There are a number of problems with Crimson Desert, with the game’s initial hype dying down as players find smaller flaws within the impressive open-world action-adventure title. Despite the expansive world created by developer Pearl Abyss, recent revelations about their creative features has generated plenty of controversy surrounding the game. Thankfully, there are other games that have taken the same approach as Crimson Desert, only to grow better by correcting the mistakes that alienated its fans.
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Many parts of Crimson Desert have earned rightful praise, with many unique gameplay mechanics adding to deep player engagement when it comes to exploring the game’s open world. Yet, there are some obvious pitfalls in Crimson Desert that are the results of its ambitions, meaning it is far from perfect. This would be fairly standard for a game of Crimson Desert‘s size, but failure to disclose one part of the game’s art direction has risen to a larger outcry.
Crimson Desert Has Admitted To Using Generative AI Without Disclosing It First
Recent posts on Reddit have revealed that Crimson Desert has used AI generated assets for part of the game’s art and textures, forming many parts of the environment players explore. Pearl Abyss has admitted to using “experimental” gen-AI tools following fan reactions, claiming that “these assets helped us rapidly explore tone and atmosphere in the earlier phases of production.” The development group would later state that “our intention has always been for any such assets to be replaced, following final work by our art and development teams, with work that aligned with our quality standards and creative direction.”
This quick explanation from Pearl Abyss claims that any gen-AI used was only meant to be used in iteration processes early in Crimson Desert‘s development. However, based on what fans have found, many assets within the game’s final release still reflect AI usage being used much later as part of the launch product. Pearl Abyss has now mentioned that “reports from our community” have altered them to the AI assets in question, which are “not in line with our [Pearl Abyss’] internal standards.”
Although Pearl Abyss has vowed to fix the AI issues in Crimson Desert, most of the game’s strongest critics are expressing frustration at AI use never being made public in the first place. The development team has apologized for their lack of transparency surrounding gen-AI, but some speculate that this detail never would have been shared if fans hadn’t have found AI still in the game. As a comprehensive audit of all in-game systems may find more AI examples, it’s worth noting that other games have made similar mistakes.
ARC Raiders Also Integrated AI Before Removing It From The Extraction Shooter’s Gameplay
Other games have drawn criticism for integration of gen-AI, including ones that mimic Crimson Deserts, such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Even with other companies swearing AI off entirely after fan backlash, like with Larian Studios’ Divinity, one stuck with AI for far longer than most — ARC Raiders. This extraction shooter long used gen-AI for NPC interactions, triggering text-to-speech dialogue that has long been a source of fan displeasure.
For a fairly long time, ARC Raiders gen-AI was simply part of every mode and match, unavoidable throughout a player’s experience. However, Embark Studios made a decision recently to remove the gen-AI systems, replacing it with legitimate voice acting from the professionals who the text-to-speech models were based on. The leaders of ARC Raiders‘ development have commented on how the real voice acting is leagues better than the gen-AI, adding far more flexibility, creativity, and authenticity to the product as a whole.
Getting Rid Of Gen-AI From Crimson Desert Could Improve The Experience For Players
If Crimson Desert‘s commitment to getting rid of its gen-AI is true, it could greatly improve the game’s visuals in the same way ARC Raiders enhanced its audio quality. Currently, there are some sections of Crimson Desert that feel uncanny due to AI assets still being present, taking away the immersive nature of its open world environments. Given the large amount of player freedoms the game gives its players, gen-AI is an unfortunate blemish on a title with a lot of positives.
To make improvements to Crimson Desert, clear communication about AI use should be far more standard in the game’s ongoing development from this point forward. Clear information about how Crimson Desert continues to get rid of AI will only help the game become more polished, in the same way ARC Raiders is getting better by removing its artificial systems.
What do you think about Crimson Desert‘s use of gen-AI? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
