for text adventures), you do expect the same experience. People remember Planetfall because of the story and how it plays out. People remember that in Colossal Cave Adventure there was "a maze of twisty little passages, all alike", so much so that it became a bit of early internet/hacker knowledge. I think you lose this if the LLM is making up too much stuff, and so far it's proven very hard to reign them in.
- zem 1y ago
  might end up with something more akin to nethack than to colossal cave.

wahnfrieden 1y ago

You can have it create and reuse permanent world info as players explore it.

the_af 1y ago
But can you reign it in? LLMs are frustrating, they tend to go off the rails.

Tepix 1y ago

One part that's kind of boring when playing a text adventure is trying things the original authors did not anticipate and getting a boring standard response. LLMs could make this part more interesting by adding more playful, hopefully even witty responses. If you're playing in the browser, this could even be using the Prompt API utilizing a small LLM that's running locally! Also you could use LLMs for NPCs and for certain areas of the game, like mazes. I'm sure there are way more possibilities. We're still at the very beginning. Just think about it: Everyone is complaining about LLMs hallucinating. Text adventures are an area where such hallucinations are desired.

the_af 1y ago
> One part that's kind of boring when playing a text adventure is trying things the original authors did not anticipate and getting a boring standard response. This happens mostly with old text adventures. Modern Interactive Fiction is really sophisticated, and you don't get many boring responses. Example: in "Spider and Web", you're a captured spy being interrogated by your captors. If you say random gibberish, your interrogator will tell you (playing the role of the parser, but in a more interesting way). If you say something nonsensical, your interrogator will say "I'm losing my patience. No, that's not how it went", etc. Parsers are really, really sophisticated and they can make sense of contextual, unsaid information (or ask for clarification). For more than a few decades, parsers no longer reply "you cannot do that".
- FumblingBear 1y ago
  Thanks for mentioning Spider and Web. It's by far my favorite modern take on a text adventure. There were a few moments that really blew my mind when I figured out how to progress. Highly recommend anyone who is intrigued by the premise to just jump in and give it a go!
- Tepix 1y ago
  Isn't it true though, when you do something the author didn't anticipate, you get a set of standard responses? If not, perhaps it's already using a LLM?