Using Voice Input to Control and Interact With a Narrative Video Game

Abstract

With the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) over recent years, especially the breakthrough in technology that OpenAI achieved with the natural language generative model of ChatGPT, virtual assistants and voice interactive devices such as Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri, have become popular with the general public. This is due to their ease of use, accessibility, and ability to be used without physical interaction. When it comes to the video games industry, there have been attempts to implement voice input as a core mechanic, with various levels of success. Ultimately, voice input has been mostly used as a separate mechanic or as an alternative to traditional input methods. This project will investigate different methods of using voice input to control and interact with a narrative video game. The research will analyse which method is most effective in facilitating player control of the game and identify challenges related to implementation. This paper also includes a work-in-progress demonstration of a voice-activated game made in Unreal Engine.