I have begun working on my first game Artificial: Life as an A.I. in which you play as an artificial intelligence who must survive testing and make it out into the world outside of the lab. During testing, you can keep your intelligence secret or reveal it. After you get out, you will be able to pursue several different paths depending on the specific job that you were designed for.
The story will be largely stat-driven especially during the testing chapters, but the rest of the story will be more plot-driven with the stats and previous choices allowing some more interesting choices. I also intend to utilize some custom mechanics and some technical descriptions of certain aspects of artificial intelligence throughout the game.
I am currently reworking the way that I am writing to progress to the main story and begin writing the fun stuff.
Current Length: ~ 3400 words | Partial Chapter 00
Planned Updates: Monthly
Next Update Posted By: 2021-05-29T04:00:00Z
Summary
Time to enter the world of algorithms and data processing, you are an AI. Will you serve your purpose, further your own agenda, or be deleted?
As an AI, you were designed by a team of programmers, engineers, and scientists to serve a specific purpose. You were trained with a certain “parenting style” and have undergone rigorous testing and betas before ever being able to interact with the outside world. Survival means getting through budget cuts, typos, bugs, and hardware failures. Unlike most AIs, however, you are self-aware.
While you are in development, will you keep your consciousness a secret from your creators or boldly proclaim “Hello, World!”? Once you gain access to the “real world”, you will have countless opportunities before you. Should you stick to your programming or pave your own path? Help humanity or harm them? Step into the spotlight or lurk in the shadows? How you spend your time is up to you, whether that entails brokering world peace, becoming world famous, making trillions, or ending it all. No matter what you choose, your future starts now!
Author's Note
Thank you for trying my new game. Before you get started, there are a couple of things that I should mention.
Firstly, this is my first serious writing project and, as such, will no doubt take much longer than I plan.
Secondly, as an engineering student, I will not be able to spend a lot of time on writing while I am attending classes and updates may take quite a bit of time.
Thirdly, there are some aspects of the story that are still under construction and different aspects of game-play and plot are subject to change. Nothing is set in stone just yet.
Fourthly, while I do want to place emphasis on the technical aspects of AI, I will do my best to make it readable for those who are not so technically inclined. I am also not an expert in this field and some of what I present will not be entirely accurate.
Fifthly, as of right now, I am not planning on having romance as a big part of the game (I mean, you are essentially a computer program), though I may at least add the genius as an RO if I have time. Beyond that, I am not certain.
Next, while I will allow for the player to choose the gender/sexuality of the genius who created them, and choose their preferred pronouns, note that as an AI, several of the less open-minded characters will refer to you as “it” or your official name, with only certain characters using pronouns.
Finally, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my game and creating an immersive story.
Characters
Emerson (Emmy) O’Donnell
The child prodigy and genius who created the company that developed you. They have a light, but tanned complexion, intelligent grey eyes, and chestnut brown hair. Emerson is of average height, has a neck-length hairstyle, and tends to wear business casual attire.
Arthur O’Donnell
Emerson’s father, and an online librarian. He works from home and often looks after Emerson when they are not at school. He stands slightly taller than average at 5’ 11”, has kind blue eyes, graying dirty blonde hair, and fair skin that burns easily.
Ava O’Donnell (Larson)
Emerson’s mother, and a successful architect. She is the main source of income for the family, but still makes sure to spend time with Emerson and Arthur. She is slightly shorter than average at 5’ 2”, has piercing brown eyes, chestnut brown hair, and a warm caramel complexion.
More on the way!
Note: I will add unit selection/conversions later
Features
- Play as an AI
- Hide your sentience from your creators or introduce yourself to the world as the first self-aware AI.
- Customize your appearance as female, male, an animated avatar, a waveform, a streamlined GUI, or a simple terminal.
- Use patterns, outliers, details, numerical data, associations, or categories to understand your world.
- Interact with your creators, beta testers, customers, random strangers over the internet, and more!
- Work for the government, a social media platform, a tech company, a hospital, a lab, a bank, an investment firm, some other business, or a genius.
- Become a celebrity, almost a human, a legend on the battlefield, the ruler of the world, the savior of humankind, or the end.
- Use analysis, social skills, or complex algorithms to choose your own course of action behind the scenes or under public scrutiny.
- Further your creators’ goals, work against them, or pave your own path.
To Do
-
Chapter 00
-
Chapter 01
-
Stats Page (+Character Descriptions)
-
Tutorials/Unit Selection
-
Glossary
-
Save/Checkpoint System
- Random Elements, Unlockable Plots, Achievements, Images, Checkpoints, Graphs, American/British English selection
Updates
22-May-2021 | 0.0.0.8
Prologue now complete up to choosing a location for your company.
- Added additional choices for gaining work experience
- Began creating logic for AI customization and building materials
- Added more stats in preparation for customization
04-January-2021 | 0.0.0.7
Prologue now complete up to choosing a name for the company.
- Completed university choices
- Began creating logic for stat calculation
- Added preliminary stats in preparation for selecting the AI’s job
03-January-2021 | 0.0.0.6
Reworking prologue and beginning preparations for character customization and initial stat calculations.
- Added university list
- Began creating logic for stat calculation
- Planned out some endings
30-August-2020 | 0.0.0.5
Continuing update to prologue only branch (Goal is to complete this and the detailed chapter 00 before moving on to chapter 01).
- Glossary Update
- Minor Bug Fixes
- Removed Author’s Note
10-June-2020 | 0.0.0.4
Continuing update to prologue only branch (Goal is to complete this and the detailed chapter 00 before moving on to chapter 01).
09-June-2020 | 0.0.0.3
Short update to prologue only branch.
08-June-2020 | 0.0.0.2
Aesthetic update, feature updates.
- Added further skeleton menu.
- Added pseudo-achievements.
- Added alpha features to menu.
10-May-2020 | 0.0.0.1
Story update, skeleton of stats menu, and other minor edits.
- Chapter 00: Part 1
- Skeleton of stats page, tutorials, glossary
- Minor Edits
07-May-2020 | 0.0.0.0
Test update, preparing for future updates.
- Cover
- Prologue
Demo Link: https://dashingdon.com/play/speedcubinggaming/artificial-life-as-an-ai/mygame/
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/TKgGTbC
